Iv

There, also, the tribes of the Red Men dance the images of man’s life: the Fertilization of the Fields, they dance; the upgrowing of the Corn; and the Summer, and the Winter, which are the seasons of life.

Behold, the Musicians of Summer, the Indian Musicians, chanting! Yellow and blue are the colors of the drums, whereto the dancers dance---- The Dancers of Summer, crested with iridescent feathers, like the many colors of flowers, Crested with wisps of featherdown, like the cloud-breaths of summer winds in the blue bowl of Heaven.... Is not blue the color of the South, whence the Summer cometh? Is not the resplendent Sun robed in shining yellow?

Twain are the Seasons of the Year, as they dance alternating: The Summer advances dancing, and it recedes; The Winter advances dancing, and it recedes.... Twain also are the divisions of men, as they dance in alternation.

Behold, the Musicians of Winter, the Indian Musicians, chanting! Red and green are the colors of their drums, whereto their dancers dance---- The Dancers of Winter, their bodies with red earth many-symboled, in their hands the cypress-green rhythmically waving.... Is not the bare earth red, where it gleams between the snows? Are not the snow-bent brows of the cypress Wintergreen?

Twain are the Great Seasons, as they dance the Year, alternating; Twain also are the divisions of men where they dance the Life of the World---- Male and female they dance, twofold in each division,---- verily, as the Year is twofold in each division.... Particolored their drums, where they dance, particolored their festal costumes; Their voices they uplift in song, in the Song of the Color Mixer, singing Him who apportioneth all, who adorneth the World in Beauty, who maketh all perfect in Beauty!

Here followeth the Song of the Color Mixer, who createth the World with the music of his drum, who painteth the Year with his light.

“Shining in four Times, Shining in four Directions,---- Thus the Color Mixer hath created it!

“First is the blue---- The little clouds that float up from the South, These are the breaths of Spring!

“Thereafter, the green---- All the Earth waveth with green-verdant feathers Where the Summer Sun cometh forth, radiant in the East!

“Red-yellow is the third color---- In the West the mountains of Autumn are variegated,---- Red earth and yellow, red berries and yellow!

“White also is a color---- Many times it is shadowed with blue, As if the Wintry North were remembering Spring!

“These make up the Year, These make up the World,---- Thus the Color Mixer hath created it!”