In the land of Yansá, Olofin sent Shangó to fetch Orunmila so he would go to the land of Youro, which Oyá had cursed and abandoned, saying she would come back one day. Orunmila had himself read before setting out, this sign came up, he laid his Ifá out at the door and gave it two hens; he sent for his apeterbí, but the one who appeared was Oyá, who gathered the Ifá up singing, and when she set it on the mat convulsions took her and she left weeping. Orunmila sent Elegba out of the land of Youro, and when he fed Egun, Egun came; they won Egun over with songs. Egun hung the nine fish heads on himself and went to where Oyá was; a sudden wind rose, Ikú came, and dancing they went out with Oyá for the land of Youro: everyone there was left suddenly dead, except Obbamiera, who went to Orunmila. Oyá came back and gave Orunmila moforibale: «What has happened is so that you are respected — Ikú and I believe in nobody but you and Olofin; death comes suddenly and there is no time to save yourself.» Orunmila went to Olofin to ask how to please Oyá and Ikú; Olofin told him Oyá had never eaten goat or guinea hen. They gave them to her, and Oyá promised to help; with four plantain stems they made four figures, loaded them with ikines, gave them hens and goat, and buried them against sudden death.
In the land of Yansá, governed by Elegba and Egun, Olofin sent Shangó to fetch Orunmila so he would go to the land of Youro.
Shangó said to Olofin: «This land was Oyá's; she cursed it and abandoned it, and said that one day she would come back.» Olofin answered: «Shangó, find Orunmila to see what he says, and whether we can be saved from a very great thing coming to the land of Youro.»
Shangó went to Orunmila's house and gave him Olofin's message. Orunmila said: «Let us read first, before setting out.» When he cast, this sign came up, and seeing it he laid out his Ifá at the street door and gave it two hens, poured otí on it and sent for his apeterbí; but she did not appear. The one who appeared was Oyá, who gathered up the Ifá, and just then, as she brought it, she came singing: «Orunmila y Shangó adie fefe leye adeye nifa egun Ikú olona.»
Oyá set Ifá on the mat, and convulsions took her, and she left weeping. Orunmila and Shangó tried to stop her, but they could not.
Orunmila told Shangó, before going to call Orun and feed Egun, that Elegba should leave that land of Youro. As he was feeding Egun, Egun came, and Orunmila said: «Now that we have him, let us win Egun over», and they sang: «Afefe oyuro bagua Orun egun yamale lese bawa fefe leme ana Ikú.»
Shangó said to Orunmila: «I am going to fetch Elegba, give me a rooster.» He went out on the road singing: «Bewe owunko inu.» The goat bleated, and Elegba, hearing it, came out; Shangó told him: «If you want it, come with me as far as Orunmila's house.» And so he did: Elegba followed behind Shangó until they reached Orunmila's house.
All at once, when Egun took the nine fresh fish heads, he hung them on his body and went to where Oyá was; then a sudden wind rose and Ikú came, and they began to dance, singing: «Adeguena bogbo Ikú afefe logba gueña egun Ikú.»
When that broke loose, Ikú went out with Oyá for the land of Youro, and everyone in that land was left suddenly dead. The only one saved was Obbamiera, who went to Orunmila's house and told him: «Whoever did not respect Orunmila and the other oshas, this will happen to them», and he fell dead at the foot of Ifá.
Oyá went to Orunmila's house, gave him moforibale and said: «What has happened is so that you are respected; and it was because Ikú and I believe in nobody but you and Olofin. What has happened is that Ikú came suddenly, and so that people know they can die suddenly and there is no time to save themselves. This is called afitivo, and it is Oyá's servant. Now you, Shangó, Elegba and I are going to govern, to keep that from happening suddenly and death from coming, because the only one who can save this is you.»
Orunmila said: «With what am I going to please Oyá and Ikú so this does not happen in the family?» And he went off to Olofin and said: «Tell me something I have to do so Oyá helps me too.» Olofin told him: «Oyá has never eaten goat or guinea hen; find Elegba and Shangó so they settle both things and give them to Oyá and to her foundation.»
So Orunmila did, and he handed the goat and the guinea hen to Oyá; while she was eating them, Orunmila told her: «This is so that you help me and save people from dying suddenly.» Oyá, who had a goat tied up, said to Elegba: «This you will eat, but some time before, people will clean their heads together with the goat.»
Orunmila went out and found four bunches of plantains and gave them to Shangó; when he had finished eating them, Orunmila told him: «With these four plantain stems we have to make a secret.» They made four figures: one of carob, one of hibiscus and two of cedar. These figures were washed, and Shangó and Orunmila buried them wrapped in bronze chain with an ikín of Ifá in each one, and gave two hens and a goat to each stem, singing: «Ifá bogbo sa egun Ikú Awo Orun Oddun Awo bigde.»