Iroso Di

When Yemayá began to divine

Yemayá was the wife of Orunmila, and he, given his fondness for women and parties, did not pay proper attention to his godchildren or to the people who came to his house. Because of that same fondness, he could not study either, for he never had enough time.

Yemayá, seeing how little regard the people who came to the house had for him, called Orunmila’s attention to it, but he paid her no mind. At night, alone and with nothing to do, she would secretly read Orunmila’s books.

One day, Orunmila left for the countryside wearing a large hat, where a celebration was to be held over several days. Yemayá saw the days pass without Orunmila returning, and since many people kept coming to the house seeking a consultation, she began to perform ebboses and works for them.

The works Yemayá performed met with great acceptance and success. More than a month went by this way, and when Orunmila returned, he found the house fuller than ever and asked one of those present what was happening. The man told him that Yemayá was now the one who divined, and that no one would consult with him anymore but with her, for she knew far more.

Ashamed, Orunmila entered the room and saw Yemayá, wearing trousers and a hat, making ebbó on the divining board for one of those present. Filled with anger and shame, he threw Yemayá out of his house and swore never to live with her again.

From then on, Orunmila studied and understood his duties as an awó. That is why the awoses who carry this sign must not live with daughters of Yemayá, for sooner or later they will seek to dethrone them.

It was here that Yemayá first put on trousers and a hat. It was also the first time the okpele was cast by a woman’s hands. The Yemayá of this sign was Ashaba.

Listen to your wife

Once there was a man and his wife who lived in great poverty. The man constantly complained that they barely had enough to eat. Often he could not earn money, or was not paid for his work, which made it hard to support his family. His wife, however, who was pregnant, was very optimistic and always encouraged him.

One day, the woman suggested he go see an awó to change his luck. Though at first the man did not want to go, he finally agreed and visited Orunmila. The awó told him he had to make ebbó to change his fortune.

The man returned home and his wife encouraged him to make the ebbó, but even after doing it he still complained about his bad luck.

Then the day of the birth arrived. As it happened, the queen of the city was also giving birth, but sadly she died in the process. When the king learned that another woman had given birth at that very moment, he sought her out and asked her to raise his son.

After raising the king’s son, the couple received many blessings, and the man was named a general. From that moment on, fortune smiled upon them and they lived happily ever after.

The betrayal

On one occasion, Orunmila received this Ifá in his reading, which told him that before doing anything, he must pound yam. A few days later, he was called to a town to perform an itá, but a betrayal was being plotted against him there, with the intent to kill him.

When he arrived, the conspirators had already prepared everything. They had hidden a venomous snake beneath the mat where Orunmila would sit, so that it would strike him as he sat down. But remembering the counsel of Ifá, Orunmila asked for a yam pestle and began to pound yam on top of the mat.

When he finished pounding the yam, he lifted the pestle and discovered that the snake had bitten its base, and that there was blood on the mat. Thus he uncovered the betrayal and was able to leave the place safe and sound, thanks to the wise counsel of Ifá.

The mosquito, the flea and the majá

ÑAMU ÑAMU: The mosquito

EITANE: The flea

OKA: The majá, or the snake

On this path, the Santeros, Ozainistas and Mayomberos could not stand Orunmila, because he was the one who saw the most. For that reason, they joined together to finish him. A mosquito, a venomous snake and a flea agreed among themselves that the mosquito would bite a man sick with tuberculosis and then bite Orunmila; the snake would hide beneath his mat and strike him; and the flea would do the same.

These three enemies went to Orunmila’s house feigning innocence so that Orunmila would divine for them. He seated them, and they, astonished, sent the majá on an errand so that it could later slip beneath the mat. The mosquito sat down to be seen, and this Ifá came out, which instructed the awó to give yam broth to the consultant.

Orunmila promptly told Elegbá to bring him the pestle and a piece of boiled ishu; he removed the ekuele and set down the pestle, which landed right on the head of the majá, and there Orunmila pounded the yam and gave it to the mosquito.

After the mosquito ate and drank the broth, it swelled up and burst. The flea, seeing what had happened, told Orunmila everything, and he cursed it: as long as the world is the world, you shall have no rest.

The merchant who did not fulfill his obligations to Alafia

This man was careless and disobedient, and although he had been warned about his behavior, he paid no attention. Alafia and Elegbá sustained him, but his business began to go badly and Eyo (tragedy) took hold of his ilé, causing trouble in his family.

To resolve the situation, he made an offering to Shangó, who granted his request, but he forgot to fulfill his obligation to Alafia. As a result, Alafia and Elegbá wrecked his business and split his family apart.

Seeing his situation, the man consulted his Babalawo, who advised him to make an ebbó. After following all of Orunmila’s instructions, he finally found peace and prosperity in his business.

Cuando orugbo Orunmila cogió el eya oro y lo partió en dos cogiendo la mitad y la hizo iye, la unio con el iye del ewe oriye, ewe ogure e iyefa ni ebbo y asi lo hizo. Después le dio iye que se quedó en el tablero para que lo soplara, edun meye para la calle por la mañana y llamara a Elegbá y a Alafia y le pidiera lo que deseaba, entre otras cosas que pidiera que la familia se uniera.

The cotton farmer

There was a cotton farmer who was going through hard times, for no one would buy his produce. One day, his friend and his wife advised him to go see Orunmila, but since he was very stubborn and careless, he paid no attention — until one day, seeing his fields in ruin, he decided to go.

Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and told him that everything would come in good time, but the farmer paid no attention and went on suffering hardship. After this, Orunmila advised him to give two hens to Oshún. Although the farmer did not even have enough to eat, he decided to give the two hens to Oshún.

Elegbá, passing through the countryside, opened a path. By chance, a medical commission traveling through the area noticed the cotton fields and, following the path Elegbá had opened, arrived where the farmer was. One of the doctors, dismounting from his horse, injured his foot and began to bleed heavily, and they could not stop the hemorrhage.

Another doctor took a cotton boll and, seeing that it was spongy and white like coconut, used it to clean the injured doctor’s wound. At once the cotton absorbed the blood and held it. Everyone realized its usefulness, as well as that of its derivatives. The doctors went to see the farmer and did business with him. Thanks to Oshún and Elegbá, the farmer rose out of poverty and came to make Ifá.

Curtains must be hung and the furniture changed. Even if you have everything, something is always missing. Ifá must be made.

The king’s unmarried daughter

There was a king who had an unmarried daughter, and he went to consult with Orunmila. Orunmila told him that for his daughter to be happy, he had to marry her to an awó.

The king answered Orunmila that no — how could a princess marry an awó. Orunmila told him: «But when you die, she will not rule; a mistress of yours will.»