Iii

There the Indian Man maketh him beads that are symbols of Earth’s Quarters and of the Place of Man’s Life, central in the World.

Behold, the Indian Man, where he drilleth and polisheth---- Where he maketh him beads of four significant colors, Talismans shapeth him, singing the Song of his Central Life!

White shell beads---- Are not the disks of Dawn faint-lustrous, as on the Eastern crests fall the earliest footfalls of Morning? Turquoise beads---- Broken are the shapes, irregular spaces of azure, where the white clouds part, to mottle and pattern the sky.... Talismans of crystal---- Clear is the bubble of Day, zenith-high it is blown when all things are perfect!

So the Father and the Mother In their Night of Meditation First the lustre of the Dawn laid, Then the azure light of Morning, Touched them with translucent crystal, Touched, and lighted perfect Day!

Talismans of black stone---- Jet as the starless Night, as the cloud-enfolded Night.... Talismans of abalone---- Opalled as is Evening on the Western Sea, many-reflecting,---- These also shapeth he him, remembering....

For whither shall they pass, whose sun is in the West? And whither shall they pass, whose lodge is in the deep Earth? Theirs are the many reflections of the Sunset land! Theirs is the black unfathomed Night!

Behold, the Indian, where he sitteth beside his hearth, Making him beads of four significant colors; Singing the Song of his Central Life, Singing the Song of this Middle Place!

The four colors of the Wheel of Day and the four colors of the Circle of the Earth unite in the Middle Place, this is the song of the Indian Man, as the winds of his mind are singing it.

“White light of Dawn, Blue light of Day, Saffrons of Sunset, Thereafter swooning Night:

“In the Middle Place all are gathered together---- Morning and the East, Nooning and the South, The vanishing Eve of the West, And Northering Night:

“In the Middle Place all colors meet, To the Middle Place the Four Winds blow: The Circle of the Earth, The Wheel of Day, In the Middle Place they are united:

“I am the Middle Place! I am the Central Man! The life of the Four Winds is my breathing life, All colors unite to illuminate me!”

I am the Middle Place! I am the Central Man! The Life of the Four Winds is my breathing life, All colors unite to illuminate me! ]