Shangó and Oyá lived as a couple. He was a pleasant young man, very fortunate in love; she was an older woman and not attractive in appearance. They quarreled often: Oyá wanted to keep him always near and acted in ways that bothered Shangó, for example showing up at every party and at any place he went. He preferred not to be seen with her, since beside her he felt embarrassed, but Oyá managed to appear anyway. When she did, she came wrapped in a whirlwind, and from it the majá suddenly arose.
Another figure also moved through those places, to whom those conflicts were inconvenient: Ogún, whom the governor of the region wanted arrested because of a slander. They said he had outraged the governor's daughter. But Ogún enjoyed the governor's trust and had committed no such act. In that place there also lived an old man, the governor's healer, whom Ogún respected and looked after. In time his good position made him proud, and he stopped heeding the old man's advice.
It happened that Shangó was part of the governor's guard. Making use of his rank, he approached the governor's daughter, managed to persuade her and outraged her. Eshu, who never stopped watching over the young woman because he liked her too, found out. He was only a servant of the governor and did not get along with Ogún, although Ogún gave him orders. He went to tell Oshún, who looked after the girl directly, but he told it backwards: he claimed that the one responsible was Ogún. Oshún believed him and told Ogún, with whom she was on good terms. Ogún flew into a rage and fled, and meanwhile the governor learned of it and ordered him arrested.
Ogún wandered disguised as a beggar, with no possessions, above all through places with drums or drink. He sank into alcohol and lived a miserable life, until he went deep into the bush, away from all eyes.
Time passed. Shangó rose in his post before the governor and the people, and at the same time Eshu's envy of him grew. Eshu knew that Oyá was his wife and that he did not love her, and he told her so. Oyá went mad with fury and wounded her face and arms. Eshu, frightened by what he saw, ran to tell Oshún the whole truth. Oshún understood that Ogún was innocent, but did not know how to explain it to the governor. She went to the old healer; he consulted Ifá for her and Oggunda She came out. He told her that only Oshún could set right Ogún's situation and restore the governor's health: she had to go into the bush with a jícara of honey and come back with Ogún.
When Ogún appeared at the palace, the governor passed away. Shangó escaped to another territory, because Oyá was looking for him to kill him. Ogún remained as governor, together with the daughter of the dead king. It is said that here is where Ogún was despised; through Oshún his innocence was recognized, and so he gained the right to be king and to kill.