Nature of the beasts

The snake, the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac, signals the first month of spring and represents the elements fire and metal. Unless one has a predilection for keeping snakes as pets, however, it might be more practical for those who benefit from the fire and metal elements to keep other reptiles, such as iguanas. Salamanders, lizards and newts also qualify.

The peak of summer is the time of the horse, which represents the fire and earth elements, but keeping horses or donkeys is challenging in terms of space and cost. From a metaphysical perspective, equine enthusi- asts (polo players, jockeys, etc) would probably have the fire element as their most auspicious element.

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