Ika Ogbe

There was an eagle determined to devour a tortoise. It attacked the tortoise with its beak, but the tortoise's shell was so strong that the bird, however much it insisted, could not harm it.

Worn out by this siege, the tortoise consulted Orunmila. He saw its Ifá and explained that, if it wanted to get rid of the powerful enemy that circled it from the heights, it had to prepare the ebbó of the heights. The tortoise doubted that word and let the ebbó go by without doing it.

Some time later, the eagle invited it to a celebration on top of a hill. The tortoise answered that it could not attend, since it was impossible for it to climb to that place. “I myself will carry you on my wings,” said the eagle. The tortoise accepted without suspecting that its host was the same old enemy, and settled on its back. When it reached the greatest height, right above the hill, the bird folded its wings. The tortoise plunged down, struck the rocks and was left in pieces. The eagle came down and fed on the remains of that naive creature.

When the indicated ebbó is carried out, this Ifá turns into fore.

Elegbara's palace stood beside some laurel trees. Falling asleep at night frightened him, because when he closed his eyes he saw the strange figures in which evil used to appear. Scared, he covered his head, got up and went from door to window checking that they closed well and that no one had come in.

Orunmila ordered him to put at the head of his bed an igba with purslane, laurel leaves, ewe tete, ewe dundún and atiponlá. The igba was filled with spring water and left in that place while a short petition was said in the ritual language. He also told him to refresh the house with an omiero made of white sugar (iyobo funfun), omi oyuoro, onibara, ewe iwereyeye and ewe dundún.

In the land of Oluloye lived a woman, Awani Loye, whose son had received Elegba; that boy was not meant to go through Ocha. When he was seven, the child left his mother and went off on his own.

He suffered great need. One day, while walking, he came upon Obatalá and addressed a song to him; the orisha answered with another. Then hunger struck him down and he collapsed unconscious, and the shadow of Egun Orugbaye appeared. Obatalá was bewildered. Since he was carrying two doves and a rooster, he prepared them and fed the boy, who thus recovered his life. The text calls this young man Awo Obaniche and also Awani Loye.

Obatalá and Egun paid each other respect with the moforibale. Then they presented the young man before Orun and made him take a solemn oath: he had to go for his Elegba in order to consecrate it together with him. The young man asked for the blessing of both and headed toward Oluloye. Obatalá placed a small bell around his neck; Egun gave him a piece of iron and a hoe, which he had to strike during the march, and taught him the formula with which he had to call his mother.

On arrival he found the lady having a meal of guinea fowl and dove. She invited him to share her food, and he, glad, explained that he had come for his Elegba. She gave it to him and blessed him: whatever he undertook in his life would turn out well for him. At that moment Osain appeared, said some words in the ritual language and set out beside the boy, called Ogbe Nile, who prayed throughout the journey.

They placed him before Obatalá and there they consecrated his Elegba. All that secret was kept inside the Elegba. Then they left singing for the house of the awó Ika Bameyi, so that he would give Ifá to the young man. Ika Bameyi was stunned to find Obatalá, Osain and Egun together; he greeted them with moforibale and asked about the reason for the visit. They answered with a phrase in the ritual language, asking for the Ifá of Orunmila for the boy.

Orunmila took over the matter and summoned the babalawos, who performed Ifá for him. First Oyekun Meyi came out. Later, on a day of Shangó, Awani Loye had Osa Kuleya seated, and the sign that appeared was Ika Bemi. After four days of Ifá, at dawn, they took him out together with Shangó and, amid songs, performed the ceremony by which the Untefá of Orunmila was made; its steps are in the complete treatise.