| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: a violent action of some kind and apparently was quieted by a
restraining hand.
"Kate, you let Duane make love to Jennie?" queried Bland,
incredulously.
"Yes, I did," replied the wife, stubbornly. "Why not? Jen's in
love with him. If he takes her away and marries her she can be
a decent woman."
Bland kept silent a moment, then his laugh pealed out loud and
harsh.
"Chess, did you get that? Well, by God! what do you think of my
wife?"
The Lone Star Ranger |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: touched on its voyage to Athens. But, had the noble Theseus
heard these falsehoods, he would have served their slanderous
authors as he served the Minotaur! Here is what Ariadne
answered, when the brave prince of Athens besought her to
accompany him:
"No, Theseus," the maiden said, pressing his hand, and then
drawing back a step or two, "I cannot go with you. My father is
old, and has nobody but myself to love him. Hard as you think
his heart is, it would break to lose me. At first, King Minos
will be angry; but he will soon forgive his only child; and, by
and by, he will rejoice, I know, that no more youths and
Tanglewood Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Awakening & Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin: No voice responded. Cheri's hot tears were scalding her neck.
She called for each and every one upon the place, and still no
answer came.
She shouted, she wailed; but whether her voice remained
unheard or unheeded, no reply came to her frenzied cries. And all
the while Cheri moaned and wept and entreated to be taken home to
his mother.
La Folle gave a last despairing look around her. Extreme
terror was upon her. She clasped the child close against her
breast, where he could feel her heart beat like a muffled hammer.
Then shutting her eyes, she ran suddenly down the shallow bank of
Awakening & Selected Short Stories |
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 Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: not thinking of these delightful sights and sounds, though they
were present in my mind, for my eyes watched the church path which
goes up the hill at the back of the house, and my heart listened
for a footstep that I longed to hear. Then there came a sound of
singing from beyond the hill, and the words of the song were sad,
for they told of one who had sailed away and returned no more, and
presently between the apple trees I saw a white figure on its
crest. Slowly it came towards me and I knew that it was she for
whom I waited, Lily my beloved. Now she ceased to sing, but drew
on gently and her face seemed very sad. Moreover it was the face
of a woman in middle life, but still most beautiful, more beautiful
Montezuma's Daughter |
