Irete Batrupon

When, for the first time, the bone had flesh

On this path, Ozain, by order of Oduduwa, gave Ayapa to Ikú, who was the only one who had ebony. Asho Dun Dun, which was the property of Oduduwa, was taken to paint Eggun. On this path, in the world of the dead, there is nothing but bone, which is what Ikú means. Ikú lived in the land of Alba ni Biku and had a son who was just like Ikú. She was ashamed and kept him hidden, and gave him drink so that his bones would loosen and begin to knit and sweat. She gave him ewe platanillo de Cuba, malva blanca, mazorquilla, and corn silk, with which she also covered him. But one day, in despair, he set out on the road and said: «I am going to the land where Oduduwa is, who lived in the land of Ñañariku, where Ozain and Eggun also lived.»

And as he went along the road, he carried an Akuko Fun Fun and an Akuaro Meyi, and went along singing: «Ñañara Ikú, Ikú Loñare, Oduduwa Awado Yere, Omo Oba ni Biku, Omo Ikú Ñañara Ikú, Loro Omolo Nare, Iba Sogu».

And when she arrived in the land of Oduduwa, he was not there, nor was Ozain, but Eggun was there, circling about, and could not see her. She grew angry and took from Oduduwa the Asho Dun Dun with which he covered himself, and went back to her land and covered her son. When Oduduwa arrived together with Ozain, Eggun told him that Ikú had stolen his Asho Dun Dun, but that Ikú had forgotten the Akuko and the Akuaro. He said: «Look, since she forgot this, and we are hungry, let us eat it.» And he fed the Akuko Fun Fun to Eggun together with Oduduwa, while Ozain ate the Akuaro.

Oduduwa called Eggun together with Ozain and they set out on the road. When they were nearing the land of Oba ni Biku, they began to sing: «Eggun Ni Yere ni Yore Wan Wa, Eggun Ikú Mamao Lode ni Olona, Umba Awa Yore Ikú».

Eggun ran off and turned into afefe, and Oduduwa sounded the bell while Ozain held the akuaro in his hand. When Eggun reached the place where Ikú was, she took fright because she could not see what it was, and began to weep, and went to where Oduduwa and Ozain were. Oduduwa received Ikú, who came fleeing; the afefe, which was Eggun, held her wrapped. Ikú told Oduduwa everything. Oduduwa told her it had been meant to cover her son, and that she wanted no one to see him.

Oduduwa said to her: «Well, I am going to give you the power of Eggun, and Ozain will give your son the power of Eran, for when your son becomes Eggun.» Ikú was overjoyed, but Oduduwa told her: «That sheet you stole from me will serve only to paint the signs of Eggun.»

When the otoku is performed, anyone may go to unyen in order to receive the power of Oduduwa. Oduduwa, Ikú, and Ozain set out together and began to sound the agogó and the akuelo and to sing «Afefe lekun Eggun kilode, Afefe lekun Eggun omo yere, Eggun kilo De».

They arrived in the land of Ikú; Ozain opened the joro joro and brought an ayapa. There were all kinds of creatures. Oduduwa painted the oddun of Irete Trupon and of Eggun, they placed the son of Ikú inside and covered him with the sheet, and gave him ayapa and put on Eran of eyele and Eya Tuto. Ozain began to sing together with Oduduwa: «Eran Ilé Ikú, Eggun Oba No Bokun, Gbogbo Eran Eggun Ikú».

All of this was done over 7 days. Oduduwa told Ikú that her son now had eran, eyes, and hair, but that he needed unyen in order to walk. Ozain told Ikú to fetch eyele mazan dun dun, an osiadie chachara akuaro, and an ayapa to give to Eggun together with him, so that they would grant him the spirit of life. While Ikú was on her way, Oduduwa and Ozain removed the earth from above and saw that the son of Ikú now had eran, eyes, and hair, covered with asho fun fun. They wrote Irete Tutu and called Eggun before Ikú arrived, so that Eggun would enter into the son of Ikú.

When Ikú arrived and saw that the thing was moving, she took fright, but Oduduwa told her to be calm. Ozain ate what Ikú had brought, and Oduduwa told Ozain to go down into the joro joro to perform the ceremony. Ozain took a dove together with Oduduwa and they began the ceremony singing «Eggun Dide, Eggun Osi Walo De Lona, Yeye Ikú Lorun Awa Ikú Lorun, Awa Ikú Bawao Lode Lona, Eggun Ikú Lorun Nare Ori Lokun». And at once the son of Ikú began to walk through the world. And here was born the idea that from the moment people are born they are spirits, and when Ikú needs them, it takes them away.

The akuko is given to Ikú and the eñi of the akuko go into the ebbó, and eyerbale is given to the malaguidi while calling Ozain, asho dun dun.

Whoever bears this sign must, from time to time, feed Ozain eyele meta together with Eggun. When death saw her son like this, the first one she spoke with was Osun, and she gave him three eyele.

The eggplant, the okra, and the tomato

The eggplant, the okra, and the tomato had a powerful enemy who kept them from prospering. They went to see Orunmila, who made Ifá for them and told them they had to make ebbó to free themselves from a powerful araye (strife) called akuko. All three made ebbó, but the tomato did not complete it. That is why the eggplant and the okra grow tall, while the tomato remained smaller.

The person must make ebbó to free themselves from a powerful enemy who does not let them prosper.

The proud king

Orunmila arrived in a land where the king, out of curiosity, had himself consulted by him. Orunmila indicated that he had to make an ebbó (with the elements mentioned above) to avoid carrying a heavy burden on his head. The king, full of pride, replied mockingly: «What nonsense are you saying? The only burden I carry on my head is my crown.»

A few days later, while the king was eating at table, a fish bone lodged crosswise in his throat. Despite his servants’ efforts to help him, they could not solve the problem. So they went to the house of Orunmila and told him what had happened. Orunmila told them to bring the king carrying the akuko and the adie tied with ariques, along with a basket full of stones on his head. When the king arrived at Orunmila’s door with his load, he had to bend down because of the low height of the door, which allowed the bone to come loose and fall down toward his stomach.

The path of Shangó and Yemayá, who stole the peanuts and were not blamed

Shangó lifted Yemayá onto his shoulders, and together they entered Olofín’s granary and stole the peanuts. All the Santos were summoned to be questioned about the theft. Each of them accounted for where they had been at the time of the robbery. When Shangó’s turn came, unable to account for his whereabouts, he said to Olofín: «Papá, these hands have not touched anything; it is not theft.» And when Yemayá was questioned, she answered: «These feet have not touched the floor of your granary.» Olofín understood that they were the thieves, but because of the clever answers he received, he decided not to blame them.