Ogbe Iwori (Ogbe Weñe · Ogbe Iwori)

Oshún had stolen Orunmila's okpelé and his tablero, and he needed to travel to the city of Itakó, which he did. But on leaving the city, his enemies began to pursue him, and because he had no one with whom to consult Ifá, he had no other choice than to run and take refuge in the forest, for his enemies were closing in behind him. In the forest Orunmila came upon an old woman who, seeing him run, stopped him and asked what was wrong and who he was. Orunmila paused briefly before the old woman and told her who he was and what had befallen him. The old woman --- horrifying to look at --- turned out to be Ayahalaigbo, the guardian-spirit of the forest, sister of Ozain and a sorceress like him. Seeing Orunmila's fine bearing, she said to him: "Let us make a pact. If you satisfy my desire for a man, I will protect you, and your enemies will never find you." Orunmila looked again at the old woman's appearance, but overcoming his revulsion, he lay with her. When they had finished, the voices of his enemies could be heard drawing near --- and when they passed by his side, they did not recognize him. Ayahalaigbo said to him: "I have kept my part of the bargain, and now I must go, but I will leave you a gift of my presence." And as she finished saying this, she vanished as if by magic.

Orunmila then noticed that in the place at his side where the old woman had lain, a strange, silky plant had sprung up. Cutting a sprig of it, he named it ashiri ayahalaigbo --- "the one who loses the trail." And from that day this ewe has served Orunmila and the awoses to throw their enemies off the scent.

Rezo:

Lerikan adifafun awo sarako baba wele awo abania aye Baba Orunmila kolade ogbe kailebo lebo ogbe weñe Sarako laye.

Ebbó: A white rooster, three small roosters (osiadié), smoked fish, smoked jutía, river stones, roasted corn, every kind of herb, every kind of feather, a white beaded necklace, earth from a shoe-sole, earth from the house, three malaguidí (ritual dolls), and abundant money.

Note: The owner of this Ifá must keep a chair prepared for inshé Ozain. He must guard what is his.

On this path, Awo Sarako sang to Eleguá of his affairs just as he did to Orunmila, and everything he undertook turned out well. He had a friend named Awo Basero, who was always urging him to go to the house of Ibara Kolade, a brujo (sorcerer). Awo Sarako never paid him any attention. Seeing that his friend held firm to this refusal, Awo Basero went to the sorcerer's house and told him that he needed to steal the chair on which Awo Sarako sat. One day Awo Basero set out for Awo Sarako's house; he saw him and let him pass without calling out to him --- then immediately ran to Sarako's house and stole the chair. Eleguá, who was coming along the road, saw Awo Basero carrying Sarako's chair, and understanding what had happened, began to sing and dance: molongo molongo iku molongo iku. The sorcerer's house caught fire; Ibara Kolade ran out of it, and just then Obbatalá --- the Orisha himself --- was passing by. Sarako arrived and asked Obbatalá what had happened, and then he saw Eleguá coming with his chair. Eleguá took the luere from Obbatalá and shook the sorcerer until he came back to his senses. Obbatalá said to him: "Whenever you see one of my children in great distress, call on me, and I will free you and Awo Sarako from whatever trouble may come upon you. From this day you have a pact, and you must honor it --- and moreover, you two must live together so that things may go well."

Closing note: A white rooster is given to Eshu and to the chair; a hen and two pigeons are given to the head (leri) and to the chair.