Oyekun Bara

A horse was being pestered by a wild boar, which even dirtied his water. Worn out, he went to Orunmila, who saw this Ifá for him and told him that, much as he wanted revenge, he should not take it, because he could lose his freedom. The horse left unsatisfied, still thirsty for revenge, and met a hunter who offered to help him in exchange for letting himself be given the bit and the saddle, and be ridden.

Blinded by anger, the horse agreed; they chased the boar and killed him. Satisfied, the horse asked for his freedom, but the rider — who was Eshú — saw how useful he was for hunting, would not give way, shut him in a stable and tied him up. From that day on, man rides the horse.

Oyekun Bara was an Awó with great luck for winning women and living well. He lived with his first wife, Abeyawo, and a son, but he had no affection for them. In the land of Inlé Taná, land of Ikupá, he liked ogú better than Ifá; he took to keeping things belonging to Ikú, and death began to walk about his house. His wife, who had power in her sight, saw Ikupá coming and going, and his son cried out at night. Oyekun Bara threw them out, and both were children of Obatalá, who for that very reason had always given him luck; offended, Obatalá cursed him, and everything began to go wrong: he went hungry and his lerí was disturbed.

One day Eshú Mako passed by, took fright at seeing that land full of dark Eggun, and went for Ozain; the two came with an osadie, singing and doing sarayeye until they had cleansed Oyekun Bara, who was foaming at the mouth. They prayed his lerí with eyele meyi funfun and told him to make ebbó with everything he had of Ikú's and to ask his wife's pardon. He made osode, saw his Ifá, made ebbó and went to the land of Obatalá; on the road he met his wife and his son, asked their pardon and gave them owó. Obatalá forgave him, but told him he would always have spells of poverty and of wealth, that he would have to lean on him and on Shangó, defend himself with Ozain and live with Eshú Mako guarding his door. He became the powerful Awó he had been before, remembering not to let go of his wife and his son.

In the land of Osushe lived Oshún, hopelessly in love with Olufina Akakamaisa, a man famous as a womanizer and a diviner, and for his lack of courtesy toward the obini. Oshún wanted to bind him, but he always rode off to other lands on his spirited white horse, which is why he was known as Shebe Shintilu. She went to the diviner Ifá She Mi, who saw Oyekun Bara for her and told her there was only one thing able to quiet the «runaway rider». She made the ebbó and, with Ozain and Ifá She Mi, the secret of the land of Oyekun Bara was prepared.

When Olufina came galloping and singing, Oshún invited him to get down and, before being with him, offered him in the cup of Abaña opolopo otí Ogu, singing the suyere of the secret. On drinking, Shangó felt heavy, with an inner peace that made him feel at home in that land, and he was calmed, and stayed forever. That is why there is a risk of being tied for life to a daughter of Oshún, whose selfishness is a bad thing.