Baba Ejiogbe (Eji Ogbe · Ogbe Meji)

For several nights Orunmila could not sleep because of a strange noise. One night he discovered it was Ekute (the rat), who said to him: "Tomorrow three persons will come to visit you. To the first, tell him to take his place --- for he is Eshu. To the second, give eku and eya --- for he is Oggun. The third is a woman, daughter of Oshun --- prepare her oshinshin."

The patakín teaches the Awo that every visitor at the door of Orunmila is a divinity in disguise. The first knock is Eshu, claiming his seat. The second is the warrior Oggun, who eats rat and fish. The third is the cool feminine power of Oshun, who is fed oshinshin (her sacred dish of greens, shrimp, and palm oil). The order is the order of the universe: opening, struggle, sweetness.

Orere was also a wife of Orunmila, and one day he abandoned her to go off with another. Because of this, Orunmila found himself somewhat fallen behind. One day Orunmila went out and met Orere --- she was in very poor condition --- and gave her two pesos. With this, the ill will inside him ended. From that moment, Orunmila began to see his situation improve.

The patakín of small money: a coin given in compassion to one wronged dissolves the curse the wronged carry. The road opens at the moment of the small repair.

Once Olofin thought of leaving the earth and wished to leave Orunmila in charge. At this, Iku (Death) appeared, aspiring to govern the earth instead. Since Olofin could not discriminate between his children, he subjected them to a test: to remain three days without eating.

By the second day of the test, Orunmila was starving. Eshu appeared and asked: "Orunmila, are you not hungry?" He answered: "I'm so weak I cannot see." Eshu said: "Do you want to cook?" Orunmila replied: "I cannot --- I am under a test from Olofin."

Because Orunmila had been honest, Eshu said: "Don't worry --- no one will know, for I am your watchman. Kill an akuko and eat." Orunmila answered: "I do not eat akuko but adie." Eshu said: "Then kill an adie for yourself and an akuko for me."

So Orunmila did. After they had finished eating, they buried the leftovers thoroughly and cleaned everything up. Then Iku appeared, hungry. Finding nothing to eat, she went to feed at the trash heaps --- where Eshu caught her in the act, and she failed the test.

The test of fasting is the test of trust. Orunmila's honesty in declaring his condition is what wins him the privilege of breaking the fast under Eshu's watch. Death's hunger drives her to the trash --- to that which has been discarded --- and her appetite is what disqualifies her from rule. The patient and honest one is given dominion; the desperate and unwatched one is shamed.

The Awo Kosobe was very capricious, perverse, and proud. One day Shango asked him for an abo (ram), but he did not give it to him. Shango went to Yemayá, and together they set fire to Kosobe's ile.

From that day Kosobe began to suffer hardships. Desperate, he went to consult Orunmila, who saw this Ifá and said: "You must perform rogación with one akuko, four white eyele, two white adie, and the relic you keep as a memory of your altar's attributes --- the only thing you saved from the fire that destroyed your ile. Then you must do kofibori, and bathe yourself three times with wild basil, piñon de rosas, and prodigiosa. And with that same omiero wash your ile. And you must stop being capricious, perverse, and proud --- and pay Shango the abo you owe him."

When Awo Kosobe finished doing all the works ordered by Orunmila, he prospered again.

When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino, the question to ask the consultant is: what offering have you withheld, and from which Orisha? The fire that consumes the ile is the consequence of the unpaid debt to Shango. Until the debt is honored --- and the character corrected --- no other work will cause the road to open.

Ejiogbe could not live in his kingdom because of the many enemies he had through envy. One day he left for another land, and from his departure the affairs of his town began to go badly --- every man did whatever he wished. The king lamented Ejiogbe's absence. Eventually it became known through Eshu that in a distant land there was a man very similar to Ejiogbe. The king sent for him, offering him absolute command with full powers to do, without obstacle, his work of government.

Informed of the king's offer, Ejiogbe consulted Olofin, who answered: "Everything you do for the good of humanity, I will approve." Ejiogbe returned to his land to govern, and the first thing he did was eliminate all his enemies.

Ebbo: Food to the trash heap, or whatever Ifá indicates --- you will see the end of your enemies. Ebbo: Abo to Olokun with three jugs. This is performed by three Awos so the person rises. Note: Receive Eleggua and never tire of doing good --- Olofin will reward you. An akuko is given to the trash of the house to win an important pending matter.

The people turned against Orunmila and conspired with Iku to kill him. Iku arrived at Orunmila's ile and found him standing at the door, but did not recognize him --- because Orunmila had fed his head, performed ebbo with an akuko and a male goat (owunko), burned the goat's hairs, and smeared the ash all over his face to disfigure himself.

When Iku arrived, she asked if a red-skinned man lived there. He answered no --- he himself was the only one who lived there. Iku left, but returned later, having learned this was the ile she was looking for.

When she came back the second time, Orunmila had finished cooking a fine meal, and invited her to eat and drink. Iku ate and drank so much that she fell asleep. In that moment, Orunmila took from her the mandárria --- the club with which she killed people.

When Iku awoke, she immediately demanded the mandárria. Orunmila said he had not even seen it. Death pleaded with him so much that she promised never to kill him or any of his children unless he himself gave the order or handed it back. Orunmila defeated death.

This is why the Awos can save anyone who stands at the threshold of death. The mandárria of Iku rests in Orunmila's keeping. The disguise of the burnt-hair smeared on the face --- and the hospitality of food and drink --- are the two strategies that disarm Death.

Two villages were at war. In the bitter battles, the kings of both villages were taken prisoner. In those times it was customary to exchange prisoners --- but it happened that one of the parties to the war killed the opposing king. When the time came to make the exchange, they did not know how to fulfill the agreement.

By chance, in that town there was a man identical to the murdered king --- and he was none other than Ejiogbe. The order was given for his capture. He fled and took refuge in the deepest forest, thinking they were hunting him to kill or imprison him. He was found, made prisoner, and brought to the capital of that kingdom.

Along the way the prisoner pleaded with his captors to release him --- he had done nothing against anyone, nor violated any law. The captors treated him with every courtesy and assured him they would not kill or imprison him; they were taking him to the king's palace to do him a great favor by which he would become rich.

When they reached the palace, they dressed the prisoner in the robes and attributes of the murdered enemy king. He looked identical to him --- and so they exchanged him for their own king. And Ejiogbe remained as king of that land. This is the coronation of Ejiogbe --- who could not be king in his own town. This is the source of the saying: "Rey muerto, rey puesto" --- "Dead king, king replaced."

The mountain was a daughter of the Virgin, but she was one of those unloving daughters --- she never bothered to please her mother, did not respect her, and frequently fell into faults of disrespect. The Virgin, seeing her daughter's deviation, one day cursed her, wishing upon her sickness and death.

The mountain's guardian angel, learning of the curse her mother had laid, summoned the mountain and told her of the evil her mother wished her: "That she be sick with smallpox and die."

Very frightened, the mountain went to the Awo of the king's house and told him what was happening. The Awo divined for her, saw this Ifá, and ordered her to wear three different garments during the day so the illness --- smallpox --- would not find her: a white garment, a red one, and a black one. After the rogación was made, she was to take the garments to her mother.

When the mountain's mother learned that her daughter's godfather was the Awo of the king, she decided to forgive her and said: "My daughter, I cannot retract my words, but do this: in the early mornings dress in the white garment, at two in the afternoon put on the red, and at night use the black --- so you may free yourself from your enemies. And bathe with lemon-cane."

Note: This rogación is performed with three handkerchiefs or pieces of cloth --- one white, one red, one black. An eko is divided into three parts and a piece is placed on each. Whoever has their mother alive throws them at the door of the street of the mother's house; whoever has lost their mother throws them at the door of the Iglesia de las Mercedes.

The mother who curses cannot retract --- but the godfather Awo can intervene to soften the curse into a daily discipline. The three garments mark the rhythm of the day: morning's purity, afternoon's intensity, night's covering. A maternal curse can be repurposed into a covenant of obedience.

Ewe Ikoko was a wife of Orunmila, but she failed and offended him so much that one day he separated from her and threw shepe (a curse) on her.

Ewe Ikoko sought so many people to intercede for her with Orunmila that he resigned himself to forgive her --- but on the condition of not living with her again. He granted her only this grace: that all ebos from then on would be wrapped in her clothing --- the malanga leaf (ewe ikoko) --- so that they would be well received.

This is the reason why all ebos are wrapped in malanga leaf to this day. The cursed wife became the very vessel by which every gift reaches the divinity. Even her exclusion was made into eternal service.

One day Olofin took the children to heaven because here on earth they were being mistreated. As punishment, he suppressed omi (water) on the earth, placing Eshu as guardian.

When water ran out on earth --- for it did not rain --- the situation became desperate in a short time. The Orishas gathered and decided to go to heaven to ask Olofin to forgive his children, but it was impossible to reach him.

Yemayá transformed herself into gunugun (a vulture) here on earth, and went directly to heaven to see Olofin. When Yemayá arrived in heaven she was extremely fatigued and thirsty, and began to drink water from a foul puddle she found. Seeing her, Olofin had compassion on her, and remembered his children on earth. He decided to forgive them, and immediately sent the omi --- but little by little, so there would be no calamities.

This is why, when the Orishas come, they are given omi --- for they come thirsty.

Orunmila knew the lion was king of the jungle, and told him that he too had to suffer hunger, misery, and need like the other animals. The lion replied: "I am king of the jungle and I have everything."

Orunmila arranged with Eleggua that the lion should come to perform ebbo, and so it was. Orunmila made ebbo for the lion and placed a bell around his neck. The lion returned to the jungle, and when he tried to eat, he could not --- for the sound of the bell betrayed him, and he could not catch his prey. He began to suffer hunger, misery, and need.

Days later the lion returned to Orunmila's house to say he was right, and asked his pardon, for he was suffering. Orunmila removed the bell --- and when the lion returned to the jungle, the first thing he saw was a tiger, which he attacked and ate.

Orunmila did this to the lion because he considered himself the most powerful in the world --- to make him understand that he was not, and that on earth there is no one who has been spared the three things of destiny.

There was a governor who had many iles (houses). One day all his tenants rebelled and refused to pay him the rent. Faced with this situation, the governor went to Orunmila's house. He saw this Ifá and prescribed ebbo with seven akuko, earth from the corners of the houses, and so on. Then he gave one akuko to Eshu, one to Oggun, two to Yemayá, one at each corner of his house, and the other at the door.

When the tenants saw this, they changed their minds and came to pay him out of fear of the spilled blood.

The seven roosters at the corners of the property are not for the tenants --- they are for the unseen powers. When the territory is bound by sacrifice at all four corners and at the threshold, what was rebellious yields. The Awo's instruction here is precise: pay each warrior at each post.

Once Orunmila was a stripper of palm trees. As he was up in one, he fell from the top --- but before reaching the ground, the opele came out of his pocket and fell beneath him, and nothing happened to him.

The opele is not only the instrument of divination. In the Awo's pocket, it is also an active protection. The patakín teaches that what serves the divinity also defends the diviner. When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino, the consultant is told: keep your opele on your person at all times --- for the very thing you offer to Ifá will, when needed, offer itself for you.

The Head was alone in the marketplace, with many coconuts in front of her with which she traded. Shango arrived, and the leri told him he could not take them unless he remedied her situation --- for she could only speak, and was bored and tired of this. Shango took the coconuts but remedied nothing, and the leri sent him away.

Then Orunmila came to the marketplace and saw the obis. He asked the leri for them, and she said: "I will give them all to you, in exchange for you remedying my situation." Orunmila accepted and said: "You must perform sacrifice with animals, viandas, two obi, and abundant owo. Feed the leri with obi during the 16 days that this work will last."

So the leri did. First the chest came out. Then the arms and other extremities. By the end of 16 days the entire body was complete. From the bones of the animals were formed the bones of the arms, ribs, and so on; and from the viandas, the soft parts and viscera of the body. Once the leri had her body, she was deeply grateful to Orunmila and said:

"You are my father. You have come into the world to govern --- but this operation was necessary for everything to be complete."

And the leri pronounced: "From this moment Orunmila will govern the world, and all will have to come to his feet."

Eji Ogbe is aladeshe ori --- the patron of the Head. This patakín is the cosmological proof: the head without a body cannot move, but with the proper sacrifice over 16 days, it can build the body around itself. This is the meaning of kobori (head-feeding): without feeding the head, the head dies in solitude.

There were three brothers --- one was an artist, one a hunter, and the third a merchant. The merchant was always sad and beaten down because he was attacked by everyone --- even his own family. He left for a distant place without anyone realizing, and on arrival he changed his name. Given his intelligence and skill in commerce, he established himself in that trade and immediately began to prosper.

In time, in his home town, they began to seek him out --- for he had a great inheritance to claim, but they could not locate him. By chance, a person who somehow knew where he was reported that in a certain town there was a man identical to the one being sought. They sent a man to that town, charged with finding and convincing the merchant to come and claim the inheritance.

With great effort, the messenger managed to identify and convince him to return to his land. When he returned, he received the inheritance --- and from then on lived happily and content with his town.

Eshu was the one who found the lost --- and for that reason the akuko of the ebbo is given to him.

Once Orunmila set out searching for a land where there was something different from all others. After much walking he came to the land of the monkey and asked: "What is your name?" --- "Monkey." --- "And your father's?" --- "Monkey." --- "And your mother's?" --- "She-monkey." This was not what Orunmila sought, so he continued.

He came to the land of the elephant and asked the same questions, but again the answers were all the same --- and again, this was not what he wanted. He moved on through other lands he did not like, until he came to the land of the akuko (rooster), where he met a young cockerel and asked: "What is your name?" --- "Osardie." --- "And as a small chick?" --- "Gio gio." --- "And your father?" --- "Akuko." --- "And your mother?" --- "Adie."

Because Orunmila liked this land, he asked the cockerel to take him home to his mother. When Orunmila greeted the adie and explained who he was, she replied: "I do not know you, and I cannot accept you, because my husband, the akuko, is not home." Orunmila left and continued. Soon he met the akuko, who greeted him: "Iboru, iboya, ibosheshe!" and made him return.

When the adie saw her husband returning with Orunmila, she was furious and said to the akuko: "I do not want this gentleman in our home. If you allow him, I, the adie, will leave." And she did. From a distance she threw powders at the akuko, but because Orunmila was at the house, nothing happened.

Seeing the adie's malice, Orunmila said to the akuko: "From today I am your friend, and I will never eat you or your omos. But from today, the adie will be my favored food." As in that land most adie were dark-colored (dun dun), this is why Orunmila eats dark adie. In that land a great fortune came to Orunmila.

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino: you will quarrel with --- and may even separate from --- a person who comes to your house.

Oshun, sister of Yemayá, had quarreled with her, and went out to form her own kingdom. Wherever she passed, a river formed. Meeting Inle, she formed her kingdom with him, and from that union a son was born. But Inle did not look after Oshun, and so misery came upon her --- she suffered greatly and did nothing but weep over her bad fortune.

One day Shango came to Oshun's house and seeing her so sad and abandoned in her person, asked the cause. She told him. Shango advised her to go to Orunmila --- but she refused, having no proper dress, since the only one she had had become yellow from constant use. Shango finally convinced her.

Orunmila divined and saw this odu, and told her everything she was living. But out of consideration for Inle, he said: "Tell your husband to come to my house --- I wish to speak with him." Oshun returned alone, for Inle refused to go. Then Orunmila sent Eleguua --- but Inle did not visit either. Given this disrespect, Orunmila marked rogación for Oshun.

This consisted of three ebos on the same day.

First ebbo: With one akuko, gio gio, a small gourd, three eya tuto, eki, eya, epo. Orunmila prepared it for her and ordered her to take it near an old castle, far from town, warning her not to be frightened by what she saw. She set out, and at the entrance of the castle placed her ebbo. Three triplet brothers and an ideu lived there. On seeing this woman, they were so astonished that an argument broke out among them out of jealousy --- for all four wished to court her. In the discussion they all drew their swords and fought one another. Seeing one of them fall mortally wounded, Oshun ran back to Orunmila in fear.

Orunmila gave her water to drink, told her to greet Eleggua, and rest a little.

Second ebbo: With one akuko, one gio gio, a pumpkin (eleguede), and other ingredients. She took it to the same place. Frightened, she resisted, but Orunmila convinced her. When she arrived again at the castle's door, she set down her ebbo --- and the three remaining men fought one another again. One died. Then she saw the ideu kill the third. She returned horrified.

Orunmila told her to drink water, greet Eleggua, and rest.

Third ebbo: A male goat, a rooster, 16 white eyele, a yellow cloth, a frying pan, a parrot feather, a small gourd, white asho, etc. He ordered her to take it to the same place.

When Oshun, terrified, arrived at the castle yet again, the ideu came out to meet her and cried:

"Do not flee! Here is your happiness --- for in this palace there are many riches, with which you will obtain everything you might desire in life. And as I know I am about to die --- for I am wounded --- I leave you mistress of all."

Olofin invited all the kings to a reception in his palace. They all came lavishly dressed and ate, drank, and amused themselves greatly --- except Baba Ejiogbe, who because of his bad situation did not attend. But he entered the palace by the back door once the reception had ended.

As they had forgotten to set aside food for him and he was hungry, he sat down beside the trash bin and began eating the fish-heads he had found in the kitchen.

Olofin walked into the kitchen and seeing Ejiogbe asked: "My son, what are you doing there?"

He answered: "Father, I could not come to share with you as was my desire, because look --- I am so poor I do not even have proper clothes to wear. But so as not to slight you, I came and entered through the back, knowing you would see me."

Olofin, seeing what Ejiogbe was eating, asked: "Did they not save you food?" He answered: "Yes, father --- this is the food they saved for me," and showed him the fish-heads.

Olofin pronounced: "Ejiogbe, since you eat heads --- from today, head you shall be."

The patakín that elevates Ejiogbe to dominion over the head --- the same theme that runs through P-014 (the Head Without a Body) and NARR-01 (the Coronation of Ori) and NARR-18 (King of the Sixteen Olodu). What is despised --- the back-door entry, the fish-heads from the trash --- is precisely what destines the eater for kingship. In Eji Ogbe, what others scorn is what crowns you.

The son of Olofin was deeply saddened because his father lay gravely ill and there was no way to cure him. Elegguá, seeing the boy's distress, asked him: "What troubles you, that you are so sad?"

The boy answered: "It is my father --- he is very seriously ill and the doctors say there is no cure."

Elegguá asked: "And what will you give me if I cure your father?"

"Whatever you wish," the boy replied.

Elegguá told him: "Very well. Go to the edge of the beach. There you will find a large woman seated on a mortar (pilón). Under the mortar is the secret that will cure your father --- but first you must wrestle the woman and knock her off the mortar to obtain it."

The son of Olofin went to the beach, wrestled with the heavy woman, defeated her, seized the secret, and brought it back to his father --- and his father was healed. On the third day, the son of Olofin went looking for Elegguá to give him thanks and offer him whatever he might ask.

When he found Elegguá, Elegguá said: "I ask only that Olofin grant me this: that I may always stand behind the shilekun of the ilé --- at the threshold of every house --- so that all who enter and leave must greet me first."

The son of Olofin spoke with his father, and Olofin granted Elegguá what he had asked.

This is how Elegguá came to own the threshold of every home and every road. The secret of the healing was eñi eyele --- two doves.

Adam and Eve were companions, and were ordered to perform ebbo so that, with the multiplication of human beings, envy and ambition would not be born --- and war would not arise.

Eve made her ebbo, but Adam did not.

When humanity began to grow, envy and ambition rose. By the time Adam returned to Orunmila's house, it was too late for him.

Since then, men shed their blood in war, while women give it monthly. The patakín teaches that the unmade ebbo of the male principle is paid in violence; the made ebbo of the female principle is paid in cycles. The blood is not avoided --- only redirected.

There was a time when, when people had itching, they went to scratch themselves on the hill. So many people came that the hill went to consult Orunmila, who divined and saw this Ifá, and prescribed ebbo with ota and the colors around it.

The hill did so. The ota began to multiply, and there came a moment in which it was impossible for the people to climb the hill anymore.

The defense of the sacred place comes through stones that increase. When too many come asking for relief without right, the road itself rises against them. The ota are the divinity's protection --- and the diviner who sets them at the proper coordinates protects himself from being overwhelmed.

Ejiogbe had the confidence of an Oba --- what he said was as if the Oba himself had said it. But Ejiogbe had seven arayes (enemies) there, who turned the Oba against him.

One day Ejiogbe went out to hunt and obtained an awani and elubo. He gave word for them to be collected --- but Eshu hid them, and when they went to look, nothing was found. The enemies set the Oba against Ejiogbe, painting him as a liar.

Three days later Ejiogbe went hunting again. After a while he saw a great bulk --- it was an ayanaku (elephant). He shot and killed it, and went to give word --- and the same thing happened to him, because the ayanaku never dies in the same place where it was struck. For this reason a great war broke out against Ejiogbe, and he had to flee, taking refuge in the mountains where he stayed for many years.

When the Oba died, the government gathered to name a new Oba. The one who most resembled him was Ejiogbe, so they went out searching for him in the mountains. They found him, but he fled in distrust. His seekers showed him the ade (crown) --- but he kept fleeing in the same distrust, until they finally convinced him. They dressed him in his royal robe and placed his ade on him --- but his seven arayes were at the festival, lying in wait.

The patakín of return: even when the throne is offered, the wronged man does not believe it at first. The seven arayes are not gone --- they are at the coronation feast. When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino, the consultant is told: the throne is yours, but the enemies who chased you out are still in the room. Move with care.

📋 PATAKÍN 23 --- A NOTE

In the source Tratado, patakín 23 --- Las cuatro hijas de Olofin is listed but its body is duplicated with another patakín (the Hen and the Stolen Eggs, which also appears as P-027). The source numbering also irregularly skips between the original Spanish numbering and a re-organized order. We treat 23 as a placeholder --- the title preserves the indication that "Olofin's Four Daughters" is one of Eji Ogbe's recurring archetypes (cross-listed with the Four Daughters of Oduduwa in P-047), but the content is best read in P-027 (El bochorno de Ejiogbe --- The Hen and the Stolen Eggs) or P-047 (The Four Unmarried Daughters of Oduduwa) above.

The hawk and the eagle were two birds envied by the others, because they could fly very high. One day, out of envy, the smaller birds made a wager with the hawk and the eagle --- to see who would arrive first at the peak of a mountain.

The stretch was short, and as the eagle weighs a great deal, the small birds thought it would be easy to beat them. The day of the race arrived and they all set off. The small birds took a great lead over the hawk and the eagle, who arrived later, exhausted --- and ate the smaller birds, who could not escape because of their own exhaustion.

The one who imitates fails. Each bird has its own scale, its own weight, its own purpose. To race against your own nature is to fall into the mouth of what you sought to outrun. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is warned: do not chase the gift you were not given --- your own gift is the one that wins.

There were two brothers --- one older than the other. The elder governed the town. Although the younger did not show it, he was envious of the position the elder held, and made bad propaganda against him behind his back.

One day the younger gathered all the people of that place to tell them that his brother could no longer continue governing --- because he was already too old, and things were going badly. He even said this to his own brother. The elder answered that if the younger could do it better, he would hand over the command and retire to the country, for he was very old and wanted peace.

He did so. The younger brother began his rule --- and it was so disastrous that the people agreed to seek out the former chief. The elder brother said that if they wanted him to govern again, they had to give him complete government without restriction.

Premature succession ends in collective regret. Eji Ogbe's lesson here is double-edged: the elder must know the moment to step aside, and the people must know the moment to call him back. When this camino falls in registro for a leadership matter --- the throne returns, but only on the elder's terms.

This is the patakín of Oshún Ibu Kolé — the camino of Oshún who walks as the vulture (alakoso, tiñosa). In this path, Oshún manifests not through honey and rivers but through self-sacrifice and the willingness to surrender beauty for the sake of the mission. She was, in the beginning, a bird of magnificent plumage --- one of the most beautiful creatures in creation, adorned with feathers that caught the light. It is from this beauty that the sacrifice gains its weight: what she loses is not nothing, it is everything she was known for.

Inle Oguere — also known as Inle Oguede or Ile Oguere — is Mother Earth herself: the living, sacred consciousness of the physical crust, the fertile soil, the primordial womb of the planet. She is not to be confused with Erinle, the male Orisha of the divine physician and fisherman. Inle Oguere is a distinct, primordial feminine entity — the earth as a being, not merely as ground.

When Inle Oguere met with Olofin, she was leading her children astray --- for instead of educating them and giving them good counsel, she gave them bad examples. Olofin told her that without a mother it was true that there could be no children, but he was going to prove that without a father this could not happen either.

Olofin withheld the water from the sky, and because of this the plants began to dry up, the earth split, animals and people died. Then Inle Oguere's children began to weep over the calamities they were enduring. They appeared before Inle Oguere and made an agreement: to see who would commit to taking a message to Olofin.

The first to commit was aguyugu (the hawk), but on passing from one plane to the next, the variations and the heat made him descend exhausted. Then ashaa (the eagle) committed to take the message --- but the same happened to him, and he said he was willing to die on earth rather than rise up. Then alakoso --- the vulture, Oshún Ibu Kolé --- decided to go. She was the most beautiful of the three, and she knew what the journey would cost her. She set out with the ebbo, overcoming all the difficulties --- and as she flew through the burning planes between earth and heaven, the feathers of her head fell away one by one, scorched by the heat of the passage. By the time she arrived, her magnificent crown was gone. But she made it to heaven. She found the door open, entered, and came upon some water reservoirs. Parched from the journey, she dove in headfirst to drink.

Her father asked her what she was doing there. She answered that she carried a message from Inle Oguere and her children. Olofin, surprised, said to bring it before him. The vulture told him: "Inle Oguere asks your forgiveness for herself and her children --- she is now convinced."

Olofin said to the vulture: "Because you came, they are pardoned. Leave --- a rain and sufficient water for all will fall behind you." This is why the vulture has the power to announce when rain is coming.

Before she left, Olofin asked why her head was bare of feathers. She told him the truth: she had lost them on the journey because of the difficulties and the heat. She had been the most beautiful of the birds, and she had spent that beauty on the mission. Olofin was moved. He blessed her: "Before leaving your house you will find your food --- and you will be respected by all nations and governments of the world." That is why the vulture finds her food before leaving. What was lost as beauty was returned as authority.

This is the patakín of Oshún Ibu Kolé: the camino in which Oshún reveals herself not through adornment but through sacrifice. She was once the most beautiful bird. She chose the mission anyway. The baldness that remains on the vulture's head is not a mark of ugliness --- it is the visible record of what she gave. When this camino falls in registro, ask the consultant what beauty, comfort, or recognition they are being asked to surrender so that the message may reach heaven. The blessing waits on the other side of the sacrifice.

It once happened that Orunmila fell ill of the lungs, and the hen attended and cared for him with great devotion. But Orunmila was stealing her eggs every day. The moment came when the hen began to notice the missing layings, and she set herself to watch.

One morning, when Orunmila --- accustomed to his daily theft --- went for the eggs, he was caught by the hen, who said to him: "It seems unbelievable to me, Orunmila, that you would do this to me --- for I have cared for you with devotion and disinterest, and you steal from me."

Hearing this, Orunmila left the hen's house in disgrace. From this comes the saying that Ejiogbe must pass through a great disgrace.

The Babalawo who falls into petty theft from the very one who serves him pays in shame. When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino, the consultant is told: the disgrace coming to you is from someone whose hospitality you abused. Apologize before you are caught.

The earth and Death made a pact. Death had nowhere to bury the bodies whose lives she took. The earth had so much work --- supporting all who walked upon her and distributing what she produced to each one according to their share.

The earth said: "I will accept the pact, but from today everyone must pay me a tribute, which will consist of everything they eat. And whoever does not comply --- you will be in charge of collecting my debts."

This is the reason why the earth is counted first, because everyone enjoys her even though no one considers her --- though she is the one who provides for everyone, and she was Olofin's house, where he sent all his children.

Death answered: "In the pact, room must also be made for my sister Sickness --- she will be the one who prepares the ends we pursue, for she controls the atmosphere in combination with the earth, so that earthquakes, hurricanes, and epidemics may form, and so the rich may pay as well as the poor, the king as well as the [poor man]."

The patakín teaches the cosmological economics: every meal eaten is a debt owed to the earth, and every unpaid debt is collected by Death --- through her sister Sickness. This is the foundation of why rituals of giving back to the earth (libations, obi omi tutu, food offerings) are not optional in Eji Ogbe.

In the past, the day had more powers than today, and the night was always its rival. The owl, as the most intelligent, was the day's secretary, to whom the day confided all his secrets. The monkey was the most loyal friend the owl had --- in those times, the monkey could speak, and the owl could see by daylight.

One day the monkey called the owl to prepare a plot --- to remove the night's light, so that the night would have to pay tribute for any light from the sun. (The day had on his side all the other heavenly bodies except the moon --- who was the proudest of all.)

The day commissioned the owl to write a letter inviting the moon to a feast. The letters had to be written with acid, so that when the moon read them she would lose her sight. And because of the resulting glow, the owl had to put on a mask while writing the letter.

The day and the owl shut themselves up so no one would learn. When the owl was about to deliver the letter to the moon, she met the monkey, who said: "Look --- I was just looking for you. What do you think the day wants to do to the moon?" --- and she told him everything.

[The plot eventually unraveled, and as a result the monkey lost the gift of speech, the owl lost her ability to see by day, and the day lost much of its dominion to the night.]

The lesson: a secret entrusted to a friend is broken at the next encounter. The plot to dim the moon by acid-letter recoils on its plotters. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is warned: do not write what you would not want read aloud. Do not entrust your scheme to one who has another loyalty.

There was a time when Disobedience itself grew tired. Orunmila, obeying his father Nature, denied all the movements necessary for life. Time passed, food ran out, animals died, plants and rivers dried, no rain fell, the wind stopped, the heavenly bodies could not circulate --- in a word, the situation was terrifying.

Then the vulture (tiñosa) --- the most daring of all the birds and Olofin's messenger --- said: "Thinking like this we will all die without defense. I have decided to do something, come what may."

She took flight and rose until she came to a desert. Tired from flying, she descended and found a man who was named "I have everything," but this man was missing one leg, one eye, one ear, and one hand. On learning the man's name, the vulture mocked him and said: "My friend, you are missing what we all have." The man answered that this was not his own --- he merely kept the secret.

The vulture got the man to show her the secrets inside the three small gourds: the first held air, the second water and sun, and the third wind --- with fire inside the last. The man said "too too ashe" and the contents came out.

The vulture praised him lavishly and they became fast friends in an instant. Then she began to tell him story after story of lies until the man fell into a deep sleep --- and at that moment she stole his secrets.

The vulture took flight and began to activate the stolen powers one by one: she touched the wind, then the sun --- and when she touched fire, the fire burned her. She lost her feathers and her crown and was left bald.

When the man woke and discovered the theft, he went and reported it to Olofin. Olofin's judgment came in two parts:

To the man: "From now on, while the world is world, you will live on the earth and the plants will be your friends and your food."

To the vulture, for her boldness: "You will have no fixed abode, you will eat only dead animals, and the water will drown you."

The teaching: what restores the world is held by the most disabled-seeming keeper --- and only the most daring messenger reaches him. But this patakín adds a darker note: boldness that steals rather than earns brings its own permanent sentence. The vulture's baldness in this camino is not a badge of honor but a brand of the fire she touched without permission.

Olofin was blind. Oragun went to visit him. (Oragun always wore a leather jacket, by which Olofin recognized him through touch.) On reaching Olofin's house, Oragun knocked. Olofin asked who it was. Oragun answered: "Your son, father." Olofin let him in and asked: "What do you want, my son?" Oragun answered: "I have come for what you said you would give me." --- "Come another day," answered Olofin.

But Ejiogbe was listening and watching everything. The next day he appeared with a leather jacket identical to Oragun's. He knocked at the door, and Olofin asked who it was. He answered as Oragun had answered. Olofin let him in and asked: "What do you want?" --- "What you are going to give me," answered Ejiogbe. Olofin said: "I grant you the government --- you will be the head, you will be the first, by your good conduct and knowledge."

Ejiogbe departed. A short while later Oragun appeared. He knocked at the door. Olofin let him in and asked what he wanted. He answered: "What you are going to give me." Olofin, in fury, said: "But I just gave it to you yesterday --- [now you come too late]."

A complicated patakín --- Eji Ogbe's elevation came in part through cunning. The blind father could not tell one son from the other, and the son who arrived first wearing the right token was crowned. The teaching has two faces: arrive first, dressed correctly, and you receive the inheritance --- but the patakín preserves the moral tension, and Ejiogbe's later conflicts with Oragun's lineage stem from this very moment.

Here is where Yemayá created the whirlpools in the water. The hunters used to go continually to hunt geese and would take great quantities of them, leaving none for procreation. Yemayá warned them not to take them all, to leave some so that they could reproduce --- but the hunters paid her no heed.

To reach the island of the geese, one had to cross the sea. Yemayá waited for them to return, and when they came back in their boats, she created the whirlpools that swallowed the boats with the hunters inside.

Eji Ogbe in this camino warns: the warning of an Orisha given twice will not be given a third time. The third response is a whirlpool. When this falls in registro for someone exploiting a finite resource, the consultant is told to halt and make ebo before the third visit.

Once the body grew tired of carrying the head, and the head with the feet --- until the body said: "Do whatever you each want," and each prepared to do its own will.

The head, as the most intelligent, began counseling the body in all the vices and follies it could commit --- for these constituted pleasures, triumphs --- until by this means the body became weakened and had to sit in one place where alone it could think where else it could go. Then the body began to do as it pleased, until the separation between the two grew so severe that Olofin said: "I made the two of you so that one would be for the other. This cannot continue."

From then on, by Olofin's decree, they were united. Despite this arrangement, take note: there are beings in the world who, in giving the body all its pleasures, lose themselves --- and the same happens with the head. You have a sickness in your body from neglect, and you must pray your head with different things.

The most direct teaching of Eji Ogbe on the relationship between Ori and the body. The head must lead --- but not by leading the body into ruin. The body must serve --- but not until exhausted. Both are bound by Olofin's law to walk together. The remedy when this falls in registro is kobori with multiple ingredients (the "different things"), so the head and body are reset.

The shadow was tired of being the least considered in Olofin's house. She lived beneath everyone --- neither animals nor men called for her for anything. When she complained of this indifference, they answered her: "Oh --- to see you, one would have to give honors as if to Obbatala."

This answer made the shadow, full of fury, go to Obbatala's house and tell him everything. Obbatala told her to make ebbo with a goat, water, earth, a rooster, three switches, white cloth, eku, eya, two efun tontu, abundant owo --- and to take a basin of eko, make ashe, and blow it to the four winds, the sea, the river, the earth, so that everyone would see her after the sun.

The shadow made her ebbo. From then on, everything that is on the earth, the shadow sees --- for from that moment the shadow acquired three powers:

First: she was made friend of Death. Second: she was made enemy of the enemy. Third: she was made savior of the innocent.

For these three powers, the shadow uncovers, the shadow covers, and the shadow kills.

Possibly the most underrated patakín of the odu. The despised lower presence becomes --- through proper ebbo --- the witness, defender, and destroyer at once. The shadow walks with you constantly. Eji Ogbe instructs: do not despise what walks beneath you.

Ejiogbe was in a town that he had built with great labor. Disgusted with the bad gratitude with which they had paid him, he decided to leave there. At the exit of the town he met Eleggua, who asked him: "Where are you going?" Ejiogbe said: "I am leaving this town, because after sacrificing myself they pay me badly, so I leave." And he kept walking.

He came to a town called Ife, in the land of the pygmies. They treated him well. He asked: "Do you treat everyone like this?" They answered: "Everyone." So he thought to himself: "I will build my town here," and so he did. After a time, the bad treatment came again, and Ejiogbe again retired.

At the exit, Eleggua again met him and asked: "Where are you going?" Ejiogbe answered: "I am leaving here because they are very ungrateful." Eleggua replied: "Look --- there is a slaughterhouse over there. I am going to smear you with blood. Then go from door to door saying you have killed the king's son, and see who will help you."

So Ejiogbe did, going from door to door. When he was already tired of knocking... [the patakín continues --- the only one who took him in was the one who would later become his most loyal friend].

When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino, the consultant is told: the test of friendship is the bloody knock at midnight. Most who claim to love you will close the door when you arrive in trouble. The one who opens --- that is your true ally for the next chapter.

Olofin invited the Babalawos to his house, and they all came except Baba Ejiogbe. Then Olofin said: "One is missing," and Eleggua wanted to go fetch him --- but the other Babalawos opposed it.

Olofin then served the table and placed before each one an eya tuto. All the Awos ate the fish, except for the heads. Those heads were thrown into the trash bin.

In that moment, a man went to Baba Ejiogbe's house and told him: "You are here, while at Olofin's house there is a great feast and you know nothing." Baba Ejiogbe performed osorde before going to Olofin's house, saw his sign, and made ebbo with a white akuko, and went to Olofin's. On entering, he stumbled against the trash bin --- and against Eleggua, who was waiting there for him.

Baba Ejiogbe ate the fish-heads and gave the white akuko to Eleggua beside the trash bin. Then he entered, and on seeing him, the others were astonished. Olofin said: "I sent for you, my son." Baba Ejiogbe said: "They told me nothing, my father." Olofin answered: "I wanted you to eat fish." Ejiogbe replied: "It is too late --- I have eaten some heads I saw in the trash bin."

[The patakín closes: by eating the heads, Ejiogbe becomes the head of all the Babalawos.]

The companion patakín to P-018 (Olofin's Reception). In Eji Ogbe, what is thrown away to others is the very thing that crowns you. The Babalawo who can dignify the discarded --- who can sit beside the trash bin and eat what others rejected --- is the one who carries the head of the lineage.

Orunmila had nowhere to live --- they cast him out everywhere. One day he went out with Oshun, to look for somewhere they could live. As they were both standing at the seashore, Oshun watched as a whale tried to eat some hermit crabs (macaos). Oshun took her five adanes (machetes/blades), threw them at the whale, and killed her. The hermit crabs, in gratitude, gave up their shells and offered them to Orunmila so he and Oshun could live in them.

The teaching: when you defend the small ones from the great predator, the small ones give you their very houses to live in. Eji Ogbe under this camino tells the consultant: protect what is small, and it will become your shelter.

In the beginning of the world, Baba Ejiogbe had two children: Ajero (male) and Ogueyán (female). They lived together, but by the caprice of destiny --- for war came --- they were sold separately to lands very far from their place of origin.

Ajero was sold to a convent of friars and became greatly esteemed by them for his wisdom. All the friars of the convent, including the prior, loved him much. The prior, on his deathbed, left him as the head of all the friars --- and this son of Baba Ejiogbe became the most important man in that land.

Ogueyán, who was his abeji (twin), was sold to a convent of nuns, where she was greatly esteemed for her goodness and patience. As all the nuns died one by one, the mother superior, before dying, left her all her fortune --- and she became the richest in the place.

As the two siblings lived very far apart, they remembered each other but never met again. But because they were both religious, in their prayers each thought of the other, and through their thoughts they sent each other [their love].

The patakín of abeji (twins): the bond of twin children of Eji Ogbe is unbreakable across separation. When this camino falls in registro, look for a sibling, a friend, or a paisano far away whose prayers you do not feel but who is sustaining you in absentia.

In the beginnings of the world, when Orunmila descended to earth, he came with the recommendation to find Ile Ife --- to teach those of that land, who were religious by Oduduwa, in everything concerning how they had to live and the laws of Ifá that Olofin had decreed for them to follow.

Orunmila descended at Onika, near the ile of Olokun, because all the roads of that land Onika led to what was favored of Olofin --- Ile Ife.

When Orunmila came to earth, his name was Atagoro Laye. He landed at the beach with his Ifá. After arriving, he set out along the shore of the sea. But shortly before undertaking the journey, he performed osorde (atefa) with his Ifá and saw Baba Ejiogbe --- where he gave his Ifá to eat: two adie and eyele in the añari (sand).

Then he began walking in search of the city of Ife. He had already tried by different roads, and always met people different from those he sought --- some white, some black, mulattos, albinos, Chinese, all of different religions --- but he could not find the people of Ife.

He had already passed through fifteen lands. Then he came to a place that was neither jungle, nor swamp, nor sea --- but like an oasis, with a great well in the middle surrounded by three great trees: iroko, aragba, and ope (palm). Orunmila felt a voice that said:

Dado komawe aterere laye.

He submerged his Ifá in the well and washed his eyes with the water. Then he heard the suyere:

Ala gba nfo gede.

When he opened his eyes he could see through the trees of the oasis --- and there was Ile Ife. He was given the mission to complete for the people of that land. And those three trees --- iroko, aragba, and ope --- became the sacred trees of bo-rdun.

The foundation patakín for the descent of Orunmila and the priority of Ile Ife in the cosmology. Orunmila does not find Ife through force of will; he finds it by submerging his Ifá in the well of an oasis and washing his eyes. When this falls in registro for someone seeking their proper community or vocation, the consultant is told: wash your eyes with consecrated water before you try again. The city you are seeking will not be found by any road --- it will be revealed.

Each of the saints of Olodumare's court had his own guide for living and for speaking, and so each communicated with his children and servants in the form that best suited him. Thus there was no communication between one Orisha and another, and the human beings did not understand or relate to each other.

Then there was a man who was an aide and always walked with Obbatala. This man told Obbatala that he was willing to fight for the cause of humanity, since he wanted to redeem himself before Olofin for the actions of pride and contempt he had had toward his fellows. This man was Obi.

Obi, who always walked with Obbatala and Oshagriñán, went together with Obbatala to see Orunmila --- who said he was prepared, with them, to do something that would permit access to the world of Orisha-Ifá, since it was not possible for each to speak in his own form and manner without communicating with the others. "For when Olofin created the world and distributed the powers, he told us that we are all brothers."

Then Obi told Orunmila that this land was called Baba Ejiogbe Awo Prun Nigaga --- and that it was willing to lend its house for the great council that would allow gbogbo orumale de wamale to reach a solution to the problem.

Oshagriñán, who held the power of Oduduwa and Olofin over the earth, summoned gbogbo osha and orishas to the house of Obi. He told them that each must contribute his own knowledge to the others --- so that together they could form a great family that would allow humanity to progress in the world, each one protecting the children of the others, without the direct father of a person losing his central power over the destiny of his child.

And he said they should establish a form of communicating with men and with heaven. Obbatala established that the link --- the mode of realizing that union --- would be through Obi, since by Olofin's mandate Obi must always be on the ground as punishment for his pride.

Obbatala then said to gbogbo orumale: the gods were not enabled to pray, accept, or hear what men might put before them through Obi --- nor, when what was put before them was harmful to the man, could they deny it.

Then gbogbo Orisha orumale answered Oshagriñán: "We set our bodies on the obi; obi is our father --- let him intercede for the things of persons, to save them from death and warn them of the remedy."

Babalu Aye (Osojuano) refused to accept this agreement. He said he would not accept that obi be the intermediary --- that each should handle it in his own form and manner. But Obbatala, with his power, obliged him to accept --- though Babalu said that even if he accepted, he would never speak his ita through the obi.

All the other orishas accepted, took Obi and his tree as their most valued, special, beloved, and royal representation, and made all trees serve him.

Here Obbatala established that no Santo can refuse the obi, regardless of the origin or nature of the question or communication received through it. And he addressed all orishas orumales, saying:

Obi unsoro obi kosi ofo --- meaning: the words of obi are not lost.

And from then on obi became the vehicle of communication between orishas, Ifá, and man.

Note: here was born the secret of placing a piece of obi under the left foot of the person receiving Ifá --- for it permits the consulted divinity to make contact with the spirit of the person, through the man, the obi, and the earth.

The cosmological birth of obi divination --- the universal language by which every Orisha can be questioned. Babalu Aye's refusal is preserved in tradition: he participates but does not speak his ita through obi. When this camino falls in registro, the consultant is told: the gift of asking and being answered was born here --- but the honesty of the answer depends on who is willing to be bound by the truth.

There was a man who fell madly in love with a beautiful princess. He pursued her so persistently that one day she said to him: "I know you are madly in love with me, but you must understand that in every aspect you are inferior to me, for I am a princess. But I will give you my love when you become rich enough to aspire to my hand."

The man took his leave, swearing he would become rich enough to make her happy, and departed for a distant land. He arrived there enduring much hardship, and little by little --- through work and effort --- he amassed a fortune. After spending time in various parts of that land, one day he went deep into the forest to trade with its riches, and there he finally became sufficiently rich.

While he worked in the forest, every time he remembered his beloved, sadness would completely overcome him. He would whistle a strange and sweet melody. One day a young nightingale heard the melody, was enchanted by it, and they became great friends. The man told the nightingale of his sorrow, and the nightingale begged to learn the tune. But one day the man departed back to his own land in such haste he did not say goodbye to the nightingale, who was very sad in his absence.

When the man arrived home, he immediately went to his beloved and told her how immensely rich he was, and that he had returned to formalize their relationship and marry her. The princess answered: "Very well --- but before we make our engagement formal, I want you to bring me a red rose." She said this because she did not love him, and knew that in those lands and the neighboring towns there were no red roses.

The man, unaware of the mockery, went out to find the red rose. He thought it would be easy. But no matter how much he searched, he could not find it. Disconsolate, he returned to that distant land --- but there too he could not find the red rose. Desperate, he made his way to the forest, and on arriving began to whistle his strange and beautiful melody. At once the nightingale heard him and came out, overjoyed, to meet him --- and understood the anguish his friend was in.

The nightingale expressed his sorrow at having been left without a goodbye, and said: "There are no red roses here either, but no matter --- take these white roses that grow here and bring them to your beloved; surely she will accept them as proof of your love." But the man answered desperately: "No --- I am not certain she will accept them."

This moved the nightingale so much that he said: "My friend, it is late, go and rest, for I will pray that tomorrow you find the red rose." When the man, overcome by passion and fatigue, fell asleep, the nightingale perched on a bush of white roses. He chose the most beautiful, stood upon it, and in an act of self-giving and renunciation for his friend's happiness, drove the thorn of the branch into his own heart. There he bled to death, dyeing the rose with his own blood, and fell dead at the foot of the rosebush.

When the man awoke in the morning and saw the red rose, he plucked it joyfully, and never noticed his friend lying dead at the foot of the bush. He thought a miracle had happened thanks to his friend's prayers, never realizing the beautiful sacrifice his friend had made.

When the man arrived with the red rose at his beloved's feet, she said: "I never loved you. I set you these conditions thinking you would never meet them, but the truth is I do not love you, and therefore you cannot marry me." On hearing these words, the man understood that all his sacrifice for that woman had been in vain.

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: "Don't die chasing what doesn't desire you. Don't take the gift and forget the giver. Every miracle demands awareness." The most quoted patakín of Eji Ogbe --- the foundation of the doctrine that unconscious sacrifice loses coherence, that the unaware observer collapses what was given to him into nothing.

It happened once that the birth of Obatalá was announced, and the king of that land sent his soldiers to kill his parents. Eshu, who knew the monarch's decision, went and warned the parents, and sent them away to save the child.

The child was born, and the king made the most relentless persecution of Obatalá's parents --- who were obliged to abandon the child. The child continued growing and was always forced to flee. One day, when the king's soldiers had him surrounded, Obatalá saw himself almost lost. But there was a great ceiba in which the rats had their houses. Seeing Obatalá in such trouble, they said: "Listen, come here --- get inside," and Obatalá hid there. The rats then came out every morning to bring him bread, cheese, and so on, until at the end of 16 days the danger had passed and Obatalá could leave.

Then Obatalá blessed the ekute (mouse), saying: "As long as the world is the world, you will never lack home or food." And Eshu went with them.

When this camino falls under Eji Ogbe, the consultant is told: the children of Eji Ogbe must not kill mice in their homes. The despised small one is the very protector of the principle of light when the great are in danger.

A son of Oshosi wished to go hunting in the forest of Onikorogbo, but first went to consult with Orunmila, who divined this Ifá Baba Ejiogbe and told him: "You must perform ebbo with all the eñi adie (hen's eggs) you have at home, so you do not meet Iku."

The son of Oshosi paid no heed and did not bother to make ebbo. The next day he went into the forest and found no animals to kill. After much walking he met Iku, with whom he made friendship, and they hunted together for a time. Throughout the hunt they too found no animals at all --- until at last they came upon two eñi (eggs) of gunugun (vulture). Iku said to the hunter: "You can take them." The hunter proposed to divide them --- one for each --- but Iku refused.

When the hunter arrived home, he cooked the two eggs and ate them with his family. By the time they had finished eating, Iku appeared, and said: "I have come for my share, because there is hunger in isale orun and we have nothing to eat." The hunter answered: "Woe is me --- we have already eaten..."

[Iku then takes her share from the hunter and his family --- for the ebbo of eggs that would have substituted was never made.]

Eji Ogbe's most direct teaching on the danger of declining the prescribed ebbo. The hunter's failure to offer the eggs in advance turned the harvested eggs into a debt to Death. What was not given to Eshu in time, Iku came to collect at home.

There was a king named Adomile, who governed his lands with great care, with everything in surplus. But because Adomile was old, the people and the populace began saying he was too old to govern, and that another king must be named there. Adomile had a rival named Losa, and the people said why didn't Adomile leave power to Losa, who was younger and would bring more prosperity to the city. Discontent took root.

Adomile, who was an Awo, divined for himself, saw this odu, and sent his trusted man to investigate. When he returned, he told him what was happening: the people said that if he did not resign, they would go to war. But Adomile said it was not a question of war --- he would leave. But before going, he told his servant to take care, and to remain so as to inform him of what was happening in the village. And in this way Losa took power.

But when Losa began to govern, even food began to run short. The people could not even speak. And in that land --- which was Ile Takua --- corpses were appearing at dawn. The trusted servant went to Adomile by means of a very beautiful black bird --- which was Ozain --- and the bird would fly to where Adomile was, perch on a tree, and begin to sing, and Adomile would take careful note.

The people could endure no more. They rose up and took to the streets, demanding that Adomile take power again --- and went to find him. The servant freed the bird. Losa's soldiers came out after it, for they had orders to shoot it --- but because it belonged to Ozain, they could not touch it. It arrived, perched, and sang: Adomile, who had been planting rice, stopped and listened. The bird sang to him that Losa was killing the people.

Adomile set out for the city. When he arrived, they gave him moforibale. He said: "A moment --- we must feed the santo and let Ifá speak, to see whether or not I can govern." And this he did.

Old and experienced, he called the iyaloshas and made the offerings: tinfe owunko, eda, aure, abo and the other animals. Losa, not knowing what to do, had killed and thrown away the heads and entrails. But Adomile gathered and kept the heads, and drew out the blood-crosses and ashere.

On the day of ita --- that is, on the third day --- he called them together. When they were about to sit, Losa arrived and asked what the ita (the santo) had said. But since Losa had done nothing, he said: "Boy, I did nothing --- I threw it all away." Adomile, who knew, had the blood-crosses and the little heads of Elegguá's goat. He performed ita, and Obbatala spoke: To iban eshu --- to govern, one must have a head. From that moment everything was formalized, and Adomile governed once more.

The birth of the ita de santo --- the seventh-day ceremonial reading where every Orisha and every elder bears witness to what was laid down. The lesson: governance requires keeping what the ita says. Losa lost power not because he was cruel but because he discarded the sacred record. In Eji Ogbe, the ceremonial heads are never thrown away.

His subjects rendered Olofin homage every morning. They asked his blessing, kissed his hands, his feet, his sacred robe --- demonstrating a true and mystical adoration of the father, to such an extent that he firmly believed this demonstration of affection and love was born from the depth of their hearts, and that consequently they were sincere, faithful, and devoted.

But Ejiogbe, who often frequented the festivals, the meeting places, and even the homes of many of them, came to understand that they were selfish, proud, envious, hypocritical --- and that each one tried to live the best possible, even at the cost of harming his neighbor.

One morning, when the subjects were rendering their accustomed obeisance to the father, Ejiogbe --- who was at his right --- said to Olofin: "Baba, do you not know that all those signs of esteem and reverence are pure hypocrisy?" Olofin answered: "Ejiogbe, observe --- they pay me homage with devotion and admiration, and this is irrefutable proof that they embrace happily the moral precepts I have given them, for their happiness and that of their descendants. If they were bad as you say, they could not offer me these proofs of gratitude."

Ejiogbe was not satisfied and made similar insinuations to the father every morning. Olofin, not wanting to believe it, made himself indifferent.

One morning, weary of hearing Ejiogbe's arguments, and while the subjects were adoring him, Olofin made them stand and asked them in Ejiogbe's presence: "My subjects --- I wish to know whether you love me and obey the commandments I have taught for your happiness."

Then all the subjects, falling to their knees before the father, answered: "Baba, we love you, respect you, accept you, and obey your commandments, for we know they are for our happiness."

When the subjects withdrew, Ejiogbe told the father: "Baba, I agree with none of this. All demonstration is pure hypocrisy --- for if they are bad with each other, they cannot love you as they say. But with your permission, tomorrow I will prove it to you once and for all."

The next day, when the hour of adoration came, Ejiogbe prepared a basket filled with gold coins and stood to the right of Olofin. When the subjects were about to kneel to begin the adoration, Ejiogbe stepped forward and, raising the basket full of money over his head, threw it behind him.

The subjects, seeing it, threw themselves to collect the coins. Ejiogbe had to pull Olofin aside quickly --- or that crowd inflamed by gold would have trampled him.

Then it was that Olofin understood the truth Ejiogbe had seen, and he declared: "Ejiogbe, it is true that they are bad and do not love one another and that they are false."

The seer who proves unwelcome truth to power. In Eji Ogbe, the courtiers' homage lasts exactly until gold is thrown behind them. When this falls in registro, the consultant is told: the love being shown to you publicly does not match what is being said in private. One basket of gold --- thrown behind --- is enough to reveal who actually stands beside you.

Here are three roads --- the earth, the marketplace, and the water. All three wished to be the first. But it was the dog who brought them all to agreement, telling them:

"If the earth does not produce, the marketplace will have no objects to sell. If the water does not fall on the earth, she will not be able to produce. So all three of you have the same right."

So the three were content. The earth said to the dog: "When you cannot find the road, no matter how far you go, you will not be lost." The marketplace said: "When you cannot find food, come to the marketplace --- and even if it is bones, you will find some." The water said: "Dog --- by me, if you fall into the water you will not drown."

And so all three thanked the dog.

A foundational reciprocity patakín. The dog --- child of Oggun, the warrior's companion --- is granted three covenants for his peace-making. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant who has dogs is told to honor them; the consultant who is the dog in a dispute among great powers is told that his arbitration will be rewarded with three covenants from the principals.

Orunmila felt nostalgic for his land --- which was the same as that of Olokun, Oduduwa, and Orishaoko --- for it had been a long time since he left. That land was called Ifebo. When he arrived there, all the foreigners present were being arrested, and Orunmila too was caught in the roundup. He asked himself: "How is it possible that after all the time I have been away, this happens to me?"

But Orunmila had divined this odu before leaving, and had made ebbo with two akuko, eyele, and other ingredients. While in custody, Orunmila asked a man what was the reason for the roundup, and he answered: "It is because of the governor here, who is named Oduduwa, and is angry because his daughters have not been able to marry."

When Orunmila had the opportunity, he approached the governor and said: "You have arrested us because others who have looked at you have not told you the truth about why your daughters have not married. So I will tell you: the first was blind; the second was sick in the womb; the third [had a problem with the lungs]..." [The patakín continues --- Orunmila's diagnosis cures each daughter through specific ebbos, the foreigners are released, and Oduduwa's gratitude becomes the foundation of an alliance.]

The diagnostic gift of Eji Ogbe: what previous diviners failed to see, Orunmila names exactly. When this camino falls in registro for someone whose life is stuck --- failed marriages, blocked fortune --- the consultant is told: the previous reading you received was incomplete. The true cause has not yet been spoken aloud.

Ami was a very bad guardian. When Obbatala sent his children to throw out the water he had given them to purify themselves of epidemics, Ami snatched it away and sprinkled it on himself --- taking for himself what was meant to be discarded.

One day Baba sent Eshu with a bucket of cleansing water to throw out at the corner. As Ami came out, Eshu pretended to drop it carefully, then hid himself. Ami believed it was a very important work, and went down to take the bucket so he could spoil it. But Eshu came out of his hiding place, plugged the exit hole, and from that day the bad guardian was never seen again at the corners of Obbatala's house --- who watches over everything.

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: the one stealing your discharge is the bad guardian. Eshu's trap is the only way to remove him. What you have already cast away can become the bait that catches a thief.

There was an Awo who kept many different animals. One day he fell mortally ill. All the animals became afraid and abandoned him --- except the white akuko (rooster), who remained to care for him and save him.

When Iku arrived to take the person, the akuko faced her and said that to take the Awo, she would first have to finish him. They began to fight. In the fight, the akuko shed his feathers --- and one feather lodged itself in Iku's neck, where it began to torment her. Iku shook her head to dislodge it but could not, for she did not know what it was. Furious, she fled.

The akuko won and saved the person.

A patakín of supreme devotion: the smallest companion, the white rooster, is what defeats Death. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: who has remained at your bed when others fled? That one is your defender against Iku --- feed them well.

Orunmila had a powerful enemy he could not match nor challenge --- yet he could not stop doing things, because he knew the enemy wished to finish him.

One day Orunmila divined and saw this odu, which told him a drunkard was going to fall ill. Sure enough, Obbatala feigned drunkenness --- and by this means discovered who Orunmila's enemy was, and saved him from betrayal.

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the drunkard sees what you cannot. Do not mock those who appear lost --- they may be Obbatala in disguise, listening to what your enemies say in their unguarded moments.

Once a town lived on the shore of a river. The earth was so fertile that everything sown grew, and so every day they praised Olofin and made sacrifices in his honor. At the beginning everyone spoke the same language. The builders of that town decided to construct a tower so tall in homage to Olofin that it would touch heaven --- so they could go to see him personally.

They agreed to use mud and baked clay. They began building, and after a short time the tower was very tall --- almost reaching heaven. Olofin became very concerned, and decided to confuse the builders. Then each began to speak a different language, and there was such great confusion among them that they abandoned the work, and each one went off to a different land.

The Ifá account of why humanity speaks many tongues. Eji Ogbe teaches: ambition that climbs to displace the divine ends in scattering. The hunger for direct access to Olofin without the intermediary of right relation produces araye --- the noise of mutual incomprehension.

Orunmila, watching how the sun worked every day, thought there must be something else to help it --- lest the heat run out and human beings either become savages or die of cold. So one day he went to the beach and gathered 16 small ota (stones). He passed them between his hands, looking up at the sky, then at the sea, drawing a line in the sand --- one to the right, one to the left --- until he made four on each side. These lines are the ones that form this odu.

When Orunmila finished his moyumba, he stopped --- for he saw a shadow or something strange coming through the sea toward him. He waited for the strange thing to arrive. When it reached him, it stood on the shore as if waiting for him to speak. Then Orunmila prayed and called and said what he wanted for the good of all. And that being --- who turned out to be Olokun --- placed himself at his disposition.

Orunmila took two dry gourds that were there, removed the seeds, [filled them] with seawater, then put sand into one of them and [the patakín continues --- Orunmila and Olokun fashion the first hourglass of sand and water, dividing the day from the night].

The cosmological birth of measured time. Eji Ogbe is the odu in which the technology of measure is given by Olokun and instituted by Orunmila. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: what you require is no longer effort, but measure. Two gourds --- one of sand, one of water --- set the limits of every working day.

There was a man named Olerguere who lived from sales and raffles, but was somewhat dishonest and a swindler. He squandered much money and was therefore unlucky and behind in his way of being.

Once he found himself in such a bad situation that he ran a raffle of owo (money) without having anything to offer in exchange for the prize. The day of the drawing, two people won the raffle. But since Olerguere had nothing more than what he had collected from the raffle, he had to hide --- for one of the persons came with a club, the other with a revolver, and a friend of his who had also entered drew a knife.

Olerguere could not come out until the deceived ones left, intending to return the next day. He used this chance to go to Orunmila, who divined this odu and prescribed ebbo with: akuko, three things related to the persons (a revolver, an obe, and a club). After the ebbo, it was set before Oggun. After Orunmila made the ebbo, he gave him... [the patakín concludes with Orunmila redirecting Olerguere from cheating to honest work].

When Eji Ogbe falls under this camino: the consultant has been collecting on raffles he cannot pay. The three angry creditors --- the club, the revolver, the knife --- are at the door. The ebbo delays them; only honest work resolves them.

Once Orunmila lived in the land of Osha, but apart, having no contact with them. Osha did not believe in Orunmila or in his divinations --- but Eleggua, whom Orunmila treated well, told him everything Osha said about him and did. Orunmila wrote down and studied everything Eleggua reported.

Once Osha challenged Orunmila to display his knowledge. But because Orunmila was informed of everything regarding Osha, he told her everything she did. Osha, astonished by Orunmila's knowledge, allied with him and rendered moforibale.

Eleggua, seeing the triumph Orunmila had achieved thanks to him, asked him to make Ifá. Orunmila accepted and said: "Bring me the ewe to make you Ifá." Eleggua brought it --- but two kinds of ewe were missing: canutillo and Orosun. Orunmila, after verifying this, said: "From this moment on, of every registro I make, the half-coin is for you and the peso is for me --- because you cannot be so greedy."

The patakín that establishes the economy of Eshu and Orunmila in every consultation. Eshu --- the messenger who reports --- is paid first, but in the smaller share, because his role is not the divining. The Awo's payment is the larger because he holds the responsibility of speaking the word.

In this camino there was a town in the land of Takua in which three Awos lived. One was of clearer intelligence than the others, and worked for the governor --- so the other two were fighting against him out of envy.

One day a person sent by Eleggua appeared to each of the Awos to end the dispute. When osorde was performed, this odu osogbo came up for each of the aleyos. Two of the Awos, after performing ebbo, killed the animals without consulting Orunmila. The third Awo, named Efa Shure, did not kill them that day --- but asked Orunmila, who indicated the day on which it should be done so that neither he nor the person he had read for would fail.

The two Awos who had sacrificed the animals that same day fared badly: one fell ill for a long time, and the other died. This happened because Death was visiting the houses of the iworos and Babalawos who lived there every three days.

A direct technical patakín on timing: when the ebbo* asks for an animal, the Awo must consult Orunmila on the day to kill it --- not just the materials.* Performing the right ebbo on the wrong day brings the calamity it was meant to avert. When Eji Ogbe falls in registro, the date matters as much as the offering.

Eshu proposed to Orunmila a pact in which he would make him Oba of the religion, with the power of life and death and the ability to reproduce the past, present, and future of human beings --- where he would be the intermediary between the Orishas and humans.

Orunmila asked Eshu what he asked in exchange for these powers, and Eshu answered: "That you make me your immediate chief --- that is, the first Orisha to be reckoned with after you. And that you secure food for the rest of the Orishas --- with me being the first to eat." (For this reason, all ebos carry owunko, akuko, eku, eya, and epo.)

Orunmila consulted the matter with Olofin, who told him he himself had ordered Eshu to arrange this pact, which he supported. Orunmila went to Eshu and said: "Very well, I accept your pact." Eshu taught him everything concerning the oracle of divination, and Orunmila began to bring out and organize the 16 odu meji, giving them their names according to how they appeared in the ibi-idajun-ifa by the gravity that each presented.

But when Orunmila wanted to give a name to the first odu --- which was the foundation and confidence of Ifá --- Eshu, worried that Orunmila would not honor the pact and taking advantage of his inexperience (for this was his first time as a diviner), caused the first odu to come out osogbo, representing everything contrary to what Ifá is and what Orunmila expected. And since this is a sign that contains both all good and all evil, Eshu turned it into the first bad odun and gave it the name buru buru, meaning "very bad."

Orunmila did not know Eshu was deceiving him. Finding himself with difficulties controlling it, he had no choice but to ask Eshu himself for help --- not realizing that Eshu was the god of evil. Eshu, seeing that Orunmila was not pretending to be a wise man, proposed passing buru buru to the last position and placing Ofun in the first position. (Ofun means "to give"; fu is the messenger spirit of Oduduwa, who caused much harm because he had the power to strike.) Orunmila accepted. But Ofun proved as uncontrollable as buru buru --- every time Orunmila did a registro, it came out against him.

Then Eshu said: "Let us bring buru buru back." But Orunmila did not want to. Eshu promised he would change it --- renew it with all virtues, nobility, purity, intelligence, valor, and capacity. Orunmila accepted. But despite his promise to behave, Eshu again deceived Orunmila: he brought back the same buru buru with a changed name and consecrated it with the name of Ejiogbe. (This is why it is said that Ofun, being the first of the odu, passed to occupy the last position, and Ejiogbe, being the last, passed to be the first.)

Being owner of the rain (for being the god of clouds), Eshu came to an arrangement with Olorun that Ejiogbe would represent him on the path of good, and that Eshu would represent him on the path of evil. When Olorun was consecrating it, Eshu sent a great rain --- and with it his art of evil. Eji means rain; ogbe means to cease or to cut. That is the name of this odu.

In this odun one must take great care, for it represents both good and evil.

The cosmological covenant of every consultation. Eshu eats first because Olofin commanded it; Orunmila divines because Eshu taught him. What looked like a curse --- the bad odun that came out first --- became the supreme odu through the same trick that created it. When Eji Ogbe falls in registro, the consultant is reminded: the opele in your hand is not yours alone --- it is held in covenant with the trickster who named it.

In the land of Agbanilodo lived Awo Omo Ori Oshe, who was omo Baba Ejiogbe. He had remained on earth guarding the secret of Awo Amonsun and Awo Amorun, which had been hidden when Awo Akueyeri Maboya was consecrated --- who was Olofin Baba Orun Oddun.

Omo Ejiogbe Omo Ori Oshe was the one charged with opening the eyes of Ifá in aye for gbogbo osha. He did this when Olofin let the ikines fall from on high, from ope nifa in Inle Ife, where he lived in hiding. As each one fell, he said:

Okanshoshon orun bawa eni ifa iboyo.

Then Omo Baba Ejiogbe Awo Omo Ori Oshe opened a single eye on the earth --- but before beginning this, he called Olofin at elese ope nifa with the prayer:

Omo baba ejiogbe omo ori oshe mokuere mawani ifa awo pakan omo kunifa ifa oboyo.

But there was no firmness, for Osun was missing --- held by Awo Ori Maye, who was Awo Omo Ogbe rOsun, and did not want Awo Omo Ori Oshe to be the one tending to Olofin. So Awo Ori Maye Omo Ogbe rOsun tied Osun and would not let him reach Awo Omo Ori Oshe --- and always bitten by envy, he observed everything that Awo Baba Ejiogbe did at the foot of ope nifa.

Shango was very troubled, for there was no firmness in that land. He came before Awo Omo Ori Maye Ogbe rOsun and freed Osun, who ran to ope nifa. Shango began to sing:

Osun mawani oddun eni ifa Shango omo ori oshe oddun obanilorun agba ni boshe awo omo mayire mayire awo.

And he ate eyele together with Osun, and declared to gbogbo osha: "From now on, Osun and Ifá will go together."

Then Awo Baba Ejiogbe Omo Ori Oshe began to perform atefa and Baba Ejiogbe came out. He greeted Shango and chanted:

Oddun aye baba ejiogbe omoriboshe oyure oddun bawari ifa oddun agbaire.

All those present knelt and gave moforibale to Awo Omoriboshe and to Awo Ori Maye Ogbe rOsun. But the latter withdrew in great displeasure. Then Shango followed him, throwing juju --- the feathers of all the birds of all colors that were there. And Awo Ogbe rOsun came to be dressed in those feathers of every color, and all began to celebrate him.

Shango declared: "Ejiogbe, by virtue of Amonsun and Amorun, shall always be the first in this earth --- but he must always take care of Osun. Osun shall be second, and shall always be watching whether Ejiogbe makes good or bad use of his powers."

Then all began to sing:

Awo amonsun ati amorun agba bi...

The patakín that grounds the discipline of praying at the foot of the palm tree when picking up Ifá. Osun's release by Shango is the mythic event behind the firmness of the consultation. Without Osun present, the eye of Ifá cannot open. The prayer is not ritual formula --- it is the call that summons Osun back to ope nifa every time.

In this camino, Yemayá was a very old woman who lived from the produce of her great planting of kukunduku (sweet potato). She was always weeping because she had no husband.

One day she was in the field digging up kukunduku and saw one very beautiful and shaped like a person. She observed it intently and thought: "If this kukunduku could turn into a man, I would be most grateful to Inle Oguere."

Then the kukunduku said to her: "If I change into a man for you, you must never call me kukunduku." Surprised, Yemayá answered: "Since I do not live with anyone in my house --- without husband or children --- to whom would I tell?" Then the kukunduku said: "Turn around." She did so, and the kukunduku transformed into a young, robust man, who went to live with her at her house. On the way he told her: "My name is Besu Agudeketi."

Days later they went to Orunmila's house, who divined and saw Baba Ejiogbe. The oracle revealed that none of the children they would have from this union could ever eat kukunduku in their life, nor mention it in their house, for Besu Agudeketi was a great power of agboriregun. Then Orunmila made ebbo for them.

On returning home, Besu Agudeketi planted on one side of the house a aragba (ceiba) and on the other side an ugusi (almond tree). At the foot of each he placed a jar of river water, sea water, and odo (river mud), and many ota (stones) and dilogunes (cowries); and beside each tree he installed an agbeyami (peacock) to bring joy to Yemayá. Everyone in the district began to eat kukunduku, and through her great planting Yemayá became rich.

One day in that district --- which belonged to the land of Ewado --- they were celebrating festivals for Olokun and Oduduwa. Since Yemayá was not at home, Besu Agudeketi took a white garment (asho fun fun), dressed himself, and went to give moforibale to Olokun and Oduduwa.

When Yemayá returned and did not find Besu, she noticed her white garment was missing. She grew angry and shouted: "This filthy kukunduku took my white dress --- he is nothing but an ungrateful kukunduku, and he will hear from me when he gets back."

Then the two peacocks that lived under those trees took flight and flew off singing:

Besu besu agudeketi omo ari oko be Yemaya lowo, unsoro ashiri Yemaya.

Besu Agudeketi, hearing that song, began to cry and returned to Yemayá's house. When he arrived, the two peacocks were already there, continuing to sing the same suyere. He understood then that Yemayá had broken her promise --- had broken her word.

He entered the house and looked at Yemayá with contempt. She asked him sharply: "Where have you been with my white clothing?" She went to take back the garment, and at that moment Besu Agudeketi transformed into many kukunduku.

Elegguá, who had heard the peacocks' song, went to warn Orunmila.

When Orunmila entered Yemayá's house and saw the pile of sweet potatoes, he said to Yemayá: "From now on, in this land, because it is the land of the children of Ejiogbe and because you did not respect the pact: no one in this land of omo Ejiogbe will eat kukunduku, and whoever does will lose their luck, and their health will wane." He gave the offering to Eshu.

The patakín that grounds the eewó against sweet potato for Eji Ogbe's children. What became you cannot become your food --- and the promise that sheltered the transformation must be kept. The prohibition is not arbitrary: it is the consequence of a broken word in a house where the sacred had taken form.

The earth was so corrupted that Olofin thought to destroy it --- but in his great mercy he decided to give human beings another chance at regeneration, and ordered Orunmila to come down to earth and remedy it.

Orunmila was annoyed and answered: "How can you think I will be content living with this corrupted humanity, who afterward, when I redeem them, will be my representation on earth?" Olofin, seeing he had no other alternative, answered: "I will go with you --- but on the sixth day I return, for I have many matters to resolve here in heaven."

This is the reason why in all consecrations of Ifá, on the sixth day after the ceremony of Olofin's meal, he withdraws from the igbodun ifa. Olofin accompanies the Awo during the first year of his consecration. Orunmila accompanies him during the first seven years, and afterward visits him every forty-one days.

The patakín that fixes the calendar of accompaniment for the new Awo. The schedule of divine presence --- Olofin one year, Orunmila seven years, then visits at every 41-day interval --- is grounded here.

Oba-Olorun is the father of heaven and earth. He said to the earth: "Work and revere heaven. Shelter your brother, and these shall live in peace."

Time passed, and God and the earth disputed. The earth insisted she was greater and more powerful than her brother heaven --- and because she had become vain, demanded that her brother render her homage. She used the language of irresponsibility, the dangerous language of unreflection. On that occasion the earth said to God:

"I am the base, the foundation of heaven. Without me, it would collapse. My brother would have nothing to lean on, nor would anything exist with certainty if it came down. All would be vagueness, inconsistency, smoke, nothing. I sustain him; I am the one who, besides always being in toil while he merely contemplates, work incessantly. I produce all the living forms, fix them, and maintain them. I provide everything. Everything comes out of my power, which has no limits, and my solid riches cannot be calculated."

And the earth repeated insolently: "I am solid. He, by contrast, has no body --- he is entirely empty, and his goods cannot be compared with mine. The goods of my brother are intangible. What can he touch and weigh in a hand --- air, clouds, light, nothing. Consider how much more valuable I am: let him come down and do me favors."

Oba-Olorun, seeing her so obstinate and presumptuous, did not reply --- for contempt. He made a sign to the sky, and heaven withdrew: threatening, horribly serene. "Learn," murmured heaven as it drew away to immeasurable distance. "Learn that the punishment of our separation does not wait. The word of the great ones is not undone by the wind."

Iroko gathered those words and meditated in the silence of a great solitude made when heaven and earth separated. Iroko, the ceiba, had plunged its vigorous roots into the deepest of the earth, and its arms reached deep into heaven --- it lived in the intimacy of both. The great heart of Iroko trembled with dread when it understood.

Until that separation, because of the accord between these two brothers, existence had been a fortunate art for all earthly creatures. Heaven had tended the seasons with such tender solicitude that cold and heat were equally pleasant and beneficial. No storms, no destructive torrential rains, no desolating droughts had ever sown misery and desolation among the people. They lived joyfully; they died without pain, without illness, without affliction. Not even individuals of the most voracious species had been able to imagine discord. Unhappiness was not a thing of this world. It was a time without cruelty --- a time all creatures, animals and humans alike, still yearn for and still sigh over.

Malevolent spirits that provoked physical suffering --- those invisible ones that enter through the eyes or volatilize and are breathed in --- had no name, because they did not yet exist. No one fell sick. Desirable death, clean and sweet, announced itself with sweet dreams. Man enjoyed a long and fortunate life; growing old without the sad appearance and afflictions of age, he felt a great longing for stillness. A silence advanced slowly through his veins, seeking the heart. Slowly the eyes closed; slowly it grew dark --- and it was the infinite happiness of yielding to death, ending as a beautiful sunset.

In those days goodness was of this world. A dying man could smile imagining the pleasant feast his healthy body would provide for countless eager worms; think tenderly of the birds that would pick his shining eyes, transformed into seeds; of the brotherly beasts that would graze on his hair mixed with dry and juicy herbs; of his children and brothers who would eat his bones transformed into tubers. No one thought of causing harm; no one had yet set an evil example. There were no evil sorcerers, no harmful plants. There was no need to fight for the favor of maleficent powers that came into being only later, born from the pain of misery. There was no need to defend against endokis, shisirikus, or the evil eye. Everything was equal --- nothing to conquer, nothing to appropriate, nothing to dominate. The forest and the pitiless sun had not yet made themselves felt as punishment. The sea, which no furious wind troubled, was a calm, unlancering raft, bitter to no one. The mouse was the cat's best friend; a drop of honey was the scorpion's poison. Any monster was what is today rarely said: a good soul. The hyena and the dove could touch each other's hearts.

Then grief came when the times of suffering arrived. Here was Iroko's weeping --- the sadness of the tree beloved by both heaven and earth --- lovely mourning for what was lost forever, invading and penetrating everything. The ceiba shed its impalpable flowers, and thus the earth scattered her sorrows. That sadness went in the light wind, which communicated it to people, to beasts, to all living beings. A grief never before felt entered into souls; Iroko extended its immense arms in a gesture of shelter when, as evening fell, the cry of the owl's lament was heard --- a sharp, unsettling sound, new in the silence of a different dusk. That night --- a night as unknown as anguish --- fear made its first appearance. It entered into dreams, and that night it begot Iyondo, giving diverse forms, faces, and cruel claws to the darkness. The next day, man and beast and all living things questioned each other ceaselessly, without realizing, without understanding. There were still no words for the confusion and anxiety; the voices heard threatening in the wind were unintelligible.

The sun began to devour life. The ceiba said to each creature that crossed its shadow: "Let us make rogation for our mother earth who offended heaven" --- but they did not understand Iroko's words, for they did not yet know what it was to offend. Secretly, the earth dried out. The sun, under heaven's command to exhaust the waters slowly, carried out its charge. The waters grew scarce. The earth felt in her entrails the anger of her brother, suffered from thirst, and begged him in a low voice: "My brother, my entrails are consuming --- send me a little water." But heaven, to relieve his sister's thirst, flooded her in a white fire and blew over her scorched body the violence of a hot gale.

The children of the earth suffered with her the terrible fears of fire, thirst, and hunger. What pained the earth more cruelly than her own torments were the martyrdoms of her innocent children. For them, for the withered grass and the dying tree, she now --- humbled --- begged heaven's forgiveness. Suffering came with the loss of memory of the smallest past good. Pain beat the creatures until it erased even the trace of the fortune in which they had lived. All happiness became remote and unbelievable. All disasters and all horrors were incubated and came forth; the word turned bad. The rest of those who had died long ago was disturbed, and those dying now no longer rested in the quiet beauty of a night whose sweetness never ended.

The earth begged forgiveness, and heaven --- which held the waters --- was implacable. Everything was infertile dust; nearly all the animals had died. Skeletal men, without food, laid inert without strength on the stones bare of all vegetation, which had entirely disappeared.

Only one tree in the world maintained its giant crown miraculously erect and fresh --- it was Iroko. Imperishable, adoring heaven, the dead of the past came to take refuge there. The spirit of Iroko spoke with heaven; in its roots Iroko worked tirelessly with unshakeable resolve to save the earth and its creatures. It was the beloved child of both earth and heaven. Its powerful branches protected all who embraced its shade, and under its shelter they resisted the tremendous punishment of Olorun. To these survivors Iroko gave instructions. They penetrated the secrets held in its roots; they learned, and when they knew, they humbled themselves. They placed themselves at the foot of the ceiba and made ebbo.

The oka herb --- still alive --- the four-footed animals, the birds, and the men who still remained, now clairvoyant, consummated the first sacrifice in the name of the earth. And when the offering had to be sent to heaven --- which had withdrawn to an incalculable distance, so that no one without wings could reach it --- the tomeguín de madero was chosen, for he was the lightest of all birds, surely able to reach heaven's height. But he could not reach his destination; at less than halfway he succumbed from exhaustion. Trust was placed in the pitirre for his boldness and valor, and he suffered the same fate. Other birds were chosen, but their wings broke, or their hearts ceased beating at great height, or they arrived back at earth incapable of continuing.

It was then that the aura --- the aura tiñosa, the turkey vulture --- pledged itself to carry the ebbo and set out toward heaven with the offering. It passed through thousands of hardships on that journey --- but in the end it fulfilled the mission, and was thus consecrated by Olofin.

And so humanity was saved from the horrible war between earth and heaven. Though they remain separated to this day, the hostilities were lessened.

The aura tiñosa is sacred because she was the only creature whose body could endure the ascent to the most withdrawn heaven --- and so she carries the offerings of the world above. Iroko, the ceiba, is divine because she alone kept her roots in the earth and her crown in the sky through all the years of separation --- she is the living bridge between above and below. When the ceiba casts its shadow over you, you stand at the crossing point of the two realms. When the vulture circles overhead, the offering has been received.

The story tells that the king of a town had given the order that any person who entered or left the town would be executed.

Once the goat (chivo) found himself in difficulties and went to Orunmila's house to be consulted. Orunmila saw this odu Baba Ejiogbe and made ebbo for him, telling him not to leave his house for seven days, because they could kill him. The goat paid no heed and went out into the street.

In that very moment, Obbatala had made ebbo and was on his way out of the town to discard the ebbo --- for Obbatala was the only person who was permitted to enter and leave the town. The goat, on seeing Obbatala with the ebbo, offered to help him. Obbatala said no --- he could manage. But the goat insisted so much that Obbatala consented.

The goat told Obbatala to mount on him, and they both set out. The guards of the town's gate were Eleggua and Oggun, each armed with a machete. When the goat reached the gate and put out his head, they cut it off --- and Eleggua and Oggun took advantage of the moment to eat goat for the first time.

The patakín that grounds why the chivo is the principal sacrifice given to Eleggua and Oggun. The first goat they tasted was the disobedient one who left his house against Orunmila's counsel. In Eji Ogbe, the goat at the gate is the goat that did not heed Ifá.

Orunmila was being pursued by a tribe of unbelievers. As a result of this persecution, he took his Ifá out of the sack he carried at his waist and placed it at the edge of a cave --- which turned out to be a cave of crabs --- to keep the unbelievers from seizing the secret of Ifá.

He kept running, but finding himself cornered at the edge of a cliff, he threw himself into the water --- and an octopus that was there released its ink, and the unbelievers gave him up for dead.

Some time later Orunmila returned to look for his Ifá --- and to his astonishment found it was not where he had left it. In the face of this, he began to moyumba, and the crab appeared, carrying his Ifá in its claws. For this attitude, Orunmila said to him: "Neither you, nor your children, nor your descendants will I ever eat."

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: the crab is your protector when the unbelievers come. The patakín establishes the eewó against eating crab for those born under this odu --- for the crab guarded the very secret of Ifá when no one else could.

On a certain side of the coast there was a port that had the peculiarity that it could not be seen from the sea. Its inhabitants suffered greatly to assure their well-being and prosperity. The facade of the town and the port was covered by such thick vegetation that no human was able to clear it. Consequently, sailors --- even with the most powerful telescope --- could not make out the port, much less its inhabitants. Distrustful, they continued their voyages and did not venture to the coast for fear of the unknown.

In this state Orunmila came to that town and immediately performed osorde, seeing this letra of Ifá. It said the only one who could help him was Oggun --- and Ifá prescribed that seven akuko be given to Oggun. Orunmila thought Oggun would not do all the work for him, and that this would not be right. So he decided to play a stratagem on Oggun.

Oggun was very greedy, and Orunmila presented him the seven akuko and gave him coconut, telling him that as he worked, he would be given the akuko one by one. Oggun agreed.

[The patakín continues --- Oggun clears the vegetation one akuko at a time, each rooster a milestone of cleared path, until the port becomes visible to the sea.]

When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is told: what blocks your visibility cannot be cleared in one stroke. Seven roosters, one per stage. Hire Oggun by milestone, not by total. Pay the warrior at each cleared meter, not at the project's end.

Oraniyan, who had a warrior's temperament, established the sovereignty of the Yoruba kings over the nations who had Oduduwa as common ancestor. Some traditions say that when Okanbi died, the six older sons divided among themselves all the goods and treasures.

• Olowu received the crown.
• Alaketi received the robes.
• Ogiso, king of Beni, received the silver.
• Oragun, king of Ila, received the women.
• Onicrade received the herds.
• Oluo Popo received the pearls.

There remained only the earth itself for Oraniyan, who was on a warlike expedition at the moment of the partition. He showed himself satisfied with his lot --- for as owner of the earth, he received from his brothers rents and tributes. This supremacy of Oraniyan over his brothers has come down in poetic form in the following legend:

In the beginning, the earth did not exist. Above was heaven, below was water. No being animated either heaven or water. Then the Almighty, Olodumare, owner of all things, created first the seven crowned princes. For the food and entertainment of the princes, he created seven gourds filled with akala (corn porridge), and seven large sacks within which were shells, pearls, cloth, a hen, and twenty-one iron bars. He created in addition a bulky package wrapped in black cloth, the nature of which could not be seen. And finally he fashioned a very long iron chain to which he bound all the provisions, all the treasures, and the seven princes.

Then he let them fall from on high in heaven, down toward the void below --- where the only thing that existed was water.

From his high divine dwelling, Olodumare cast a palm nut that fell into the water. At that moment, a gigantic palm tree rose up until it reached the princes, offering them vast and secure shelter among its branches. The princes took refuge there and settled in with their baggage, abandoning the chain, which was drawn back up toward the Almighty.

All were crowned princes, and all therefore wished to command. They resolved to separate. The names of the seven princes were: Olowo, who became king of the Osbe; Osabe, who became king of Iya; Oni, who became king of Ife; Alejero, who became king of Ketu; and the last-created, the youngest, Oraniyan, who became king of Oyó and sovereign over all Yoruba, that is to say, over all the lands.

Before going their separate ways to follow their destinies, the seven princes decided to divide among themselves the treasures and provisions that the Almighty had given them. The six older ones took the shells, the pearls, the cloth, and everything they judged necessary or good to eat. They left to the youngest the black cloth package and the twenty-one iron bars.

When Oraniyan found himself alone, he felt the desire to see what was inside the bulky package wrapped in black. He opened it and beheld a great mound of a black matter he did not know. He shook the cloth; the matter fell into the water --- but nothing was lost. It formed a mound, it became a small hill rising from the water. The hen flew to perch on it. Once there, she began to scratch with her feet and peck with her bill at the black matter; with her effort it spread far and wide, and the mound grew and took the place of the water. And so the earth was born, following the will of the Almighty.

Oraniyan was pleased. He wrapped the twenty-one iron bars back in his black cloth and hurried to descend onto the dominion that the unknown matter had produced --- and he took possession of it.

The other princes descended from the palm tree as well and wished to take the earth away from Oraniyan, just as they had already taken from him his share of shells, his share of cloth, his share of pearls, and his share of food. But Oraniyan had weapons. His twenty-one iron bars --- following the will of the Almighty --- had transformed into lances, javelins, arrows, and hatchets; and in his hand he brandished a long cutting sword, sharper than the edge of the finest blade of otorin.

He said to them: "This earth is mine alone. Up there, heated with greed, you stole everything from me. You left me nothing but this earth and these irons. The earth has grown --- but the iron has grown also, and it will serve to defend me. I am going to kill you all." And he advanced on them with his sword raised.

The six princes begged for mercy. They fell to their knees with hands joined, they crawled on their bellies, and they pleaded at the feet of Oraniyan. They begged him to cede them a portion of his earth so they could live --- so that they might live as princes.

Oraniyan granted it and gave them the earth. He demanded only this condition: that those princes and their descendants would always be his inferiors, and that their descendants each year must come to Oyó to pay homage and tribute, so as to show and recall that they had received --- as a grace --- their life and their portion of the earth.

So it was that Oraniyan became king of Oyó and sovereign over all the Yoruba country, that is to say, over all the land. He set out at the head of an expedition to Ije to avenge his grandfather Lamurudu, but could not carry his project to a favorable end --- his route was cut by an endless column of black ants. At a place called Igangan, a dispute arose among his brothers over a jar of beer, and Ogodo, the eldest of those who had accompanied him, abandoned the expedition. Oraniyan tried to pass through the country of Tapa, but the inhabitants blocked his way. After other setbacks, his cousin Akijonle --- son of Oginiriyan, the youngest son of Oduduwa --- departed and went to found Ejigbo, installing Oshagiyan (the Orisha of his father) there. Oraniyan then abandoned his projects and went to found the city of Oyó, which became the capital of the Yoruba kings of Ile Ife. Ile Ife remained the religious capital; he left his son Ajaka as king (Alafin) of Oyó and continued warring, becoming the second king of Benin. He abdicated and left the throne to his son Eweka, whose descendants still reign. He returned to Ile Ife, where he captured his brother Obalufon --- who had taken the throne --- and made him flee to Ido. Oraniyan thus remained king of Ife as well.

The earth itself --- what the others left to the youngest as worthless --- was the instrument through which Olodumare's will was enacted. The iron that looked like a consolation prize became the arsenal of a sovereign. When Eji Ogbe falls in registro for one passed over in an inheritance, the consultant is told: the one who receives what the others disdained has received the foundation. Tribute flows to the foundation, not away from it.

Here is where once Oribibe was a son of Ejiogbe, and he set out to live with a woman who was named Boyurina (adorers of the eyes of fire). She made a tying-up of his oko (genitals), so he could not have intercourse with anyone but her.

One day he felt feeble (flojo), and saw his Ifá. He performed ebbo and had to set it at the foot of his igi (tree) --- which turned out to be a plant of arida. There he met Oduode the dark hunter, who told him that this flojedad was cured by Ozain with that very plant.

He was told to give two dark adie to his Ifá, and afterward to take 16 seeds of arida and, together with an inshe of the length of his oko, prepare an ishegun to drink. In addition, give an akutan to the spirit his wife had used in the tying. With this, he recovered the power of his nature, Ejiogbe.

A clinical patakín. The "tying-up" (amarre) of a man's nature by a woman is a real spiritual condition with real spiritual remedies. Eji Ogbe under this camino tells the consultant --- male --- that the impotence is an external act of binding, not an internal failure. The arida plant, the goat to the binding spirit, and the inshe are the three legs of the cure.

It once happened that the birth of Ayáguna was announced --- that he had come to end the war that Ogbe had been sustaining for fifteen years against a warrior named Oragun, without Ogbe being able to overcome him. Oragun possessed a particular virtue: every time he did battle on the ground, he drew supernatural strength from the earth --- and this quality had exhausted Ogbe through fifteen confrontations.

Ayáguna grew up learning of the rivalry between these warriors, and he resolved to destroy the secret advantage that Oragun held. He studied all the enemy's vulnerable flanks. But Oragun lived in a labyrinth from which no one could find his way out. The people of the town counseled Ayáguna not to go fight the enemy, for he could lose --- and he was only sixteen years old.

But Ayáguna had decided: he wanted to fill himself with glory and fortune.

One night he had a revelation in which a very beautiful maiden appeared to him. Later, he met her and told her his plan. She fell in love with him and decided to help. They made their preparations together.

Ayáguna said to Ogbe: "For this enterprise I will use some boats, and I will raise a black flag if I lose --- and a white flag if I win --- so that you can distinguish me when I come back."

And he set out toward the cave where Oragun lived. When he arrived, the maiden was waiting for him. She took a spool of thread, held one end herself, and gave the other end to Ayáguna so that he could guide himself through the labyrinth and find his way back out.

Ayáguna knew that he could not beat Oragun in combat on the ground --- but luck was guiding him. He surprised Oragun sleeping, and taking advantage of the moment, he quickly lifted him into the air and strangled him. Following the thread tied around his own waist, he found his way out of the labyrinth.

Ayáguna's joy on the return journey was so great that he forgot to remove the black flag.

Ogbe was waiting on the beach. When he saw the black flag, he believed Ayáguna had lost --- and he went mad and threw himself into the sea.

When Ayáguna came ashore and asked for Ogbe, they told him that Ogbe had gone mad and thrown himself into the sea. Then Ayáguna understood: in his joy he had forgotten to lower the black flag.

He told the people that Oragun had been a great warrior, who even after being defeated had shown respect toward Ogbe --- and that in honor of both warriors, two flags would be fixed once a year, one white and one black, and all the people would cleanse themselves with them.

Indication: Only the children of Ejiogbe may wear black clothing, and only in cases of danger. Otherwise it belongs to Yemayá Olokún.

The warrior path of Obatalá born under Eji Ogbe. The black flag is the tool of war, not the banner of grief --- and the single fatal error of victory is forgetting to replace it with the white one before those who love you see it.

In very remote times, there was a tribe in Africa whose people, although very poor, lived very happily. In this tribe lived three sisters. The eldest sustained herself from what she got from the sea, and with this provision she sustained and raised her two younger sisters. The second tried to help the eldest, and had to care for the third --- who was very small. This second sister fished from the rivers, and with her produce helped her elder sister; both loved each other deeply. The second sister tied the smallest one to the bank of the river, so she would not be in danger.

One day, unexpectedly, the territory was invaded and pillaged. As the smallest one was tied somewhat distant from her sister, the second could not hear the cries of the small one --- who was stolen by the invaders. The eldest was saved because she was working at the sea --- she was Yemayá. The second sister, whose name was Oshun, was also saved, because she was far from the river. The smallest, who had no such luck, was Oya.

The eldest felt the loss of her younger sister; but for the second --- Oshun --- the blow was so great that she was ill in her spirit for many years, each day wanting more to see her little sister, whom she called her little daughter.

So Oshun saved some copper coins each day -- whatever remained over -- in order to ransom little Oya before she came of age.

When Oshun learned the price the invaders had fixed, she delivered the copper coins to the chief of the invader tribe. But he, far from honoring his word and freeing Oya, doubled the ransom --- knowing that Oshun was so poor she could not pay. He did this because he had fallen madly in love with Oshun, who was extraordinarily beautiful.

Oshun, upon hearing his hardened answer, fell to her knees before him, wept, and begged that hard and cold man to change his word. He asked in exchange for Oya's freedom: Oshun's virginity --- promising not to deceive her if she agreed.

Oshun hesitated. She thought of her sister Yemayá, whom she loved so much. But love was her whole life, and Oshun, lowering her head, sacrificed herself.

Both sisters returned together. Oshun asked Yemayá's forgiveness, and Yemayá blessed and forgave her. With those copper coins --- the product of the sacrifice --- she adorned the head and arms of Oya, in memory of a past.

Oya and Oshun grew up together, and Oshun, to raise her, continued the life of sacrifices she had begun for her --- until Oya came of age. Oshun, a joyful woman in life but saintly and a martyr of her pure heart, was blessed by Olofin for the Oya matter; and Yemayá was blessed for both of them.

In those days, Olofin divided the lands of the world into three, assigning government to those who were saintly and worthy according to each one's condition. To Yemayá he gave government of the seas; to Oshun, government of the rivers. But Oya was not of the tribe of her sisters: when the roll was called, she was a captive and a slave, and so she received no dominion.

Oshun wept and pleaded with Olofin. Moved, he answered: "The lands of the world are already divided --- but there is one place that still has no owner. If she wants it, it will be hers."

It was the cemetery.

Oya, to make Oshun happy, accepted gladly. And Oshun was at peace.

Even today we know that Oya is the owner of the cemeteries.

Note: The copper pieces in Oya symbolize Oshun's sacrifice. Many times Oya is fed at the bank of the river, while Oshun and Yemayá eat inside the water --- thus the childhood of Oya is remembered.

The patakín of how the youngest of three sisters became the keeper of the dead. In Eji Ogbe, the abducted sister receives the only dominion left unclaimed --- because love and sacrifice opened the door that power and war had kept shut. When this falls in registro for someone separated from family by violence, the consultant is told: Oya did not return to the river --- Oshun's sacrifice bought her a kingdom. What was taken from you was not lost; it was redirected.

There was an individual who for a long time believed in the divine justice of God --- but, observing some things that in his judgment were happening for no apparent reason, in disagreement with the perfections of the Almighty, he began to doubt the justice of God. One day he gathered his belongings and, asking for directions, came to Olofin himself.

As God is the one who guides everything, he arranged for the individual in question to be able to reach where he was. After asking him what he had come for --- something God knew very well --- God proposed that he return to the world of truth. To that end he provided him with food for some time, a new saddle, and a fitted mule. The individual set out riding.

After witnessing some things that, by his criterion, had no reason to happen, he came to a grove apparently kept for travelers to rest. After choosing the most propitious place, he camped, unsaddled his mule, and set about preparing his meal. But while that was happening, he noticed that another traveler arrived at the same place. After unsaddling his mount, that man sat down and began to count a great quantity of money. While this was happening, yet another man arrived, drew a knife, stabbed the money-counter in the back, gathered the money, and galloped away.

At witnessing this --- which seemed quite cruel --- the man began to gather his equipment, intending to return to Olofin and tell him he definitively no longer believed in him or in his justice, while such things were allowed to happen.

At that moment another individual appeared. Seeing that the previous subject had a knife in his back, he tried to remove it --- and at that very moment the police arrived and detained him. After conferring among themselves, they produced a rope and hanged him.

This filled the cup of the incredulous and doubting man. He saddled his mule and went back to Olofin, who was waiting for him with a series of documents. After hearing him out, Olofin said:

"Look, son --- divine justice always arrives."

And he showed him how the man who had been stabbed had previously robbed the house of the one who stabbed him --- killing his father and taking his money. And the one who tried to remove the knife had been an accomplice in that assault --- which was why, by divine law, the penalty of death had been decided for him.

And thus justice was fulfilled.

Eji Ogbe's most explicit patakín on theodicy: what looks unjust to the human eye is the long arc of divine justice working through means that mortals cannot trace. The three apparently disconnected violent acts are one chain of cause and consequence. When this falls in registro for someone questioning the goodness of God, the consultant is told: God already has the documents. What you witnessed was not the injustice --- it was the resolution.

Omo Yeni was Oya's name on earth, and she boasted of being the absolute owner of the fire. Each time she became angry, she filled the earth with lightning bolts (centellas) and killed many people.

Yewa always told Obbatala to send for Oya, to see if she could be tamed. And Oya --- every time she went to see Baba on the hill --- would bring him bread, milk, and other gifts. Together they ate, and afterward Oya would render him moforibale, and depart affectionately. After some days she would return to do the same.

It happened that one day Eleggua was passing along a road, and Oya let loose a lightning bolt --- which nearly killed him. Eleggua fled in fright, and met Ejiogbe, who was a son of Ifá. He complained to him, and Ejiogbe verified the complaint and answered: "Oya is doing bad things --- I am going to fetch Shango."

Orunmila set out with Eleggua, and after walking a while met Shango --- who was hungry. Shango, on seeing Ejiogbe in Eleggua's company, asked: "What do you bring me, son?" To which Ejiogbe answered: "What would you like to eat, Oyila?" Shango told him...

[The patakín continues --- Shango and Ejiogbe arrange the agreement by which Olofin removes the unrestricted fire from Oya and entrusts the lightning specifically to Shango's keeping; Oya retains the wind that announces the fire and the dead who pass through after the strike, but no longer holds the fire as her sole prerogative.]

The cosmological resolution of the distribution of fire and lightning between Shango and Oya. When Eji Ogbe falls in this camino, the consultant is reminded: what was once held alone is now held in covenant. Whoever wields lightning in your situation no longer holds it alone --- there is a witness, an Eleggua, and a complaint that has been registered.

In the beginning, the lion lived among men in the village. He was a beautiful animal, handsome and strong --- and he caused no one any harm. He went about peacefully, asking nothing and harming no one.

But men began to feel a growing envy of him. They could not bear that a creature living among them should be so beautiful and strong while they felt lesser beside him. They complained among themselves, and eventually went before Orunmila to denounce the lion, claiming that he scratched them and caused them harm.

Orunmila investigated the matter carefully. When he brought their complaint before Olofin, he said: "The people complain that the lion scratches them --- but all of that is false, the product of the envy they have for him, because he is handsome and strong."

Olofin, after hearing the investigation, allowed them to continue living together.

On the first day after that judgment, the people left the lion in peace. On the second day, they began to bother him. On the third day, they armed themselves with sticks and beat him.

The lion, who had been patient, defended himself. In the struggle he tore an arm from one, ripped a leg from another, and destroyed a third completely. Then he fled --- and went into the jungle, and never returned to the village.

From that day forward, whenever a man wants to trouble a lion, he must go into the jungle to do it.

Eji Ogbe's teaching on noble dignity under sustained provocation. The lion does not lose his nature through patience --- but patience has its end. When this falls in registro, the consultant is told: you did not abandon the village. The village abandoned you first --- and then beat you. The jungle is not exile; it is your boundary.

In the lands traveled by the Awo of Ejiogbe, enemies (arayes) were always waiting. They hurled ogu against him without rest, and he was forever obliged to flee one land for another, never able to remain long in any place.

The Awo's great error was one of discipline: he always cast osorde, but never completed the ebbo that was prescribed. Eshu would lay out what was required; the Awo would listen --- but when the time came to give, he did not give. It was the same with the alafia: always received, never honored with the offering that seals it.

Things deteriorated so badly that the Awo was reduced to going by night to Oya's house to steal what he needed to survive. And close behind him moved Ashelu --- divine judgment --- which follows every man who takes without giving and omits without acknowledgment.

One night, in the depths of his odudule --- the hour of communion with the dead --- Olofin himself appeared to him and spoke: "Give obi meyi to your eleda first. Then sit down and make a complete osorde, hiding nothing."

The Awo obeyed. When morning came, he gave the obi meyi to his eleda and then cast a full and deliberate osorde, completing every step. Olofin, seeing Ejiogbe emerge, prescribed the ebbo:

Three white doves. Three sets of animal heads. Akofa. These were to be carried to three distinct points of Olokun's house. Then a sarayeye was to be made with three hen's feet and thrown into ile loya, ile ibu, and ile oke in turn.

Olofin warned him: "When you have made these seven odu, you will need to leave this land."

For the first time, the Awo completed the ebbo in full. As he moved through that land, the enemies who had pursued him began to die --- one after another --- without the Awo lifting a hand.

He departed and arrived at a second land. Things improved somewhat here. After sixteen days of residence, he was consulting Ifá with Orunmila, and Orunmila named directly what had been happening: everything done in the past had brought ofo (loss), and Ashelu was still at his heels.

The Awo recognized the truth of it. He had still been going to Oya's house. He cast osorde for himself, and Ejiogbe appeared yet again --- this time as the sign of ashelu and araye converged.

He made the prescribed orubo: five vulture feathers, twenty-five peppers, twenty-five needles, and two preparations of oshinshe Ozain. When his eleda fell into obun (grave danger), Ifá --- at one year's interval --- told him to make osorde again and relocate to another land.

He moved. In this third land he cast osorde and saw Ejiogbe once more --- as osalofo beyo, ogbe tua. He felt his eleda grow heavy and went to odubule before the osorde was complete. The vision was harsh, and Elegguá was at its center.

Frightened, he returned and completed the osorde. Ifá prescribed: one hen's egg, twenty-one peppers, three needles. He executed the work --- needles driven through the beak, enemy names written, peppers placed from behind, a sealed pod bundle. He followed all the bathing prescriptions without omission.

Before that year ended, his enemies were gone.

The Awo grew frightened. He took one hen's egg, one rooster, and one candle. With the hen's egg he performed sarayeye and offered it to Okè. With the rooster (jio jio) he also performed sarayeye, then split it open and set it before Elegguá along with the candle. He then performed obori with two doves and two coconuts, using candle, efun, leaves, ou, ewe tete, emibi nisi, and agogo mayila. Having completed all this work and departed that land, he went to odudulo, and there received a vision (ala) with Eshu, Olokun, Shangó, Orunmila, and Eggun Babá Tobí. They told him he had conquered his enemies — but he still owed a goat (eure) to Orunmila, and unyen to Oshá and Oggún.

When the following year (edun siguiente) arrived, the Awo gave moforibale to Orunmila early in the morning and to Oshá as well. He lit a candle to Eggun Babá Tobí, petitioning him to help fulfill all these obligations. After performing this ceremony he cast osorde and again saw Ejiogbe. Ifá confirmed everything shown in the vision and added that before setting out for the new land he must give unyen to the three Ifás (ifa meta) and to all Eggun — both female goat (abo) and sheep (agutan) — and that upon arrival he was to perform orugbo as follows: two roosters, three hens, five doves, four guinea fowl, kuekueye, three eggs, sakaeko, eku, eya, ila swala eke, oñi lese olerokuakue, aban, two partridges, sila, and amala for Shangó; one egg for Elegguá; one egg for oparaldo. All the orugbo animals belong to Oshá and Orunmila; the eggs (osiadie) are for Eshu at three crossroads (ita meta), and every animal must be carried to its proper destination. Ewo: two quail and ayla. The amala should be given to alafia — take it to the speaking tree (igui okue) there. He was also to take one small young hen (adie kekere tobino) and give it to Inle Afokan Yerí. When oloyo falls, perform the prescribed work (left blank in the source). Take one rooster and offer it to Elegguá, Oggún, Oshosí, and Osun; give a rooster to Ozain; four doves to Odúduwà.

Arrival in the land of alafia

When the Awo reached Igui Ogbe he fulfilled the alafia commission. He was presented before the okuni keye aruni meye. The orugbo was performed; they gave him moforibale and told him everything happening in that land — how badly things stood, for there was iku, arun, eyo, ofo, and more. They told him they would bring him before the Oba, but since it was already late he first received a vision with Eshu, Shangó, and Shilekun. In the house they said that whenever they cast osorde Ejiogbe kept appearing. Ifá told him He would come to find him, but before going the Awo had to offer sarako to all the orishas and to Orunmila. He did so; the orishas came to bring him, and he went before the Oba — whose head (eleda) was ruined (ofo). Ifá had already spoken with his son, who carried the mark of death (iku).

Divining for the Oba

The Awo told the Oba that before the next oddun meye he must perform ebbo for his son so that the son would not die. He described how everything was moving toward ruin — there were the marks of iku, arun, ofo, and eyo. The ebbo for the son required: one dove, abuye, two measures of owo, and tenti eñi. The Awo returned to his house. The Oba paid no attention.

When the Awo rose the next morning and cast osorde he again saw Ejiogbe. That year people came to his house to give him modukpue — gratitude for the unyen he had offered them — and to learn how he was faring.

The commission of Oluo Popo

The Awo sent for Eshu and told him: "Before any Ifá work begins, unyen must be given to you first." He sent for Shangó and said: "You also must receive two unyen before any Ifá begins." And Oluo Popo declared: "You are the chief in all matters of illness (intori arun) — for any affliction of that kind you must be counted upon." Each of the orugbo was given a post for dispensing ilekan. From this arose odan iwole de ogbeni.

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Nota: This camino belongs to Ejiogbe but may be applied in another sign if Orunmila receives it. Take a flat plate and a deep plate, and a piece of red cloth (asho pupua). Dismantle the letter using a white rooster (akuko fun fun) and the other required elements. Kill the rooster over the flat plate, placing the person's name inside; apply epo and oñi to both wings, to the leg, and to the head. Give the plate to the person. Instruct them to place one leg and one wing in each corner of the house; put the rooster's head in a jar of water, and at night throw it into the street calling the person's name in the name of Shangó and another orisha. The following morning take the flat plate with its contents to the forest and set it there, calling the person's name three times and asking for what is desired. The deep plate goes under the interested person's bed with the desired name inside and a pink flower placed beneath it; leave it there for more than two days if needed.

Nota: When Ejiogbe appears with iku, consult to see whether Olofin is asking for something. If the answer is yes, ask whether He wants 32 or 64 doves — this is to extend the person's life.

Nota: If Ejiogbe iku falls for an alosha or babalawo, perform orubo with a sheep (agutan), a white-hen offering (elebo adie fun fun), 23 yards of white cloth (asho fun fun), and asho abowe metanla. When the orubo is complete, ask whether the sheep goes to ogan iyare. If she accepts it, this sheep is for when the end comes: wrap her in ori and abawe as though it were a burial shroud and send it nibe or to the open savanna. Here speaks iku yeku aruye.

The camino of Ejiogbe that traces how ebbo discipline is learned through exile. The Awo who divines but never gives the offering is a man who receives the map and refuses to walk it. Olofin's odudule prescription marks the turning point: from the moment the Awo completes what is asked, the enemies begin to die. When this falls in registro, the consultant is told: the enemies are not the problem. The incomplete ebbo is the problem.