Olodumare made the world and all the animals. He announced to them that the owner of the calabash of life would be whoever found it, and that inside there were cloths, objects of silver and women; he added that whoever acted with kindness would do so for his own benefit and for that of others.
The animals went to consult with Orunmila. For each one Otura Meyi came out and for each one he indicated the same ebbó, warning them that without it they would never find the gourd of life. The fish refused. All those who wanted life went through the consultation, Otura Meyi always came out, and nobody accepted the ebbó. Only man, the last to consult, made it.
When it was done, Orunmila gave him two staffs with an instruction: to separate any fish, animals or snakes he saw fighting.
During his journey man passed fish, buffalo and lions that were fighting, and did not separate them. But one day he came upon two birds that were struggling over a gourd tangled between their feet. He threw the two staffs at them; the birds let go, the gourd fell to the ground and he picked it up. It was life.
With it man found the strength and what was needed to reach the Igbodu. He surpassed the other creatures in power and, at times, the orishas, since he obtained the secrets with which they are calmed and accidents, poisonings and similar harms are avoided. The animals had to recognize him as king and place themselves below him. Because he dominated nature, this Odù is called “father of life.”
In this sign sacrifice must never be omitted, that is, the ebbó.
When everyone refuses the ebbó, the one who fulfills it reaches what the others cannot. His ingenuity in settling someone else's fight opened the way to life itself and to command over what was created. In this Odù the sacrifice must never be omitted.
A rooster, a gourd with a lid, two dolls and a silver coin, besides the rest of the ingredients and a lot of money.
In this Odù the ebbó cannot be left undone.