| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Chinese Boy and Girl by Isaac Taylor Headland: back over his shoulder and he received a dozen slaps from
his companions, all of whom were waiting for just such an
opportunity. This is the object of the game--to catch a
boy with his queue down his back. Some of the boys, more
spry than others, would move away to a distance, and then as
though all unconsciously, allow their queue to hang down
the back in its natural position, depending upon their fleetness
or their agility in getting out of the way or bringing the
queue around in front. This game is peculiarly interesting
and caused much hilarity. At times even the solemn face
of Chi relaxed into a smile.
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Myths and Myth-Makers by John Fiske: elikiai gram-moeidws feromenoi, are believed in to this day by
the Canadian Indians, who call the thunder their hissing."[41]
[41] Baring-Gould, Curious Myths, Vol. II. p. 146. Compare
Tylor, Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 237, seq.
But these are not the only mythical conceptions which are to
be found wrapped up in the various myths of schamir and the
divining-rod. The persons who told these stories were not
weaving ingenious allegories about thunder-storms; they were
telling stories, or giving utterance to superstitions, of
which the original meaning was forgotten. The old grannies
who, along with a stoical indifference to the fate of quails
Myths and Myth-Makers |
