Similarity and Archetype in Changing Woman and the Hero Twins

The Navajo tale "Changing Woman and the Hero Twins after the Emergence of the People" is a pristine example of archetype in ancient, and not so ancient, mythology. Containing within the story of its pages the repetitive use of a numerical value, a father god and sons of the father god, and heroes who must overcome dramatic obstacles while obtaining help from outside sources, "Changing Woman and the Hero Twins" places itself among a rich history of similar myths and folklore from around the globe, both secular and religious.

One of the major similarities between this tale and others in worldwide lore is its repetitive use of a numerical value, in this case the number four. From the very first paragraph, where after the monsters have been eating the people "there were only four persons remaining alive" ("Changing" 36), to the "four places of danger" ("Changing" 40) that the Hero Twins must overcome by deceiving each of the subjects thereof four times in the middle of the tale ("Changing" 41), to the four monsters - Old Age, Cold Woman, Poverty, and Hunger - spared death at the end ("Changing" 46-47), the number four figures prominently throughout. In fact, nearly every gesture in the entire story seems to fail to culminate into any real action until the fourth time it is advanced.