Before leaving heaven, Iroso Meyi consulted some priests of Ifá. They recommended that he offer a sacrifice to the deity of misfortune, with a land tortoise and a rooster, and also to offer Eshu a male goat and his guardian angel a banana. He refused to do any of the three.
He arrived on earth and practiced the trade of Ifá, but as he grew older he lived in such poverty that he could not marry, and even less raise children. His situation became so painful that, in despair, he thought of throwing away his Ifá seeds.
One night he dreamed of his guardian angel, who explained that all his troubles came from having refused, out of stubbornness, the prescribed sacrifice. In the morning he consulted his Ifá and understood that the night visit had truly been from his guardian angel.
Without delay he carried out the sacrifice for his Ifá and gave the goat to Eshu. Then Ifá told him to go back to heaven and present himself before Olodumare, since he had come to earth without his permission. For the journey it ordered him to take a rooster, a tortoise, a bundle of yam, powdered tobacco, pepper, okra and two gourds, one with water and one with oil. He obtained everything and arranged it in the bag he used for divination.
After a long walk he reached the boundary between heaven and earth, and crossed seven hills before reaching his goal. He went straight to the divine palace. There he was received by Yeyé Muwo, divinity of misfortune and mother of obstacles, who looked after the divine room. Iroso Meyi knelt and declared that he had come in humility to renew what he had wished for the earth. She answered that it was still very early to ask, since the house had no food. At once Iroso Meyi began taking out of his bag the firewood and the water, then salt, powdered tobacco, okra, oil and pepper, and lastly the rooster. These were exactly the things she had been demanding as a tactic to delay him, but he arrived perfectly ready.
Then Yeyé Muwo allowed him to ask. Since it was not permitted to kneel on uncovered ground, he knelt on the tortoise he had brought. When he finished stating all his wishes, Olodumare blessed Iroso Meyi with a blow of his divine mace.
Yeyé Muwo heard the blow of the mace and hurried to finish her cooking, but before she came out, Eshu signaled to Iroso Meyi to go down to earth right away.
When the mother of obstacles at last came out of the kitchen, she asked Olodumare where the man with the wishes was, and he answered that he had left. She complained that he had not asked the man to state both good and bad wishes. Olodumare replied that he did not usually interfere when his children expressed their wishes.
In spite of the presents Iroso Meyi had given her, she set out after him, chanting a song. He answered with a verse of that same song: he had already made his sacrifice and presented his wishes, so nothing was left pending. While he sang, he fled full of fear.
Yeyé Muwo realized she would not catch him, stood still, stretched out her thumb and scratched his back. That is the sunken line that runs along the spine to this day, and it reminds us that only sacrifice makes it possible to be free of the long arm of misfortune. With that mark, she declared before Iroso Meyi, and through him before all people, that they will never remember the wishes made in heaven when they arrive on earth, because eyes do not see the back, and that, before seeing those wishes fulfilled, they will walk blindly for a long time, amid great effort.
The pain left him unconscious, sunk in total blackness. When he woke he found himself in his earthly bed, with no memory of what had happened. He then devoted himself to his business and, over the years, prospered.
The darkness represents the time that Ifá waits bathed in palm oil, before being brought to life. It also represents gestation in the womb, a stage in which every memory of what we planned to do on earth is erased from us.
A sacrifice made in time spares years of poverty and is the way out in the face of misfortune. The mark on the back is a reminder that nobody keeps, at birth, the memory of their wishes, and that they are reached through patience and work.
For Eshu, a male goat; for his guardian angel, a banana; for the deity of misfortune, a land tortoise and a rooster.
A rooster, a tortoise, yam, two gourds (one with water and one with oil), powdered tobacco, okra and pepper, all in his divination bag.
A rooster, firewood, water, salt, oil, powdered tobacco, okra and pepper. Iroso Meyi brought everything in his bag.
Only sacrifice makes it possible to be free of the long arm of misfortune.
Airoro sowo gini moko, Irawo bese leyin era, Oju imo kirawo matu eron se.
Ariro soso gini gini moko Irawo be sese le eyin eron Oju ima ki irawo ma tu eron ise Olo orire omomi duro demi buwo ooo.