A man suffered from sores on his legs. Orunmila had been treating him for seven months and the patient stayed the same, neither improving nor getting worse; in Orunmila's eyes, that sick man was a sure source of income, the hen that laid golden eggs, since with his payments Orunmila supported the house.
One day Orunmila went out to initiate some godchildren. The sick man arrived just then and Yemayá, the diviner's wife, received him. She told him that Orunmila was not there and offered to attend to him in his place if he accepted. The man told her that his trouble was in his leg and that, after a long time, it still had not healed. Yemayá examined him and prescribed poultices made with coast vine. He applied them, was cured and, as a sign of gratitude, brought her many gifts.
On returning, Orunmila heard from his wife that she had cured the man and that he had brought her gifts. He answered: “You have finished off the hen that laid the golden eggs.” She did not understand and asked which hen he was talking about. Orunmila explained that for months he had been treating that man, and that it was the man who had covered the household expenses all that time.
After thinking it over, Orunmila said to her: “Very well. Receive these cowries: from today you will also be able to read. But only up to Eyila. After that you will have to leave my house, because I cannot live with a woman who has more knowledge than I do. What goes beyond Eyila, send it to me.”
That is the reason why in the Dilogún one speaks only up to Eyila.
Taking advantage of another person's need without truly seeking a remedy is a fragile livelihood: it is enough that someone else knows how to heal. Knowledge kept back out of interest or pride ends up costing dearly, even within one's own home.
This path has its own ebbó; the full list is in the complete treatise.
To Iban Eshu.
IFA NI KAFEREFUN ORUNMILA LODAFUN YEMAYA ADIFAFUN OKUNI.