| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: over the lowest branch.
"Thar, youngster, git busy now!" yelled the hunter. "Grab the other rope--
thar it is--an' rope a front paw while I hold him. Lively now, he's mighty
heavy, an' if he ever gits down with only one rope on him we'll think we're
fast to chain lightnin'."
The bear swung about five feet from the ground. As I ran at him with the
noose he twisted himself, seemed to double up in a knot, then he dropped
full-stretched again, and lunged viciously at me. Twice I felt the wind of
his paws. He spun around so fast that it kept me dancing. I flung the noose
and caught his right paw. Hiram bawled something that made me all the more
heedless, and in tightening the noose I ran in too close. The bear gave me
The Young Forester |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: Bianchon, Horace
Father Goriot
The Atheist's Mass
Cesar Birotteau
The Commission in Lunacy
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Bachelor's Establishment
The Secrets of a Princess
The Government Clerks
Pierrette
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: woman."
"But how do I stand in this deal? I've lost four thousand
dollars' worth of dogs and a tidy bit of a woman, and nothing to
show for it. Except you," he added as an afterthought, "and cheap
you are at the price."
Freda shrugged her shoulders.
"You might as well get ready. I'm going out to borrow a couple of
teams of dogs, and we'll start in as many hours."
"I am very sorry, but I'm going to bed."
"You'll pack if you know what's good for you. Go to bed, or not,
when I get my dogs outside, so help me, onto the sled you go.
|
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 Gambara by Honore de Balzac: insisted on sitting in front of the shuttered window; he must be got
to the other. It was you, Giardini, who first started me on the right
track, by telling me that your client's mind was clearer after
drinking a few glasses of wine."
"Yes," cried the cook, "and I can see what your plan is."
"If it is not too late to make the thunder of poetry audible to his
ears, in the midst of the harmonies of some noble music, we must put
him into a condition to receive it and appreciate it. Will you help me
to intoxicate Gambara, my good fellow? Will you be none the worse for
it?"
"What do you mean, Excellenza?"
Gambara |
