The Daughter's Day was the vernal equinox, the first day of spring in the World of the Five Gods.
Celebrations of the day varied, but in the town of Valenda in Chalion, it took the following form:
- At dawn, people put out all the fires in their homes as part of a religious service for the passing of the season and the peace of the dead.
- A maiden on the brink of womanhood was chosen to serve as the avatar of the Lady of Spring, and was dressed in elaborate, multi-layered, embroidered robes. She rode a while mule decorated in blue and white ribbons and wear a crown of leaves and flowers.
- An elderly man wearing rags served as the avatar of the Father of Winter; he led the young woman's mule as they made a procession from the east gate around the walls, and then to the town temple.
- The Father of Winter's avatar cleaned the ash from the temple's central fire, and then the townsfolk drove him away with sticks with bells and either snowballs or missiles of soft wool representing snowballs.
- The Lady of Spring's avatar then lit the replacement fire and went to sit on the throne of the goddess. At this point, the heads of households of the town all brought their quarterly offerings to her and received her blessing in return. Each one left with a taper lit from the newly made fire.
References[]
- The Curse of Chalion, chapter 3