Ika Junko

The omó of Yemayá and those of Oshún fell into a quarrel without their mothers knowing anything about it.

The omó of Yemayá said that they were better than the omó of Oshún, and Oshún's held themselves better than Yemayá's, so they were all always at war.

Note: look after your children better, because when they go out into the street they argue with other children and they are always brawling among themselves.

Obatalá had three children called Talabí, Salakó and Taladdé, whom he fed with the milk given by the goat he kept at his house. In that town there were three thieves who kept the people in constant alarm, since with their endless wrongdoing they harmed almost everybody.

One day Obatalá went to Orunmila's house for divination, and in the osode this Ifá came up, and Orunmila told him: «You have to look after your things better, in case they rob your house and harm you greatly.»

Despite all the precautions Obatalá took at his house, one night those thieves stole the goat with which he fed his three children.

When Obatalá learned of the theft of the goat, and understanding that his three children had been deprived of that goat's milk, he cursed the thieves, saying: «I wish with all my heart that one of the thieves lose a leg, that another of them be left mute forever, and that the third lose an arm, for having stolen my goat and so depriving my three children Talabí, Salakó and Taladdé of their food.»

Obatalá's curse came true, happening exactly as he wished and thought just.

And that is how the people of that land were rid of those thieves who were harming their interests.

Note: be careful with a wrong done that harms a child of Obatalá, and he curses you for it.

Once an Enin or Ayanakú (elephant) came to a region, and roaming around it, with his powerful legs and trunk he destroyed every planted field, harming their owners; and shortly after, a shortage of food ruled in the village.

One day the elephant passed very close to Odde's house and destroyed everything he had planted around his house, so Odde put himself on guard. Enin also destroyed the field that lay beyond Odde's house, and its owner went to find him so they could go out and hunt the elephant.

Odde gathered all the people of that village and of the nearby areas, and told them: «We are going to hunt the elephant so he harms us no more. Bring tubs, axes, knives, neck-breakers and ropes.» When everything was ready, Odde set out at the head of those people.

When they saw the elephant, they followed him; and when they had him cornered, Odde loosed his arrow, and when the elephant fell — because it was impossible for him to run or even walk —, Odde threw himself on him and finished killing him with a neck-breaker.

Odde kept the elephant's two tusks for himself alone, and the blood and the meat he shared out among those people.

This happened to Enin for believing himself stronger and more powerful than everyone else.

Note: be careful with the people you have harmed, and do not go on doing it, because they can kill you the way cattle are killed: with a hard blow to the neck.