1The birth of Okana Meyi
For saving an antelope in someone else's trap from rotting, the landowner gave him a leg: the free hand to prosper. A farmer ruined by animals, he sacrificed to Eshú, who set invisible traps — and from the boa he killed on the road he got fame and fortune.
Before leaving heaven, Okana Meyi made a sacrifice and came down by a different route from the one planned. On the way he found a homestead with a trap where an antelope was starting to rot; he cut it up and got a fire ready to save the meat. The owner, understanding what he had done, thanked him and gave him one of the animal's legs — the part the priest of Ifá takes to this day when he sacrifices. That is why they say Okana was given a free hand to prosper.
In the world he became a farmer, but animals were eating his crops. Through divination he made himself a tunic with pockets full of kolá nuts, cleaned himself with a chicken, took a staff and gathered earth from two hills and from the eaves of his house to call on Eshú. Once calmed, Eshú set invisible traps around the farm that caught the intruders one after another, and Okana prospered on top of that by selling the meat.
When he was widowed of his first wife — who turned out to be a witch, and whose guardian angel would not let her have children — he decided to move. He sacrificed a goat to Eshú, a pig to Ifá, and travelled with two dogs and sixteen packets of cold bread. Halfway there, a mysterious boa — the one that swallowed the travellers on that route — attacked and ate his dogs; weakened, Okana killed her with a stake. That deed made him famous and prosperous, and in the town they gave him several women in marriage.
2Iroko and Aragba (the axe)
The two rival trees were given the same sacrifice. Iroko, believing nothing could touch him because of his strength, refused — and Eshú himself handed men the axe to bring him down. Aragba, who sacrificed, heard his fall echo through the whole forest.
Aragba and Iroko were always like the dog and the cat. Iroko was so strong and powerful that everyone was afraid of him: his house was the meeting point of the Elders of the Night, and nobody even dared think of attacking him. Okana Meyi told them both to pay homage to Eshú with a goat, a rooster, an axe and a machete. Aragba made the sacrifice; Iroko refused, because he thought nothing could touch him.
After feasting on Aragba's offerings, Eshú drew the attention of human beings to Iroko's strength and to how useful his wood would be. To destroy the myth that protected his image, Eshú himself offered to lead them to his house and gave them an axe. At first they were all reluctant, but with Eshú urging them on they attacked him furiously, and the fall of Iroko was so great that the echo rang through the whole forest.
When Aragba heard the fall and learned that the great Iroko had gone down under a human axe, he congratulated himself for having followed the advice and sang the praises of the diviner. That is why, when this sign comes out, the person is told that they have a tall, strong enemy looking for their fall — and that with the sacrifice to Eshú, it will be the enemy who falls.
3The Royal Palm, the only one that sacrificed
Every tree refused the sacrifice before coming down to the world, except the royal palm. When Shangó and the strong wind came down to destroy the ones spoiled by wickedness, the palm sang about her sacrifice — and was the only one spared.
When all the trees were getting ready to come to the world, they went to see Okana Meyi, who gave the divination to his helper Efun fun Zele — the strong wind. He told them to sacrifice a goat to Eshú; to serve their heads with a rooster, a dove and kolá nuts; to Oggún a rooster, a turtle, wine and roasted yam; and to Shangó a rooster, bitter kolá and wine. They all refused, except Agbon, the royal palm.
Many years later, when they had all prospered and made the earth beautiful, the deities sent Shangó down to the world to find out what was going on, together with Efun fun Zele himself. When they arrived they found that many trees had been spoiled by the wickedness of the world, and through thunder and the force of the wind they destroyed them one by one.
When they reached the home of the royal palm, she began singing the praises of the diviner who read for her in heaven, recalling the sacrifice she had made. She was the only tree whose life was spared. That is why, to this day, the royal palm is the only tree that is safe from the attack of thunder and strong winds.
4The rooster, king of the women🔒 Babalawo
5The rooster, trusted man of Olófin🔒 Babalawo
6Awó Rooster and the curse that turned into a blessing🔒 Babalawo
7Oyá could not give birth🔒 Babalawo
8The birth of Awofakan and Ikofafun🔒 Babalawo
9The virtue of the monkey🔒 Babalawo
10Afeke: Shangó comes down to the world🔒 Babalawo
11The divination for the ant🔒 Babalawo
12Okana Meyi became the head chief of Ilaye Oko🔒 Babalawo
13The rain over Ifé (the divination for Akpon)🔒 Babalawo
14The rescue of Akeriwaye🔒 Babalawo
15The disastrous crowning of Adeguoye🔒 Babalawo
16The six sons of the bandit🔒 Babalawo
17The government of the poor🔒 Babalawo
18The Awó Rooster and Eshu (the request made backwards)🔒 Babalawo
19Ruined by his tongue (why Eshu eats rooster)🔒 Babalawo
20Oggún paid double for his Ifá🔒 Babalawo
21The cricket came down to the world🔒 Babalawo
22When Oliwo looked down on the boys🔒 Babalawo
23Obbatalá Yeku Yeku and Obbatalá Aguema🔒 Babalawo
24The Awó, his white horse and the swamp🔒 Babalawo
25Ifá was divined for the people of the city of Owa🔒 Babalawo
26Sakoto, the king who arrived soaked at Owa🔒 Babalawo
27Oluwo Igbo and Oluwo Odan (why the forest is dark)🔒 Babalawo
28Ifá was divined for Olú (one son became two)🔒 Babalawo
29The cricket and the violin🔒 Babalawo
30The man who would not believe (the sixteen coins)🔒 Babalawo
31The hidden moon🔒 Babalawo
32The fisherman who wanted to be a fish🔒 Babalawo
33The killer pack🔒 Babalawo
34The messenger of Olofin🔒 Babalawo