| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: his chest as he struggled for the breath of life that the thing
upon him was shutting off for ever. Then he lost consciousness.
When he opened his eyes once more he found, much to
his surprise, that he was not dead. He lay, securely bound,
in the bottom of his own canoe. A great panther sat upon its
haunches, looking down upon him.
Kaviri shuddered and closed his eyes again, waiting for
the ferocious creature to spring upon him and put him out of
his misery of terror.
After a moment, no rending fangs having buried themselves
in his trembling body, he again ventured to open his eyes.
The Beasts of Tarzan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: savage faces closed in, raining upon him spear-thrusts and bone-
barbed arrows. The sun shot up, and they swayed back and forth in
the crimson shadows. Twice, with his axe blocked by too deep a
blow, they rushed him; but each time he flung them clear. They
fell underfoot and he trampled dead and dying, the way slippery
with blood. And still the day brightened and the robins sang.
Then they drew back from him in awe, and he leaned breathless upon
his axe.
"Blood of my soul!" cried Baptiste the Red. "But thou art a man.
Deny thy god, and thou shalt yet live."
Stockard swore his refusal, feebly but with grace.
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