Ii

There the Indian Woman adorneth her potter’s work with symbols of the life that falleth from Heaven and of the life of Earth that ariseth responsive thereto.

Behold, where the Indian Woman fashioneth her Bowl of red clay! Ceremonial water it shall contain, Ceremonial meal it shall contain; It shall contain the Water and the Bread of Life, Even as holdeth this Earth the Water and the Bread of Life!

Behold, earthen-red is the Bowl, smooth-rounded and rising rimmed, bordered with terraces four,---- Yea, as riseth this Earth four-terraced into the Heaven!

Behold, fair-painted is the Bowl, with the forms of Heaven painted,---- cloud-terraces thereon painted, filaments of spun rain thereon painted, the wayward-darting lightning thereon painted,---- With curves many, with angles many, with lacings of thin lines, painteth she them, cunning-handed....

Who are they who give answer unto the rains, save the leaf and the flower? Who are they who joy in the freshness of sweet dews, save the bird and the butterfly? To whom shall the moisture be more precious than unto the Seeds of Life? Wherefore these also, cunning of hand, she painteth fair upon the Bowl.

Therewith, painteth him who sitteth upon the margin of the high cloud, fluting,---- Him with the rain-pack humped upon his back, him the Cloud-Musician, flower-garlanded, fluting,---- Him also she painteth, cunning-handed, singing as she fashioneth her earthen Bowl, singing as she painteth thereon the forms of Heaven, singing the Song of the Cloud-Musician, singing the Song of the Beautiful Sky!

And this is her Song of the Beautiful Sky and of the Spirit Mother whose abode is in the Pool of Heaven.

“Beautiful Sky! The mountains are dark behind me; The sun is low beyond them. To the billowing cloud blown over the plain, the mountains are bidding farewell, The sun is touching it in farewell....

“Underneath, it is of the deepest blue, like the waters of soundless pools; Underneath, it is fringed with fringes of light-falling rain. But above, its face is sunward; Above, it is filmed with pale gold, as of the day-seen moon....

“Beautiful Sky! In the heart of the cloud is a perfect Rainbow, seven-hued with beauty; Over her is a perfect Rainbow---- Her spirit mother!”