He said, "I go my ways

And when I find a mountain-nil

I set it in a blaze ..."

"So either way

I'll get into the garden,

and I don't care what happens."

That creature over there making a phone call-is it an electrically charged dynamo? Is it a flaming torch? is it a bird, an explosion-or is it Superman? Well, practically. It's an Aries male, which is pretty close. Let's hope you know what you're looking for. Should it be excitement, an Aries man will provide it by the bushel, with seldom a dull moment to blur the sparkle. But if you're looking for the security and contentment of a soothing love, you're in the wrong telephone booth.

Aries can overwhelm you with passionate ardor one minute, and be as icy as a polar bear the next. Insult him or lose his interest-either or both-and that warm, im­pulsive Mars nature will freeze instantly. To ignite it again may mean starting all over from Act One, Scene One.

Aries men are fairly bursting with ideas and creative energy. Keeping up with him may be tiring, but keep up you'd better. At least mentally. Aries has a way of leaving the snails behind and not glancing back. He'll probably look and act younger than springtime, which is all very delightful, but his youthful aura may carry over into his mental and emotional attitudes until he's matured, which won't be early in life. The Aries man is impatient with slow pokes, bold and confident, always ahead of others, and sometimes ahead of himself as well. He can be the soul of generosity, giving his time, money, sympathy and possessions by the carload cheerfully to strangers. But he can also be exasperatingly intolerant, thoughtless, selfish and demanding, when his desires are delayed, or he's forced to be around negative people.

When it comes to love, his heedless attitude is abso­lutely amazing. He'll plunge into an affair, positive that this is the only true love ever known by any two people ever born, with the possible exception of Romeo and Juliet. When it breaks in half, hell pick up the pieces, and try every angle he can think of to salvage the dead romance. If it's beyond repair, hell start all over again with a new Juliet, and it will be like the very first time. No matter how many romantic mistakes he makes, the ram is sure his true love or soul mate is just around the next dream. Unless you're a Scorpio female, the Aries man is as passionate as any woman could ask. There's little left to desire. He's so idealistic and susceptible to sentiment, he'll squeeze all the tingles, sighs, ecstasies and poetry it's possible to squeeze out of a relationship. Aries isn't capable of going halfway. He gives all of himself to the burning interest of the moment.

You may be involved with one of the quieter sheep. Don't let him fool you. He's still ruled by Mars. He doesn't talk much right away? He's not openly exuberant and pushy? Yes, I know one, too. But take my word for it, if you could see inside that hard head, you would discover that his brain is spinning at approximately two hundred revolutions per second. Any time you meet this kind, one who doesn't at first appear to have the typical Mars drive, check the present record of the business he's conducting. You'll soon be convinced you're dealing with an Aries. Then ask his ex-girl friends. They'll probably answer with a giggle. "Him? Bashful? Timid? You must mean someone else." After a while, you should begin to get the picture. That quiet demeanor is a mask for a fiery heart and a tough business drive. Naturally, it's easier when you're in love with a plain, simple ram, who makes it obvious just how enthusiastic he is about everything from potato chips to moonlight and motor trips.

No other Sun sign can be so scrupulously faithful as Aries when he's really in love for keeps. His honesty will usually keep him from fooling you, and his idealism will keep him from wanting to. Promiscuity or even light flirta­tions are not an Arian habit, no matter what the books tell you. Not when he's deeply involved with all his heart. He's looking for a storybook romance, and storybook romances never include a casual attitude toward love and sex. Those other girls were B.Y.C.A. (before you came along). In fact, I know one Aries who frequently precedes discussions of yesterday with his current flame with, "That was B.U." (before us).

Of course, you must keep alert to future possibilities, because as sincere as he is in his present devotion and promises of complete loyalty (which are undoubtedly abso­lutely true), his need for romance is so strong that he's capable of looking elsewhere if you don't keep his illusions alive constantly. The minute you let your mutual love lose its storybook flavor, he may wander off .the steady path. In case you're not sure, storybook love, to him, does not include going to dreamland at night with a female who has Vicks salve on her chest to clear up her cough. It also does not include watching your intimate personal toilette, such as polishing your nails, whitening your teeth, bright­ening your hair with "blondes have more fun" bleach, peel­ing your sunburn, filing your nails or fighting with your mother for hours on the phone. Somehow, in his mind, this is not the way storybook princesses behave. And good­ness knows, Juliet would never have sat with her feet up, chewing taffy and watching TV. Wear your perfume when he's around, and giggle with your girl friends when he's not. He finds it difficult to visualize himself as Prince Charming when he kisses you awake and you either snore, or shout unpleasantly, "For gosh sakes, let me sleep, will you?" Now, really, is that the way Sleeping Beauty would have acted when she woke up? Be prepared to greet him dewy-eyed and breathless each morning, fresh from your dreams, thrilled to find his handsome face so near. And let him know it.

Aries males whose sweethearts neglect romance are heartbroken at first. Then they become angry. Then they go looking for a princess who doesn't snore and things like that. This isn't dishonest as far as he's concerned. He didn't break a promise. You did. You made him think you were a lovely nightingale, singing in the moonlight, like it says in his favorite song. Now he finds out you're a chat­tering squirrel or a nagging blue jay and the jolt rouses " him from his heavenly world of angelic choirs and bells ringing every time he touches your hand. How can bells ring when your hands are always full of dirty ashtrays, and how can he hear choirs when you're screaming at him that he stayed out until after midnight for two nights in a row? (Which he did, of course, but who are you to think you can dictate his every move? Marriage is not a prison, and you are not his warden-that's his attitude.)

If you learn how to open your eyes and look at him mistily and all the rest of it, he'll stay with you happily, and ignore every female on earth for you. The ram is highly unlikely to commit himself physically to more than one woman at a time (unless there's a Gemini ascendant or some Venus affliction in his natal chart). It just wouldn't fit his image of one true and lasting love. The decision to break off the old will always be made before becoming too deeply involved with the new. You'll have plenty of warn­ing. An Aries man can rarely pretend a passion he doesn't feel. This alone prevents any undue amount of deception. Besides, now you know how to keep him inside the pages of that storybook.

Just don't be dull, negative or overly timid. To hold him, you'll have to be a combination of Grace Kelly, Ursula Andress, Marie Dressier, Madame Curie and Queen Vic­toria, with a little bit of Clare Boothe Luce thrown in. No one princess will ever satisfy his image of the ideal. It's quite a trick to convince him you're superior to all other females, but it will keep him spotlessly faithful, if you can swing it. It's really worth a try, because, if the Aries plunge into romance is headlong, his race out of it is equally reckless. He's both an idealist and an egotist, which means he hates to admit he's wrong, or that the love he chose could die. Still, always remember that he's capable of find­ing situations unbearable that others would consider par for the course. After a separation, if you catch him in the right mood, you can fire his romance all over again, if you act as if there had never been any previous intimacy. You'll have to play hard to get, because he loves a chal­lenge. To make it easier to forgive him, if trouble ever arises, remember that any straying was due to a sudden impulse after his nightingale stopped singing in the moon­light, not to a deliberate seeking of casual variety. Adultery is actually distasteful to his honest nature. Don't fret about the future. You have the magic key to his heart. Lock it.

If you have any ideas about playing games with him by flirting-drop them. Your first indiscretion will probably be your last. You can lose him with just a whisper or an intimate look at another man, let alone any actual infidelity.

He insists on being first in everything, and you can bet your old pressed gardenia this includes being first in your heart. Aries is possessive and jealous in the extreme. Only a Leo male can get wilder at the thought of a transgression on the part of his beloved. To make it worse, the ram will never give you the blind faith he expects you to give him in such matters. You’ll simply have to understand that his animated conversations with other women are innocent, because he'll demand all the freedom of social contact he denies to you, and then some. Your Mars lover will glue you to a pedestal, and expect you to stay there. Don't move a single toe. Don't even look as if you want to.

The Aries male is a natural rebel. He loves to defy authority and he thinks he was born smarter than anyone else. Perhaps he was, but most people don't relish being told so. Thanks to his rash way of pushing his superiority, he's liable to fall flat on his face more than once. Because of his need to lead and refusal to follow, those in more powerful positions will teach him frequent lessons in humility. At these times, you're way ahead, because he'll run to you for comfort and assurance when his ego is bruised. Then you'll learn that, beneath his self-confident, aggressive front, lies an inferiority complex he'd rather die than admit having. The woman who handles his shattered confidence with gentle and total devotion has the best chance of keeping his heart permanently. Never make the mistake of agreeing with his momentary enemy, or trying to be fair and seeing the other side of the controversy. You must love what he loves and hate what he hates. He demands the same fierce and unquestioning loyalty that he gives, in both love and friendship. It's his code. Unless you honor it, find another man.

There are no subtle tricks in the Aries nature. It's not at all hard to recognize when a Mars man is finished with a relationship. The ice and boredom in his voice and manner will be unmistakable, and will usually be accompanied by a frank statement that makes it crystal clear. On the other hand, an explosive flame of scorching anger is less serious, signifying that his displeasure is probably just a passing mood, and the romance can be saved. You have more reason to fear his ice than his fire.

Aries males don't like games. Hell be direct in all his approaches. And that means in romance, as well as in business. He won't waste a second, once the love has been recognized, but be sure to let him be the one to recognize it. Don't chase him, phone him frequently, get starry-eyed or declare your feelings until you're absolutely sure the passion is mutual. The quickest way to lose him is to make the first advance. He must be the leader here, as elsewhere. If you don't allow him to be, he can lose interest so fast it can astonish you and crush you at the same time. Once you're each firmly committed, however, don't be too cool and casual, or he'll seek attention somewhere else. Love with an Aries man is like walking a tightrope between warm interest and aloof detachment. You practically have to be a trapeze artist. Don't run after him. Don't run away from him, either. Stick a penny in your shoe, carry a four-leaf clover and wish on a star. That will get you as far as any normal, methodical strategy. Maybe farther. You have to keep him guessing, even after you're his. At the same time, he needs the assurance that your love is always there. Learn to live with it-or learn to live without an Aries.

On the plus side, although your Aries lover will insist on being first in the relationship, he'll also be the first to say he's sorry after a quarrel, and the first to be there when you need him. He'll be right by your side when you're ill or unhappy. He'll spend money on you freely and willingly (if he's a typical son of Mars). He'll compliment your appearance, appreciate your talents and be a stimulating mental companion. Although he can be bossy and lose his temper over a trifle, he'll seldom let the sun go down on his anger before making up. You may be the most impor­tant thing in his life, but he'll expect you to know that, and wait for affection and attention when he's all excited by some new idea which is consuming his interest. He wants to be your whole world, but unlike other men, he'll let you share his world, if you're his equal.

The Aries male will expect his lady fair to be ultra-feminine and a tomboy at the same time. He wants you to be completely independent, yet willing to stay a few paces behind him. He'll expect you to praise him and be devoted to him, but never play the role of humble slavery. Are you still with me? Good. Brave girl. There's more to come. He's capable of saying bitterly cruel and sarcastic things to you when his ego has been wounded, things he won't mean at all, but which may break your heart if you don't understand him. Then he'll expect you to forgive and forget as readily as he does. You'll have to like all his friends, while he reserves the right to be bored by yours. Well, you wanted a man, didn't you? You've sure got one in your Aries mate. If you're a real woman, your love affair can be the envy of everyone in town, just like Romeo and Juliet (without the tragedy, of course).

Once you've married him, the Aries male will dominate the home or leave it. He won't stand for being nagged in public or private, especially about bow he spends his let­tuce. He earned it, didn't he? It's his money, isn't it? (Sometimes that possessive pronoun can stretch to include the money you earn, too.) He may not balance the budget too well-and I'm being kind to put it so tactfully-but don't take it over yourself, even if you made straight A's in math. Never question his financial affairs. It's essential that he control the purse-strings all the way. He'll be gen­erous with his cash, if he's a typical Arian, and give you whatever you need. You can have that cobra skin handbag after he's bought that alligator brief case, if there's any­thing left over. (He may be a little selfish, but he's never stingy.)

Though the ram may change jobs frequently until he becomes his own boss, he won't let you starve. He'll find a way to keep the dollars flowing in, even though they may flow out again just as fast. Better save a few quarters in the blue china pig and surprise him with it when he needs it most, because he's not likely to salt away much of his earnings himself (unless he has a hidden asset, like the Moon in Capricorn or Cancer, or an ascendant which dic­tates economy).

Each new baby will find him behaving like the devoted, proud papa of your dreams. Later, he may be a little bossy with the children, and try to dictate their careers. He'll be a warm and wonderful fun daddy, but he might have to be reminded that the youngsters need independence as much as he does. Fatherhood is definitely a role he'll enjoy. Baseball, talks about the birds and bees, football, father-daughter dinners, the whole works. Just don't let him think little Herman or Henrietta is more important to you than he is, however, or his enjoyment of the role may cool considerably.

Go ahead and continue your career after marriage if you like. He probably won't resent it, as long as you don't outshine him. It's easier for him to forgive instant suppers or quick-frozen kumquats than to forgive your lack of faith in his ideas. That's important to remember.

Encourage his independence, but try to curb his im­pulsiveness-tactfully. He must lead or life is worth little to him. His great and bubbly enthusiasm can die a sad death if you douse it with wet blankets or short circuit his positive energy with negative thinking. The minute he loses authority on the job or in the home, his refreshing optimism will turn to moody discontent and finally, complete dis­interest. It's not his nature to submit. He's a man's man. Never destroy his masculinity, but never lose your own individuality. Don't try to push him around, and don't let him push you around. An Aries husband won't put up with a wife who runs around to club meetings every night. Neither will he tolerate a wife who sits home and crochets bedspreads and tablecloths all day. You'll have to aim somewhere in the middle. If you're successful, just think- you'll be the only white-haired Juliet in your crowd some-day, with a husband who's still sentimental on your golden wedding anniversary. That's quite a challenge if you're a romantic, and of course you are, or you wouldn't be involved with an Aries man in the first place.

"But aren't you going to run and help her?"

Alice asked...

"No use, no use!" said the King. "She runs so fearfully quick

you might as well try to catch a BandersnatchT

So you're in love with an Aries girl. I don't know whether to congratulate you or sympathize with you.

When Byron wrote that "Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 'tis woman's whole existence," he forgot about j& the Aries woman. She may think love is her whole existence, but she's too vitally absorbed in the world around her, not to mention in herself, for it to be the beginning and end of her life. She can get along without a man easier than any female you'll ever meet.

Of course, getting along without a man is not the same thing as getting along without romance. She'll always need that hero of her dreams to yearn for in her heart. He may be long ago and faraway-or hiding just out of sight and touch, somewhere in tomorrow's mists-but she'll think about him in an April rain. He'll haunt her when the first snow falls, when she hears a certain song or sees lightning flash. However, while she's yearning, if there's no male around in actual physical presence, she won't miss him terribly. Anything he could do, she can do better-she thinks.

The Aries girl will open her own doors. Shell also put on her own coat, fight her own battles, pull out her own chair, hail her taxi and light her cigarette without any masculine help. Doing it herself is, to her, the fastest way to get it done. Naturally, this doesn't set too well on the vulnerable male ego. The Mars girl is determined to take the lead, to be the first to move to action, and that includes the action of making the first advance in romance. Aries females are the most likely of all the Sun signs to do the proposing, especially if the man is slow about naming the date. And that's about as early as you can safely show your feelings-when she proposes. Before that you're taking a chance. Be very careful about moving in on an Aries girl. She wants to be the leader in the love affair. Better be sure you have her heart safely in your pocket before you try to grab her around the waist and kiss her goodnight. Other­wise, she may give you a sharp right hook to the jaw and run like a frightened deer.

Don't be misled. The reason for her running isn't maid­enly modesty. She's not afraid of your passionate intentions. Those she can handle. Her flight is based on the fear of getting tangled up with a worshiping slave or a love struck puppy dog, either one of whom would bore her to tears. Be casual, keep her guessing, and the chances are shell chase you into a comer instead. A man who resists her impact always intrigues an Aries female. She can't understand why she isn't overwhelming him with her obvious charms. Then her Mars ego will leave no stone unturned to prove she's desirable, even when she has no lasting interest in him.

Scarlet O'Hara is the very epitome of the Mars-ruled

Aries female. Like Scarlet, the Aries girl will gather every available male for a hundred miles around to her feet, while her willful heart yearns for the one man she can't have for one reason or another. Like Scarlet, the Mars woman can quickly adapt for survival if necessary, without whimpering. Both the O'Hara and the Aries characters are tough enough to defy convention, face an advancing army, or even shoot a man through the head with icy calmness, : if he threatens her loved ones.

Never was Scarlet more Mars-like than when she was starving, alone and friendless, and without waiting for a man to come to the rescue, she clenched her fist toward | heaven and shouted, "I'll survive this . . . and when I do, I'll never be hungry again ... If I have to lie, cheat, steal or kill-as God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!" | Much later, her emotions shattered, her beloved child dead ] and the one man she loved about to walk out of her life, | this typical Aries woman was still able to say, "I'll think of some way to get him back. There's never been a man I couldn't get, once I set my mind on him. . . . After all, tomorrow is another day."

Yes, Scarlett O'Hara creates a vivid image of the first \ Sun sign of the zodiac, with all the Mars strength and ability to bounce back after tragedy; able to play the female role to the hilt, with fluttering lashes and a well-timed tear, but just as able to take over a man's job when the men aren't around. A careful study of Scarlett's character can give you an excellent understanding of what you're in for with an Aries woman-and naturally, also the rewards you can look forward to after you've been brave enough to claim her. Her aggressive drive may be hard to take, but her shining optimism and faith in tomorrow can be mighty uplifting.

The Aries girl is rather a pushover for flattery, if it has an honest base. Let her know you admire her, but don't be too flowery or sugary about it. Her loyalty in love is gigantic, as long as you keep the sentiment alive, for she is deeply sentimental. There's the typical Arian contradic­tion in her: she doesn't want to be obviously chased, yet she quickly loses interest if you're too detached. She doesn't want a completely domineering male, but neither will she warm up to a man who sits adoringly at her feet. Before love can bring her happiness, the Aries woman must meet the eternal Mars challenge-her strong desire to control the lover, conflicting with her secret wish to be controlled by him. Unbelievably idealistic, sometimes she searches in vain for that brave knight in shining armor, who will sweep her off her feet, conquer the world, hand it to her gently and yet never sacrifice his manhood. Since he exists only in fairy tales and the myths of King Arthur's court, the Aries woman often walks alone, without a star to guide her. Her days are bright and full of excitement, her nights are sometimes dark and full of longing. Yet, when her defeated dreams become smoldering ashes-just as you think the flame is dying, Aries leaps up to build another fire.

She must be proud of you to love you. But don't be so important that you neglect to notice her talents and abili­ties. Though she'll demand a lot from you, she'll give double measure in return. The Aries girl can be generous to a fault with her time and sympathy, cheerfully sharing her possessions and money, but when it comes to love, she's downright stingy. "What's hers is hers" in the romance department, and it will take very little to set off a jealous explosion. Don't admire your favorite movie actress in her hearing, or pay too many compliments to her girl friends. The man with an Aries wife is safer with a male secretary. If she's not first with you in every way, you'll soon wonder where all the intense passion and thrilling emotion went so fast. When the Aries woman has been really hurt, she turns from fire to ice. Her fire bums hot and dies quickly. Her ice can be eternal. Memorize that, if you care deeply about her-and it's doubtful that she'll stand for you caring about her any other way. Aries plays for keeps.

She puts the loved one on a pedestal, expecting him to live up to an impossible image of perfection, stubbornly refusing to look at his clay feet, until they become too muddy for even her to miss. Never criticize the lover, husband or children of an Aries woman unless you're wear­ing an asbestos suit. She's capable of being demanding, selfish, and making cutting remarks when you dampen her hopeful plans. Yet, she can also be gentle, devoted and cooperative when she's met halfway.

Since she prefers the company of men to women, and solicits admiration from every male she meets, be he nine or ninety, you'll have plenty of chances to feel the stabs of those little green monsters of jealousy. Forget it. As fiercely possessive as she is of you, she won't put up with your possessiveness of her for an instant. The Aries girl insists on complete freedom, before and after marriage. You'll have to trust her wherever she goes and whatever she does, though she won't have that kind of faith in you (unless she's learned the hard way to keep her emotions under control if it kills her, which it almost will). It's not as bad as it sounds, because she'll be faithful, once she's really yours. An Aries girl is seldom able to love two men at the same time. She's simply too honest for such deception. Barring unusual circumstances, she'll let you know clearly that love is dead before going ahead in total commitment to someone else.

This woman is capable of deep passion and mystical idealism, woven together in strange patterns. In any rela­tionship she feels is real and forever after, there will be no holding back, no feminine wiles, coquettish tricks or silly games. Her love, like her speech and actions, is direct. There's something clean and fresh about the utter simplicity of her emotions, but even so, they often get her into waters way over her head. You may have to tame her a little, but she'll accept It with surprising docility if she really loves you.

Mars females are often career girls. They can handle almost any profession a man can handle, from stock broking to real estate. They can also turn a nice ankle or profile in strictly feminine occupations like modeling and acting. It may be difficult to get her to give up her job for you, if it's a real career or profession. She may toss it overboard for a period, while she's suffused with the glow of romance and picturing a storybook cottage for two beside the sea (typical of the Arian imagination that leads straight to the happy part and ignores the dull part). But when the cottage begins to need a paint job, the roof starts to leak and the first fine rapture dims slightly, she may be anxious to dig out her social security card again. Let her. She'll be far happier and more loving-even more gentle-if she's allowed to fill her idle hours with something that interests her. Mars emotions, unfulfilled, can look for molehills of frustrations to build into huge mountains of trouble.

There's practically nothing this woman won't tackle. If it's a challenge or just something she thinks she wants to brighten her life, she'll make some kind of a stab at it whether it's practical or not. I know an Aries woman who was forced for financial reasons to live for several years in , two rooms with a husband, five active children and a dog.

That kind of an arrangement can get a little cramped, and just contemplating it might give a woman with any com­mon sense a few doubts. Not a Mars female. This one coped somehow, though she may have let it goad her into a few tantrums. In the middle of the situation, when an astrologer read her natal chart and pointed out that her planetary aspects showed a long period of great hardship in her life, she was puzzled and intrigued. "When does it look like it might happen?" she wanted to know.

This same impulsive Aries woman got a sudden urge one day to add another dog to the group camping out in two rooms. She felt the family's male pet needed a female companion. He looked lonesome. Besides, the children thought it was a rollicking good idea. The discovery that the second dog wasn't housebroken threw her only tempo­rarily. Like a determined drill sergeant, she assigned every member of the family their turn at scrubbing the carpet. After she saw that it would never be the same again, she surveyed the situation and made a decision. To get rid of the second dog? Of course not. She was secretly hoping there would be puppies someday soon. The money would just have to come from somewhere to get a new rug. Funny thing-it did. As for the puppies, she was sure some miracle would happen to move the entire crowd into a new apart­ment before the happy event. Funny thing-it did. Miracles have a way of happening to those who believe in them. Aries women certainly believe. Sometimes to the point of foolishness. Her rash ways can get her into some compli­cated pickles, and she may have a few gray hairs before she learns how to avoid the same pickle twice. Aries is not noted for learning from experience. The spirit is willing, but the disposition is headstrong. There's no use to try to caution a typical Aries female with the biblical warning, "Pride goeth before a fall." Her interpretation of the phrase, since she first heard it in Sunday School, is "When your pride goes, you fall."

Never worry that your Aries girl will succumb to the charms of a wolf. She's immune to wolves and playboys, and in far more danger of being seduced by an idealist with a cause, preferably a lost cause. But even with him, she'll assert her individuality frequently. It will never be completely conquered in the Mars woman, though it can be subdued by the right man. She'll buy you gifts, loan you money, nurse you through illness, and help you get a job.

And she'll expect the same from you.

She'll deny it vehemently (she does almost everything vehemently), but when she's miserable, you should be miserable. When she's happy, you should be happy. To Aries, love is equal sharing. She'll expect to share your razor, your bank account, your friendships and your dreams. In return, you can share hers. Of course, her razor may be broken, her bank account a little overdrawn, her friendships slightly scattered and her dreams too large for you to swallow. But she's not selfish with them. Keeping a secret from her can drive her wild, and it's not a good idea to drive an Aries wild. Don't ever embarrass her by your grammar, clothing or behavior in public. She won't embarrass you, at least not in these matters.

To injure her pride or dampen her enthusiasm will almost break her heart. Others will constantly be doing just that to her. The world resents a female who talks back to it, and who thinks she's smarter than everyone else. When she discovers she really doesn't run the universe after all, she'll come running into your arms in tears, her world all dark and dismal. Then you'll have a chance to see her as she really is, defenseless and vulnerable in the extreme, for all her outer confidence. She's not really Tug­boat Annie. She'd just like to be. She admires strength and tries to imitate it. The Aries idealism and optimistic faith in human nature is often dashed to bits by reality. Comfort her with tenderness at these times, and you'll probably never lose her. Always defend her against her enemies. She can never forgive you if you fail to fight for her or take her side. (But be prepared to make up with them when she does, which may be quickly.)  She'll also defend you. An Aries woman will throw away fame or fortune defiantly right in the face of anyone who hurts a friend of hers. If she loves you, her indignation will have no bounds. These women are nothing if not loyal.

As a wife, she may be quite a handful. There will prob­ably be outside interests, because home will seldom be enough for her creative energies. Don't expect her to be a happy little cricket, chirping away contentedly by the hearth. She'll be a competent enough cook, and she'll keep the house spanking clean-at least the part that shows. She'll sew on buttons and iron shirts, too, but she won’t like it. Still, she'll do it when it's necessary. (An Aries woman can do almost anything when it's necessary.) She is more like that of a glittering diamond than like the warm, comforting glow of the fireplace. There's undeniably brittle side to her nature, and she may agitate you more often that she soothes you. But she's exciting and certainly ever boring. Then there are always those moments of softness that belie her strong drive-for a man who has the patience to bring them out. Mars women are always softer inside than any but those who have been really close to them ever know. Her conversation will be very intelligent and very frequent. Don't hide behind the newspaper at breakfast. She'll expect companionship from you, or you can just scramble your own eggs.

You'll rarely find her complaining of illness or fatigue. but when she's in pain, she'll expect tons of sympathy. Although you may have to sit on her to get her to go to bed when she has a raging fever, be prepared to wait on her hand and foot when she has a toothache.

This is not the woman to call and tell you'll be working ate at the office, unless you enjoy creating Fourth of July fireworks in the middle of February. She won't mind keeping the gravy hot, but she won't like not knowing where you really are, and what you're really doing, and she may call back to find out. The Aries wife will probably make an excellent impression on your boss, if you can keep her from telling him how to run his business. She won't mind going  out to bring home the bacon when you're temporarily out of a job, but she can never respect a man who makes less money than she does (though an Aries woman would never leave a man for this reason-she'd be more inclined to make excuses for him). If she has a rare spell of letting herself go, the first word of disapproval from you will send her flying back to the mirror and perfume bottle. (In this way, she's as feminine as Eve herself.) A flattering com­ment about your secretary's new hair style will do the same thing, but it's more dangerous. Besides, you were warned to hire a male secretary. There's a vain streak in a Mars woman which makes her sensitive about everything from her age to an innocent remark about how tired she looks, which she may take as a hint that you think she looks like an old hag.

Keep the passion and romance alive in your marriage, or she'll be miserably unhappy. Aries will waste little time changing any situation which causes unhappiness, and that can lead to a hasty separation or an impulsive divorce. In most cases, letting her handle the family checkbook would be unwise, but you can try it, if the bank is game.

As a mother, she'll see that the baby is clean, happy, healthy and loved. She probably won't pick him up every time he cries, fuss over him or over^protect him. But her children will get lots of warm, impulsive kisses and bear hugs. An April mother will teach her youngsters to believe in leprechauns. She'll take them for walks in the park, and point out the sparkling necklaces left on the lawn by the fairies when they danced under the moon where others might see only the early morning dew on the grass. Aries women create a magic world of fantasy for their children. It's where they live themselves. She won't be a permissive parent, she'll insist on strict discipline, and will probably be very fortunate in raising her offspring to be independent adults. Her favorite weapons of child psychology are: a wooden paddle, bedtime stories and goodnight kisses.

This woman can be unreasonably temperamental, and create some violent scenes. But her quickly aroused temper will splatter like summer hailstones and soon melt away. She'll never hold a grudge, seek revenge, indulge in self-pity or bitterness. After an emotional storm, her optimistic, April nature will return like the rainbow suddenly appear­ing after a shower. Lots of people will tell you an Aries woman is completely masculine, but don't you believe them. She's all woman underneath her flashing, forceful exterior, perhaps too much woman for the average man. But, of course, a knight in shining armor isn't an average man. Are there any lonely, courageous knights out there? This is the fair lady of your dreams, worth all the dragons you'll have to slay to win her.

Don't forget that she bruises easily, in spite of her bright, brave smile. (That's just her shield against hurt.) If you can turn the ram into a lamb, you'll have a woman who is honest and passionate, loyal and exciting-though she may be a little impulsive, bossy and independent. Well, you can't have everything, you know. The Aries girl will help you find your lost illusions and she'll have a fierce faith in all your dreams. You don't have any? Borrow some of hers. She has plenty to spare. If you believe in her just hall as much as she believes in you, you could make some miracles together.

"All I know is something comes at me , Like a Jack-in-lhe-box And I go up like a Sky Rocket]"

While Papa is passing out the cigars, the crimson-faced little Aries baby will yell for attention in the bassinet. How dare you ignore him and talk to the nurse? Who's the boss around here anyway?

You won't any more than get him in the taxi on the way home before that question will be emphatically answered. Your Mars infant is the boss. Do you have any doubts? They'll fade away when he's old enough to sit in the high chair and bang his spoon on the tray if you leave him alone too long. He'll never tease you or be subtle about his preferred diet. There's not a subtle bone in his strong, active, broad-shouldered little body. The Aries tot will spit out his vegetables as if they were shot from a cannon, and rub the cereal bowl on his tiny, bald head to make it quite clear that this is definitely not the food baby likes. The girls will be as direct in their actions as the boys. Maybe more so, though you hardly expect such fierce determina­tion from a soft, little miss. Did I say soft? April's metal is iron, and April's stone is the diamond, the hardest sub­stance known to man.

He'll probably walk earlier than other babies, and cer­tainly will talk earlier. He won't be easy to control. Say, "No, no," to an Aries toddler, and he'll shake his chubby little finger right back at you in defiance. Discipline should be started quite young. Be on guard against falls and injuries to the head or face. He's accident-prone, to put it mildly. Keep sharp knives out of reach, watch out for burns and scalds. If there's anything hot or forbidden around, you can just bet the Aries child will stick his curious fist in it impulsively. You think that will teach him a lesson? Not this youngster. He'll try to break his own record.

Teething time may be feverish and severe. Baby will come through the ordeal with little difficulty, but will you?      .

When he gets a little older, you may get the breath squeezed out of you with one of his loving bear hugs. Aries children are usually affectionately demonstrative, except for the few Mars youngsters whose early emotional experiences freeze their normally warm hearts. These are the sad, quieter little sheep. But their horns are just as dangerous.

Better not ask relatives to babysit without warning them. If poor Aunt Maude bravely takes him while you have a brief vacation, things could become a little strained. She'll catch your Aries tot with his busy hand in the sugar bowl, and probably make the mistake of stamping her foot in displeasure. That will both surprise and outrage the little ram into stamping his own small foot, and bursting out with his first complete sentence, "Aunt 'Mod'-don't you tell me sumpin'." So quaint. Bet she won't "tell him some­thing" again soon. (You might have to come home a little early. He broke his big toe when he stamped his foot.)

As he grows older and stronger, after having fought measles, mumps, chicken pox and scarlatina, and won hands down. (a battle with germs is no contest with the quickly recuperating Mars nature), your Aries child will begin to show a pattern of temper. You'll notice that he or she can be most unreasonable when thwarted, but the anger won't last long. After a periodic explosion, the Aries boy or girl will beam a large, bright and winning smile your way.

He'll share his toys with amazing generosity with you, his playmates, the mailman, the neighbor's bulldog and the alley cat. However, his generosity will end if one of them hurts his feelings or gets in the way of something he wants to do or somewhere he wants to go. Then look out for fireworks.

Aries boys and girls may fall into the early habit of neglecting homework, and using your more obedient little Capricorn, Cancer, Virgo or Pisces child as an example will hardly impress him. (I'm assuming you don't have more than one Aries offspring. The planets don't do that to parents very often.) Instead of shaming the Mare youngster into studying, challenge him. He'll lap up a challenge like that favorite stray alley cat of his laps up cream. Just tell him (or her) that he's probably just slow, or not as bright as the other students, inferior in some way, but you don't mind. You love him anyway. Myl-'How .the dust will fly off those schoolbooks, as he sets out to prove what a ridiculous theory that is. Someone who can top him? That will be the day-or night.

After you've watched the magic of such strategy at home, tip off his teacher. She'll get down on her knees and thank you. If she has more than one Aries student in her class, she may send you a five-pound box of candy. Actu­ally, Mars youngsters can learn anything in nothing flat, never forget it, and breeze through their studies, if they apply themselves. Not all parents know how to accomplish this. They may spend years wondering why Mike and Maggie test with such a high I.Q., and still manage to stay in the third grade for four years. They needn't worry too much, however, because little Mike and Maggie will make up for lost time with the speed of a bullet, once they get out in the world and find out people are smarter than they are. A couple of humiliations to the Mars ego, and they'll cram so fiercely, they'll skip a few grades.

Your April youngster will have a vivid imagination; he'll be as dreamy and sentimental as a storybook, but he'll know very well how to get his bread toasted at the same time. If there is such a contradictory thing as a hard, prac­tical idealistic dreamer, it's your Aries child. He's as naive as he is tough; as gentle as he is pushy. All these conflicting traits are woven into his fiery little nature. You'll marvel at it and wonder about it. So will your friends later on, not to mention his boss, his future enemies and the unsus­pecting soul he marries.

Aries children will take the lead with playmates, start new games and invent new ideas for the gang. They'll insist on having their own way or butt their heads against authority, so you'd better decide to set down some firm rules in the beginning. The Aries child who isn't trained to obey in his youth will be taught some crushing lessons in maturity. Remember that his heart is as soft as butter, and it hides deep-seated fears of being disliked and unloved, despite his brave front. Rejection of his bright dreams or dampening of his exciting enthusiasm will send him run­ning home to you in tragic tears. Hold him very close when this happens. His heart will be broken. For all his rash domineering ways, the Aries idealism is sensitive and it bruises with the slightest bump. He'll be getting plenty of - those bumps on his naive, hope-filled optimism during his lifetime, and he needs more protection against them than you might think.

He believes in fairy godmothers with magic wands, and giants who can topple over whole cities with one sweep of a powerful hand. Unfortunately, Aries children naively identify with these two omnipotent types. When they dis­cover that there are giant killers out there in the brutal world-and blunt realists, who can make those magic wands pathetically impotent, they'll take some hard tumbles. But they'll get back up, brush themselves off, and push forward again indefinitely. They'll teach that dull, un­imaginative old world a thing or two! There may be a few sears before it's over, but don't count your Mars child out of the fight, no matter how many times he's knocked down. Wait for him to holler "Uncle." You may have a long wait.

Hide birthday presents in a safe place. Hell be impa­tient, and unwilling to wait for surprises. Don't destroy his faith in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too soon. To first believe fiercely, and then learn not to believe, toughens his emotions. It's a necessary lesson. His allowance will burn a hole right through his pocket, but he'll cheerfully give you his last dime for the milkman. Your Aries daugh­ter may pay the neighborhood bullies a nickel a day to stop stepping on ants. An Aries child handled harshly in the impressionable years can show a defensive cruel streak, but guided gently and wisely, he'll insist on his rights with less force, and show a gigantic generosity and sympathy for his fellow man. Don't give him orders, always ask him to do things with a cheerful smile, and he'll knock himself out to please you. Never destroy his confidence. It's as important to him as the air he breathes. He may run away from home; the Mars independence shows early, but he'll come back wiser. Teach him that it's unkind to dominate meeker youngsters. He truly does not want to be unkind.

Being around cold, negative people can wound him deeply, but nothing will ever break his spirit. (Remember the diamond.) He'll probably be wild about books and be an excellent reader, yet he may not be anxious to settle down to four years of college. Aries is too interested in getting into the action of chopping down all those chal­lenging beanstalks. But don't give up too quickly. He can use the additional discipline of higher education to help his mind catch up with his flaming emotions and sudden, puzzling bursts of sharp intuition. The more he balks at the idea of a rigid scholastic schedule and prefers the freedom of trying out a few jobs, the more you can be sure he needs the schedule.

He'll have to learn responsibility, but you'll teach him this and other things faster through direct logic and honest affection. Both appeal to him. Parents and teachers should never forget that Aries children glow under praise and doggedly proceed to top their own efforts, but they sputter like firecrackers under attack and lose all incentive to try. Tell him what you like about him, and he'll do less that you don't like. Aries youngsters live up to exactly what's expected of them, including those who hide their burning drive under a calmer personality. This child must always be kept busy, or hell wander into trouble. Idleness spells danger. He needs stacks of sleep to renew all that scattered, misplaced energy.

Hell love stories about brave, shining heroes who con­quered new worlds. But he also believes in leprechauns and wishing wells, and he'll continue to believe in them long after you've bronzed those little Aries baby shoes and welcomed the first grandchild. If you lead your Mars child gently, with constant love, he'll grow up with the wonderful power to dream the impossible dream-and make it come true.

"Well now that we have seen each other," sad the Unicorn,

"if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?"

The Aries boss won't be popular with lazy employees. If you're looking for a temporary soft spot to fill in the time while you seek a permanent career, or a place to pick up a little spending money during a lull in your life, you'd be well advised not to work for an Aries. This man simply can't abide half-hearted work or a lack of enthusiasm in those around him. He'll expect you to be as devoted to the company as he is, and just as intently concerned with its future potential. He'll probably hire you fast, promote you fast-and point out your mistakes just as quickly.

If he suspects you are coasting, you're liable to get a blunt and direct-to-the-point tongue-lashing, with no feel­ings spared, but you'll also get a second chance, perhaps even a third or fourth one, if you admit you're wrong and promise to do better. You might as well be prepared to work overtime for the Aries boss frequently. He'll expect it. On the other hand, if he's a typical Aries, he probably won't frown at the clock or glance at his wristwatch when you arrive late in the morning or take an extra half hour or hour for lunch. He's not a clock watcher himself. Because of his highly individual personality, he'll under­stand that you can't turn on creativity like a light switch at nine in the morning and turn it off again at five in the afternoon. He's a boss who will often ask you to work an extra Saturday, but he's also likely to accept the excuse of your grandmother's funeral when you want to attend that baseball game, though you'd get the time off just as easily by telling the truth. He can see why, on sudden impulse, you'd like to root for your team on a spring day.

Though he'll usually be generous with vacations, salaries, raises and all such matters, he'll fully expect you to drop everything-personal plans, emotional ties, travel commit­ments or what-have-you-if something of great importance pops up at the office. I hate to say it, but I do know of one Aries boss who had a business crisis requiring the round-the-clock services of a valued employee. The fact that the business emergency occurred on a day this employee was. scheduled for an appearance as a bride was incidental. What if she had made plans for six bridesmaids, a flower girl, a ring-bearer, and a reception for three hundred afterwards?

The Aries boss couldn't understand why all that couldn't be postponed, including the honeymoon, for an urgent meeting concerning a million dollar deal which could put the company on the big board. He would be willing to delay his own marriage for such a crisis, so why wouldn't you? What's the matter, aren't you loyal? This is admittedly an extreme case, but you've been warned.

It's a rare Aries boss who isn't more lavish than the ordinary employer at Christmas-time. Depending on how strong an Aries he is, you can count on getting a larger bonus check than your friends in other offices-or even a hard-picked, expensive gift, which could be something you've been wanting for a long time. A Mars boss is not likely to be stingy (unless there's a conflicting Moon sign or descendant).

He's not as susceptible to flattery as other astrological signs, but it won't hurt you to pay him a sincere compliment now and then. If you let him know in a straight-forward way that you appreciate him as an employer, you admire his efficiency and you think he's just about the smartest boss in town, your job security is guaranteed. However, do or say this only if you really believe it and mean it. He will have contempt for an employee who guiles his praises just to make points, while he's secretly doubtful of the ram's ability to head the company. The Arian is not ordinarily a good judge of character, but he's so sensitive to other people's opinions of him that he can pretty well tell if he's disliked by those around him day after day. To be liked is his secret need. You might never guess it from his self-confident air and his brave front, but underneath all that swagger he's desperately in need of the approval of his fellow man. That includes you, his wife and his dog-even the stranger on the elevator. Despite the surface independence, nothing makes him happier than to be looked up to and recognized as the capable person he knows he is. On the other hand, nothing can male him as depressed, cranky and sometimes downright petty as suspecting that those who work for him don't approve of his methods or don't realize his value and potential.

I you hear a rumor that the company is about to go bankrupt, don't look around for another job too quickly. You may not need a new job, after all. If anybody can pull the company out of trouble, save it at the last minute from financial disaster under the most dire circumstances, and male the entire operation seem rather like Moses parting the Red Sea, it's your Aries boss. He's independent, daring and venturesome. His drive (unlike the more emotional dire of the Scorpio) is vital, from the spirit, and almost always idealistic. (He may lose out to the equally determined Scorpio pitted against him, however, and be unable to match the steady ruthlessness of Pluto-though hell recover from the loss and win somewhere else.)

Aries initiates. If there's a suggestion box around the office and

you drop in enough workable, creative ideas, you're almost sure to advance to a high position quickly with this man. He appreciates employees who care enough about the company to make suggestions and who are original in their thinking-as long as they make it perfectly clear they have no intentions of trying to outshine him.

Will power is one of the strong features of the Aries man. He fights off all minor ailments and he won't give in to serious illness either. Sometimes he can delay or entirely prevent disease by sheer positive thinking. If he does have a cold or virus infection (probably accompanied by a high fever), he'll get dressed to come in to the office for some urgent business and by the time he arrives, the fever may be gone, to the mystification of his doctor and the suspicion of his employees that he was really at home goofing off.

The Mars will is so fantastically strong that your Aries boss (who will probably be fairly lucky at gambling) can go to the racetrack and practically root his horse into the lead. You're bound to feel the effect of such a forceful personality, so expect plenty of fireworks, excitement, chaos and intense activity around the office. Your business day will seldom be uneventful. Something will always be happening.

There will be nothing lethargic about him, and there had better not be anything lethargic about you. Your Aries employer will probably have little interest in any previous bad job record you held before or in the reasons why your former boss may have fired you. He's the best bet to approach under these circumstances. Because of his con­viction that he's going to make the future what he wants it to be, Aries is seldom bothered or concerned by the past. Yours or his.

The Mars executive is too proud to let others know they've hurt him. In spite of quick outbursts of temper (which won't last long or be vindictive, and will be for­gotten as soon as they're over), he will hide quite well those things which truly affect him deeply. The ram won't admit his dependence on anyone but himself. He does need others-far more than he will ever admit, but his , strength comes from inside, and he can always find a way . of going it alone when he must.

If you can admire his energy and courage, though you find it impossible to imitate; if you can make up for his impulsive, slapdash ways by patiently filling in the details he's overlooked in his haste (and do this unobtrusively), he'll probably pay you more money than you can make anywhere else and you'll be with him for life. Tactfully attempt to keep him from doing or saying rash things hell regret later. Remind him gently that those to whom he directs his temporary righteous anger may be Very Impor­tant People and they could react in a way which will hurt his business if he alienates them.

That's the important thing to remember about your Aries boss. In spite of his great independent spirit, when his idealistic, optimistic enthusiasm gets him in over his head, he really needs your help, faith and loyalty. Give these to him in abundance and you'll never find a pink slip in your pay envelope. You won't have to worry when missing a taxi in rainy weather makes you late for work, if you need an extra^week's vacation time for an operation-or about someone younger and more efficient replacing you. More than any other kind of boss, he'll repay loyalty with loyalty. Keep a full supply of aspirin in the desk drawer for fre­quent emergencies, polish up your smile, don't take his outbursts seriously-and you can throw away the classified ads. You'll want to stay where the action is.

"/ said it very loud and clear

I went and shouted in his ear

And when I found the door was locked

I pulled and pushed and kicked and knocked.

"But it's no use going back to yesterday Because I was a different person then."

A job interview with a prospective Aries employee, if he's a typical ram, might run something like this:

EMPLOYER: I see from your resume and references that you've been with six different firms in the past two years, Mr. Bootsikaris.

ARIES: Call me Charlie, Mr. Flaxman. Yes, I believe in trying to advance myself. When you outgrow a job, what's the point of staying in a position where there's nothing more you can learn and nothing more you can contribute to the company?

EMPLOYER: That's just what bothers me, Char-uh, Mr. Bootsikaris. I'm afraid you may outgrow us in a short ' time, also, after we've spent the money to train you.

ARIES: I thought that might concern you. But you don't have to worry. I've investigated your company, and I'm sure I wouldn't feel restless, because I can see there's plenty of opportunity with you for anyone who really tries. I've always wanted to work with a really great, cre­ative and progressive management. They're so rare that I'd rather wait 'til there's an opening here than go anywhere else.

Needless to say, the boss who can overcome his initial shock at such an unusual interview is likely to hire the Aries on the spot. That kind of sincere enthusiasm for the • company is hard to come by in these days of seeurity-; minded and union-conscious employees-never mind the [ abruptness and the superego.

Hiring an Aries can be the smartest move you ever made | or the largest headache you've ever known, depending on , how you aim this combustible, misguided missile. Aiming I him toward a routine, nine-to-five job is the wrong direc-| tion. In the beginning, he may shine like a silver dollar to | impress you, but it won't be long before he's restless and | unhappy. And he'll let you know it in unmistakable ways, | like coming in a little later each day, taking extra time for | lunch, or writing personal letters at his desk. These are [ all danger signals that your Aries employee is not satisfied. | He's still extremely valuable to your firm, but he's bored, j and when the ram gets bored, his virtues are quickly buried F under his shortcomings.

Put your Aries worker in a position where he has com­plete freedom to make decisions, answerable if possible, only to you. If you can do it without hurting office morale, allow him to come to work at odd hours. After a short period you'll notice that, although he may appear as late as ten or eleven in the morning, or take two hours for lunch, hell also be the very last one to leave at night, especially a  if there's extra work to get out. He's more likely than any of your other employees to accept additional assignments as a challenge, without complaining.

Many an. Aries will labor until the wee small hours, if it's necessary, or if there's an exciting project under way, and probably be more familiar to the nightly cleaning woman than to the early morning switchboard receptionist. You won't find him getting edgy or peeking at the clock around five o'clock, so why should you be fussy if it's twenty minutes past ten when he arrives in the morning? That's his reasoning, and there's a certain logic in it.

The Arien is constitutionally unable to keep to a tight and uniform schedule, regardless of standard office pro­cedure. His great, creative energy comes on him at all hours, and it can't be adjusted to fit someone's idea of the proper working day. He may ask to leave early some afternoon for pressing personal reasons, but hell come back later the same night to bum the midnight oil, or pop in before the birdies chirp the following morning to make up the work he's missed. One thing Aries can't stand is to turn in work which is less perfect than he knows he can do. Despite his carelessness with detail and his dis­dain of normal office routine, that quality is too good to miss. It's worth putting up with the Mars independence to take advantage of his wonderful determination to suc­ceed, which will obviously benefit your company, if you're astute enough and patient enough to utilize it properly.

Money is never his prime reason for working. He will insist on being paid what he's worth (what he thinks he's worth) for the sake of ego and status, but money is never his main objective. He's motivated by success, and cash is always secondary. He may frequently ask to borrow money, because the ram usually lives beyond his income. Still, an extra pat on the back will often get more out of him than an extra five dollars a week in his pay envelope. Of course, you may have to tame his natural desire to take over everyone else's department, since he's bursting with ideas of how everyone in the firm could get where they're going faster, including you. But if you can leam not to take offense at his frequent and impertinent suggestions, youll find a bonus of original and profitable thoughts.

Always put Aries in the action job, in a position where he can get out and promote the firm and mix with people. Never put him behind a desk where he has to do the same thing day after day under the scrutiny of another employee. Aries will take orders willingly from very few people, since he believes very few people are superior to him. He undoubtedly thinks you are, or he wouldn't have gotten mixed up with you in the first place. Once he's sure you understand and appreciate his efforts, he'll probably be the most loyal, hard-working and competent employee on your payroll. But put him in an inferior position and he'll be reluctant to make any but the most perfunctory effort.

Naturally, he can't always start at the top, though he'd like to. If he must begin at the bottom and learn a new trade or profession, try to add some kind of important-sounding responsibility to his daily duties, so he'll at least think he's at the top. It allows him to save face with him­self. To bring out his best, he needs to feel that the place couldn't run without him. The ram is a natural promoter. He'll promote your business to his wife and friends enthusi­astically, to cab drivers, waiters and anyone else who will listen-at the movies, in the swimming pool-and not just during the hours he's being paid to do so. He'll turn every­one from his broker to his insurance man into a booster for your firm. Few people (except Leos) can equal him in bringing in new accounts, saving customers you thought were hopelessly lost and putting over the largest, most ambitious schemes you can devise-especially when he thinks you're depending on him to come through.

If there's ever any kind of financial trouble, your Aries employee is not one to desert a sinking ship. He'll stick with you through the crisis, and possibly add a few ideas of his own about how to solve it. The Arien is literally unable to conceive that anything or anyone he believes in, including himself, can fail. Obviously, such a trait can be mighty welcome some black day.

Ask this employee to work on weekends or holidays, take a temporary cut in salary during an emergency or perform someone else's job in addition to his own in case of illness or vacation, and he'll seldom complain. Just be sure you thank him warmly and let him know you honestly appreciate it. There's little he won't do to get enthusiastic approval from you. Never give someone else credit for work he's done, never make him feel guilty about being late, don't compliment others too often when he's around, don't harp on his mistakes-especially in front of other people-and never give him the impression you wish he'd stay in his place. Otherwise, he'll be irritable, frustrated and lazy. You won't have to fire him. He'll most likely quit before you get around to it. It's usually not necessary to scold the ram, anyway. He'll be the first to apologize for errors he's committed through his natural haste and impulsiveness, if he's met halfway, and he'll sincerely try not to repeat them. Even if he's not always successful in that attempt, his intentions are admirable. You may want to train him tactfully and privately not to be so rash and over-confident, but never break his spirit. If you try, you'll fail, and the attempt will just lose you all that refreshing and valuable optimism.

When you recognize his talents, Aries will literally knock himself out to top himself. Criticism will never accomplish its intended purpose with him. Besides, he's more often right than wrong with his hunches, no matter what some of the experts who have been around for years might think. Aries has an uncanny ability to understand today with a clarity not possessed either by those who cling to yesterday or those who pin all their hopes on tomorrow. So it pays to listen to him, even though his eagerness and his sureness that he's right makes him drop his manners now and then, with a loud and unpleasant thud.

As soon as you can, give him a raise or a title to let him know he's doing well and that you're pleased, and by all means, as quickly as you can, let him either work alone or lead others. Let him feel he's your personal associate. It's imperative that those dealing with an Aries in any working or professional capacity realize that he will pour out an amazing number of valuable contributions to the project at hand only if he feels that, in some way, he's important. When his excitement and his idealism are dampened, he quickly loses interest, becomes disheartened and stands back to let others take over-glum and miserable-an unnecessary waste of rare and useful talent. Unless the ram is allowed to promote, create and originate, he's no use to himself or anyone else. Logic and kindness will reach him every time.

Because he's a natural innovator and leader, Aries is at home in almost any career or profession. There are no special places where he thrives best. Whether it's a green­house or a police station-whether he wears a fireman's hat or a surgeon's mask-he must be in charge. The fields of advertising and public relations attract him, since they give him a chance to promote, and he takes to selling like a duck takes to water. But you can place him in any job, from teaching to trucking-from broadcasting to building -and he'll fit right into the slot, if the slot is wide enough to take up his excess energy and ego.

You may run across a ram who hides his drive under a calmer, more controlled manner, but don't kid yourself into thinking you can push him into the corner. That's for little Jack Horner, not him. His place is in front-avant-garde. Channel his abilities and he'll make a heap of money for you, as well as give you unswerving, unquestioned loyalty-especially when the chips are down. If you do a little comparative shopping around, you'll find those virtues are cheap at half the price.

"/ shall sit here" he said, "on and off, for days and days."