The Life of Ogbe Ika
The continuous biography of this odù's own spiritual evolution — celestial works, then earthly works — told as one unfolding life. Click any title to read it.
The Goat and the Hired Elephant
In a former time, the Goat was a substantial figure. She had a household. She had property. She had a worker --- the Elephant --- who was at that time of ordinary size, doing daily labor for her in exchange for wages.
The Goat went to Awo Ogbe Ka. She wanted greater stature. She was not satisfied with the size she had been given.
Ogbe Ka divined for her, saw this Ifá, and prescribed an ebbó with specific items.
The Goat went home and ordered everything for the offering. But she was lazy. She did not want to stand in the mortar herself. So when the Elephant --- who had also been to Ogbe Ka with his own divination, and had also been told to make ebbó --- came to her asking to borrow money for his own ebbó, the Goat lent him the money and added: While you are at Awo Ogbe Ka's, do my ebbó too. Take my offerings. Get it done for me.
The Patakín Corpus — 1 to 23
Presented in strict numerical order as in the source Tratado. Click any title to read it.
01Ashereberebe, the Son of Olofin
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Ebbó: Akukó, a male goat, two hens, a she-goat, a dove, cord, red cloth, the rest of the ingredients, abundant money.
Ashereberebe, son of Olofin, was a very mischievous and troublesome boy. One day he went to see Orunmila to hear what he would tell him. Orunmila performed osode for him, saw this Ifá, and prescribed the rogación indicated in the ebbó, along with feeding Eshu. Ashereberebe carried out everything this Ifá indicated, because he wanted to make himself right, and then set out on the road to deliver the ebbó.
On the road there were bandits. When they saw him, they took him prisoner to demand a ransom for him, and shut him inside a room where they sat drinking, eating, and arguing over what to do next.
The days passed, and Ashereberebe remembered the suyere Orunmila had sung while performing the rogación. He began to sing it:
Awen wen abibe, alado obo nimisheni abibo, won won abibe.
The moment Ashereberebe began to sing, a fierce downpour began, and thunder such as had never been heard before started to roll; the thunder and lightning multiplied.
Seeing this, the bandits grew afraid and fled in a stampede, leaving Ashereberebe alone in the room. He was able to escape and reach his house safe and sound.
Note: The coconut palm, the testicles, and the member: the house is washed with apasote, ewe dun dun, and basil. This Ifá speaks of problems at work. Beware of theft and fraud. The person is from the countryside or lives there. He is not very believing, and pays little attention to his own troubles, setting aside what he is told to do.
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