Iroso Ka

Olofin lived in anguish because on earth there were only wars. He had already sent several saints to put an end to them, without result.

One day Oshún found him lost in thought and asked him the cause. Olofin explained that the saints he had sent had achieved nothing. She said: “Father, let me finish that war,” and he agreed.

On earth, Oshún undressed and advanced with a white flag in front of the fighters. Seeing her, so beautiful and upright among them, asking for peace, the soldiers stopped the fighting. Then she spent some time with one side and then with the other, and thanks to that the two reconciled and the war ended. Tired, Oshún lay down on the grass beside a river.

Orunmila, who had seen everything, was coming along that river carrying two hens and a she goat. Oshún suspected that he wanted to take advantage of her. He assured her that he had no bad intentions and, to show it, he took the ring off his hand and handed it to her. He also left her everything he carried, and the two ate together.

According to this Ifá, when a woman consults with this odu, she has usually lived with several men who treated her badly and deceived her: they promised her marriage and then left her.

Ifá tells that a time of general scarcity came. Women did not prosper, the livestock had no young, plants withered, the beds of the rivers were dry and everyone went hungry. The world seemed lost, without peace or life. The children of the earth, afflicted even inside their homes, turned to Orunmila to find out the reason for so many misfortunes.

Orunmila did the consultation and this odu came out. Ifá declared that only Oshún could remedy this, because Olofin was upset with his children and only she could make him forgive them. They all looked for her, and Oshún prepared her ebbó for that purpose.

With the basket on her head, Oshún set out on the road. Five leagues farther on she found Eshu and remarked that he must be worn out from working so much. He admitted that he was fed up with watching that pass, since he had strict orders not to let anyone advance: beyond was Oshanlá, who kept the key to Olofin's dwelling. Oshún told him to do his duty, but to drink something, and she offered him water, aguardiente and honey. Eshu took the drink and, grateful for her good heart, let her continue. He warned her that farther on she would meet a lady with white hair, to whom she should give two eggs and offer to sew her clothes.

Oshún went on and, on reaching the place where the lady was, she did what Eshu had advised. The lady thanked her, gave her ashé and assured her that she would obtain what she was seeking. When Oshún said she would go farther, the lady explained that this was as far as she could go. Oshún asked the reason, pretending not to know it. The lady told her that in the next stretch was Shangó, with orders to block everyone's way. She recommended that she bring him plantains and tell him that she had to deliver the bollos to the boys who stood guard at Olofin's door, so that no one would disturb him during the twelve months that the paralysis was to last.

After walking a little, Oshún crossed paths with a man who was chasing a deer with his arrow and who blocked her way, telling her that he guarded that road. She asked him how a hunter who looked so much like a warrior, bold and swift, could go about without shame in torn clothes and with no time to mend them. He answered that he did have the materials. Then Oshún offered to sew them, and while she did, he could eat guinea fowl and doves and drink aguardiente and honey. The man introduced himself as Oshosi, gave her an arrow with which he did justice and reminded her that he was a companion of Ogún and Eshu. He told her to go on, that there was a tiger on the road and that, if it attacked her, she should defend herself with that arrow.

Soon afterward Shangó appeared, singing. He wanted to know where the beautiful young woman was heading and reminded her that no one could pass, because he guarded Olofin's door, and Olofin did not want to be disturbed. He asked how she had gotten there. Oshún answered that an old woman had told her to give him the rooster, along with plantains and honey, and to hand out the bollos among the boys. Shangó took her to them, and Oshún gave them the bollos. When none were left, the boys began to shout.

Then Oshún took a jar full of honey and poured its contents into the boys' mouths while she sang. The shouting and the song drew Olofin, who leaned out of the window. On seeing her, he spoke some words in the ancient tongue and then addressed her: as long as the world existed, from the sky abundant rain would fall, watering the foundations and making the good works of life that were held back come to be. Oshún would be the owner of tying and untying, and the owner of slavery. She would turn the sweet sour and the sour sweet; her laughter would be tears and her tears, laughter, and no one would manage to know her, because even smiling she would be punishing whoever she judged deserving. But she would be sweet and generous with those who wished well to Oshún and her children, as long as they never mistreated them. Olofin ended by repeating the words in the ancient tongue with which he had begun.

Inkan Osun was a land where the children died while still young. The cause was Omoye Ni Saraen, owner of great power over Osain and over Ikú, who did not want to see the children grow. He owned a charm called Morala: with it the land became corrupt, the children’s blood fell sick and their flesh decayed. Every year he offered a goat to Ikú and called her with a song. She came, killed everyone, and the stench of that place was unbearable. All that harm came from Omoye Ni Saraen.

Oshún wanted to reach that land to rescue it, but each attempt brought her cramps, trembling and fever, which were exactly what killed people there. With time she repented and no longer left the river.

Eshu noticed that time was passing and Oshún was not moving, and he headed for Osun’s home. There the awó Moyen Ni Ifá had a rooster. They sacrificed it and ate it stewed with some herbs and spices, beside Osun’s great secret. While they ate, they called Osun with a song. The plant where the secret stood creaked and Eshu was frightened. Then the awó Mayere Ni Ifá heard a voice ordering him to travel to Inkan Osun with two hens, give them to Oshún in the river and bring her to the secret.

Eshu and the awó carried out the order. They walked with an agogó similar to Obatalá’s and sang the name of Iroso. Oshún moved as in a dance, stirred up the river, came out, cleaned the land with sand and answered with another song. Happy, she greeted Eshu and the awó with moforibale and declared: “I will go with you to that secret.”

When they arrived they found Osun with the awó Ñañaré Ifá, and all gathered. Ñañaré Ifá proposed: “First of all we must do what Orunmila said: take the secret from Omoye Ni Saraen, in the land of Inle.” The task was hard, because Omoye Ni Saraen was very strong and kept that place under control with Ikú’s help. Osun offered: “I will go.” Ñañaré Ifá gave him some elements for the task; Osun made himself an agogó and took a staff. Oshún said: “I am going with Osun too.” The awó Baberi gave her some dolls, the agboranes, with this instruction: “When Osun seizes the secret, leave them along the way.” Osun carried a white chick and Oshún a young black hen; Osun sang a song.

Ikú heard the song and was frightened, and she called Omoye Ni Saraen. He tried to escape, taking his secret with him, but Oshún began to sing and an enormous downpour fell, so that he had to leave it. Osun hit him on the head with the agogó and left him unconscious. Oshún kept singing while she shook Ikú with the hen. At that, Ikú knelt before Oshún and swore that she would respect each child of the Earth until Olofin ordered her otherwise. Hearing it, Osun made Ikú turn her back to him, poured the chick’s blood over her shadow and covered it with feathers. Oshún did the same with the young black hen.

The rain washed the rot from the land. Osun placed the dolls at the site of the secret, and everything was buried beside the river. Omoye Ni Saraen had witnessed it all, hidden behind his secret, but Oshún discovered him and cursed him: he turned into stone and she buried it. Then Osun planted his staff under the ground and a secret arose in Osun’s place. It was settled there, and it was declared: “The four pillars of the world will be Osain, Shangó, Ogún and Eshu.”

Afterward the awós Bebenifa and Ñañaré Ifá held their marriage ceremony and sent for Obatalá; they also gathered Eshu, Oshún and Osun. They founded the land of Inle Idili, where children and elders began to live. Obatalá and Osun sealed a great pact. Oshún told Obatalá that she had done everything, together with Osun, to save the children; that she and Osun had had those children thanks to him, but that in that place she would be the apetebí of the awós Ñañaré Ifá and Bebenifa. Then she took Ñañaré Ifá and the necessary objects, and the ceremony was performed.