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Show INTO THE GLITTERING WORLD 11 Her parents laid out four fabrics and then fixed her hair. They dressed her in garments of whiteshell, turquoise, abalone, and jet. Dark Wind Talking God told her to lie on the fabrics facing eastward. Then he sprinkled her with Dawn and Evening Pollens from head to foot. He clothed her in a dress of whiteshell whose beads made a jingling sound. Because of this white-bead dress, Changing Woman is also called Whiteshell Woman. Then Talking God sent her to run eastward toward the Dawn and back again. This was, as the song says, to bring fertility to the world. All kinds of horses lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, All kinds of sheep lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, All kinds of wild game lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, All kinds of vegetation lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, Comely servants lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, All kinds of jewels lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, All kinds of soft fabrics lead up to her and go beyond, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, In long life, in everlasting beauty, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful, Being with her, it extends as far as the horizons, increasing without a blemish, the breeze coming from her as she runs is beautiful.3 At the first streak of Dawn, Talking God prepared Changing Woman's ritual bath by pouring dew into a basket. Her hair was washed, and she again set out to run towards the Dawn. When she returned, white clay was painted on her so that she would grow well. Then red ocher was painted on her so that she would bear children later. At this time, First Man decided that this ceremony would be, not just for Changing Woman, but for all young Navajo women. Again Talking God spread out the fabrics. He blessed all of Changing Woman's limbs, using whiteshell pollen, which he rubbed in with his hands. When she stood up, he scattered the fabrics on which she had been blessed to the four directions. This |