Iroso Sa

Obatalá the disobedient

Obatalá was ill, and his house was falling down. He went to see Orunmila, who consulted Ifá for him: Iroso Sa or Sun Sun. Orunmila told him to perform an ebó with three roosters, a Zun Zun bird, four sticks, four dolls, a little house, eku, eya, epo and 16.80 pesos. He also told him to go into the forest to gather these things, but that he must first pay the tributes owed to the forest.

Obatalá paid no heed and went deep into the forest. After a long journey he met Elegbá and told him what Orunmila had said, asking for his help in finding the things for the ebó. Together they continued along the path and met Oggún. Obatalá told him the same as he had told Elegbá and asked for his help. At that moment it began to rain, and Shangó appeared. Obatalá told him the same story, and the four went on their way together.

Deep in the forest, Ozain appeared and asked them why they were there. No one answered him, and they went on their way, trampling plants and knocking down trees.

Obatalá returned home with everything needed for the ebó, and with his companions. Yet he did not perform it, and fell into a deep sleep. A strange noise woke him: his house was falling down. He hurried to Orunmila’s house and told him what had happened. Orunmila performed the ebó for him and told him that he had fallen ill because he had not heeded what he was told and had not paid the tribute to the forest.

Orunmila told him to give a rooster to each of the figures in the house and to each stick of the ebó. He was to pay three cents and give a Zun Zun bird to Ozain in the forest. Obatalá followed these instructions, and his house never fell down again.

In gratitude, Obatalá gave Orunmila a she-goat and paid him homage, saying: Orunmila, no one can prevail against you.

A she-goat must be given to Orunmila. The woman’s period comes, or is suspended by the fright. The man has a deficiency in his nature.

How Elegbá obtained weapons and followers

In a certain town lived Elegbá, Oggún, Oyá and Oshún. Elegbá, however, was at odds with Oggún, and he had neither weapons nor a people with which to win the war.

So Elegbá went to Orunmila’s house, and Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and told him: «Your enemies are many and well armed, but if you perform ebó with three scythes and otá, and place them at the top of the hill so that the blades of the scythes block the path of ascent, and behind them pile up a great quantity of stones that you can push down onto the path, then when your enemies come after you, little by little you will gather weapons. When the people see that you have weapons, they will come over to your side.»

Elegbá did as he was told, and when his enemies climbed the path, the first of them were wounded on the scythes. Seizing the moment, Elegbá pushed the stones, which, rolling headlong, killed some of his enemies. Acting swiftly and shielded by this surprise, Elegbá gathered up the weapons abandoned by the dead and the wounded, and thus, entrenched at the top of the mountain, he went on annihilating his enemies.

When the people realized that Elegbá had weapons and was winning, they began to cross over to his side. Elegbá came to have plenty of weapons, and a people of his own.

Arm yourself so that you have something to defend yourself with; and as you attend to the dead and the Saints, you will gain a firmer footing. If you are an awo, receive the knife so that you may have a people.

The ebbó saved him

Orunmila told Obatalá that he had to perform ebó because of an illness that was coming for him, and asked for: akuko, eyele meta funfun. Obatalá paid no heed, and shortly afterwards he was left crippled. When he found himself in that state, he ran to Orunmila’s house, but Orunmila rebuked him for having taken so long, and asked for: akuko meyi, eyele, asho fun fun, aikordie meta.

Just then, Shangó began setting fire to the whole house, but on seeing Obatalá, he smothered the fire (osí efun).

Where Shangó cursed Enini

At the beginning of the world, Olofin ordered Obatalá to use his oboses to refresh the people and secure their good health and fortune. Obatalá would send his servant Enini to carry out this work, but the rogations never took effect. So he went to see Orunmila, who cast this Ifá for him and told him that someone along the way was sabotaging his efforts.

Orunmila advised him to hide himself when sending Enini out, so that he might discover the saboteur. Obatalá followed this advice and discovered that Enini was eating the oboses. He was astonished, and asked himself how someone of his own house could do him harm. He wept bitterly, and was seen by Shangó, who happened to be passing by. Shangó asked him what was wrong, and Obatalá told him everything.

Shangó cursed Enini and all women, declaring that they would forever weep in their houses on account of men.