Tales of Ogun

Ogun the Terror

Long long time ago, there lived an Orisha at the hills of Ire called Ogun. Ogun lived a life of solitude on the mountains and forest of Ire. He had no companion except for a large dog.

He so much hated the company of humans that he left the town and lived alone on the cold mountains. And to prevent people from coming near the hills. Ogun decided to make an example out of any trespasser, and in ten days Ogun had killed twenty men.

He ripped them open and hung their head, skin and intestines on parts of the hills where people could see from afar, and no sooner had he done this, that the people understood and avoided the hills of Ire nor did they take paths leading to the hills.

Unfortunately, there happened to be a group of travelers who knew nothing about the hills of Ire nor Ogun. They were just ignorant men who were boiling in the heat of the journey. They were traveling below the hills.When Ogun sighted the procession from afar, he was mad with rage.

He picked two of his large swords and clanked them together furiously trying to get the attention of the travelers. And when the travelers indeed saw Ogun; they were surprised rather than afraid, to see a man of such fashion, of such a manner, in such a garment, owling from the top of the mountains.
It was surprising and queer to see a man wearing no better clothing than strings of palm fronds knitted together to provide covering for the genitals. So the travelers even moved further towards the hills to get a clearer look at this strange person.

Unfortunately for the travelers, Ogun had had enough, and since he is a being of no resilience in patience, he descended the hills with the speed of a deer or antelope and with such firm steps that he crushed stones and pebbles.

The travelers seeing the situation tried to flee but it was too late, nobody can outrun Ogun who chases game in the midst of thorns and wild grasses.That day, the travelers were killed in the most painful manner. So brutal was their death that the matter was brought to the Irunmole ode orun (these are the Heavenly deities with no human incarnation).


The deities assembled to decide on what to do concerning the blood thirsty Orisha.

"Let's bring him up here so that the sons of men can breathe". one of the Irunmole said.

"We know we can't do that". another replied. "If we bring Ogun back, how then would men know how to make a bellow,melt iron, speak less of making a sword? how would men understand the art of survival and hunting?"

And so the Irunmole were faced with a dilemma; Ogun cannot be taken from men because he must teach humans his knowledge, and on the other hand; if Ogun remains with men he might as well kill them to the last man. When the matter became more confusing, it was taken to the Orunmila, the Orisha of wisdom. The matter was narrated to Orunmila who was aware of the matter even before the Irunmole's ever knew.Yet he pretended as if he knew nothing beforehand. But all the Irunmole knew that by the Ashe of Olodumare, he knew all things, because the past, the present, and things of future are already playing around his eyes; even things unsaid, unborn, buried or conceived in heart as thought.

Orunmila listened carefully into the matter and then spoke to the others:

"Listen! my fellow wonders! concerning this issue there is no good and there is no evil, no fault and no blame; it is Ashe that is at work.
A stone that is meant to break palm nuts must not be soft like a folded curtain where we rest our head. This is the Ashe of the stone which made it hard and tough. Likewise, the folded curtain where we rest our head must not be hard. This also is the Ashe of the curtain so that we might not break our heads in sleep.
If all curtains were like a stone where would we rest our head in sleep? And if all stone is soft like a curtain how would we break the stubborn nut? The Ashe of Ogun punishes offenders, trespassers, gossips,dis-loyals, disobedient, liars, cowards, the proud, the ignorant and the foolish.


"We search for their guilt but we find none. They did not steal or lie so how then do they deserve such fate?" The Irunmoles asked.


"Pride, ignorance and foolery." Orunmila answered.

"Give us more words". they said.

" If they had gazed upon Ogun with humility in their heart, they would have seen danger and fled, because Ogun is not a sight to behold, but they were proud and arrogant.They never saw the fire and walk into the hot hearth.

"Ignorance! Because they never consulted wisdom. They would have avoided the path of Ogun. Why would you jump into a water you don't know the depth of? knowing that you are a bad swimmer? They died because they do not have knowledge, and so are guilty of the misdeed of ignorance".

"What about the third; foolery?".

"Foolery is the summary of pride and ignorance. Foolery is the mother of both." he replied.

"They are indeed guilty". They agreed.

"But they are humans!! never far from mistakes.They will always misdo.But we fear that Ogun would make men scanty on earth; as it was in their prime at Ife the place of their conception.

"Then, let's teach men and let's also teach Ogun. Let teach men to tread carefully like alagemo the chameleon; slow and weak but always safe from sudden death.
Let's teach men to fear what is to be feared and love what is to be loved. let men get knowledge, or for what reason were they given a mind if not to learn and be enlightened?
Was it not agreed that ignorance is a sin?
Most importantly, let men tread carefully. Only the rash and careless and the unconscious steps on the rattlesnake's tail.
And for Ogun, let us teach him love, because without love; two people cannot live together in peace".

"Do you speak of love in the matter of Ogun that paints his body with blood? It is as impossible as a fire burning under the sea". The Irunmoles said.

"Search among the beings of earth, a female kind, not born of men nor of our kind; but of a nature similar to the essence of the games that Ogun chases day and night in the forest. Create a coincidence and let him behold the being of such nature; surely, you shall all be filled with wonder".


And so, the Irunmoles listened to the to the words of Orunmila, and led Ogun from the east of Ire to the north, which was the west of the River Niger,which was at that time the territory of Oyo ruled by Alaafin Ajaka.

Ogun had tracked an antelope which he had shot with his arrow. The animal had been mortally wounded but still it ran away and Ogun pursued from the east where it was wounded. Ogun pursued for two days until the game collapsed at the bank of River Niger; unknown to Ogun that this was the plan of the Irunmoles to teach him love.


Ogun went to the river Niger and drank as he had been thirsty from the continuous pursuit. After that, he decided to hunt for food in the scanty forests around the river before he journeys back to Ire in the morning of the next day.
The next day, when Ogun was preparing to return to Ire.
He heard a disturbance coming from the river.

Ogun stood up and looked towards the direction of the river. Right at the middle of the river was a buffalo swimming towards the river bank.

It was pleasing to Ogun because he shall travel home with a large game.He carefully placed his arrow and stretched his bow with his godly strength, ready to kill the animal with a single blow.

But before he could strike the animal, he discovered that the animal possessed a strange essence. Unlike every other animal he had come across, he had never felt anything like this before.He watched as the animal walked out of the water in admiration. He had his bow stretched in his hand but he could not strike. He only watched and watched.

When the animal was fully out of the river, she shook her body violently and splashed water everywhere. Surprisingly when the splashes were gone, there was no buffalo anymore except a naked woman with unkempt hairs that veiled her eyes. She was lying on the sand with her belly.

Beside her was the skin and horns of the buffalo. She slowly stood up and picked up the skin and horn, then she carefully studied her environment. Not only did she search for intruders with her eyes, she also sniffed the air to grab a scent, but Ogun had effectively concealed himself by magic, so he was not noticed; even his dog was well conceived as well.

When she was very certain that she's alone, she moved quickly, as fast as a squirrel, and dug the earth beneath a rock. She dug the earth so fast that she became enclosed in a large cloud of dust. When she had dug a very deep pit, she buried the skin and horn In the pit and covered the pit with sand.

When she was done, she moved from the rock and then she began to spin; slowly at first but then she began to spin faster and faster and faster till the river bank became cold and windy and Ogun dog almost barked, but Ogun mute him by his magic. Gradually the wind stopped, and when the dust was cleared; the naked woman with unkempt hair had been changed.Her hairs were neatly plaited and oiled with coconut fragrance; her skin was also well oiled and they shone black against the nascent morning sun which was just rising. There were expensive royal beads on her wrist and ankles, and on her body was an aso-oke of exceptional quality and value. On her shoulder was placed an Ipele, while she carried clothing materials of high quality on her hands.

The strange lady had become good to look upon.With a sudden hurry, she left the river bank and headed towards a Tapa village nearby. Ogun, who had been watching the woman keenly, was struck with great admiration and passion for the strange woman. He decided to go after her and bring her after him either willingly or by force, but seeing that this strange woman seems inhuman.

He decided to wait until he knew her weakness, then he would take her by force to Ire to be his woman. When the woman had gone out of sight, Ogun came out of hiding and went straight to the site where she had buried her skin and horns.


He immediately started digging until he found the items. He exhumed the items and went back to his hiding place. When it was still noon and night was dawning, Ogun sighted the strange woman from afar.The clothing material she went with was gone, instead there was a large basket of yam on her head.

"She must have gone to barter the materials for the basket of yams". Ogun thought.

When the woman got to the river bank, she gently dropped the basket of yams. after that, she began to spin, slowly at first, then she began to spin faster and faster and faster until the river bank became cold and windy; and when the wind finally stopped the elegant woman was gone and there was only a naked woman standing.The woman ran quickly like a squirrel towards the site where she buried her skin and horns, but alas! The pit had been uncovered and the items were gone.

"I kept them here; my skin and my horn. But now they are gone". She said repeatedly like a mad woman.

She began to search around, moving from trees to trees,rocks to rocks, shrubs to shrubs, treetops to tree tops. She was moving so fast that it appeared there was a big storm, but she could not find her skin nor the horn.

She returned to the riverbank and fell on the ground with her belly and with her hands she scattered the fine river sand violently as she wept and howled like a mad dog and then she began to claw at herself, tearing her own body with her long eagle claws.

When Ogun could see that she is determined to end her life, he came out of hiding and walked towards her:

" Patience!! Patience!! No harm is done to your skin nor your horn; they are safe in my hand. Be patient!!" Ogun said.

The strange lady hearing the voice of Ogun, raised her head so quickly as one who just woke up from a bad dream. Before Ogun could say another word, she had entangled herself around him trying to choke him, at the same time shoving her long sharp claws into his neck since Ogun is an Orisha she couldn't deliver any harm to him.

" Give me my pride!! give it back!! give me my pride!!" she screamed at his face, but Ogun became like a steel, heavy and tough; so heavy that his feet sank into the riverbank. He caught her hands with his left hand and with his right, brought out an ado (gourd) containing the charm of paralysis. When this charm is thrown at an animal at close range, the animal loses motion and becomes rooted to a spot. With this charm Ogun touched her and she became motionless and calm.


"Please, give me my pride and let me go. I shall repay you greatly. I can make you the greatest of all hunters that walked this earth. I can make you wish for any animal of your choice and get them at once. I can grant you powers beyond your comprehension, but please give me back my pride. I beg you with the red and black earth!!"

"Be my woman and I will hand over your pride. They are of no use to me, but certainly are useful to you. Come with me and live with me in the hills of Ire where there is no intrusion, let us make ourselves happy. Let's share this lifetime together".

"No my Lord, I am not who you think I am. I'm from a society other than that of the son of men, such a union of my kind and yours is forbidden!! It is a shame to your society and a shame to my society. Please hear my words".

" I would argue about this no longer. Come with me or I'll destroy your pride".

"Please don't!! don't destroy my pride! I will go with you and become your woman. But first, let me go to my people for the last time to say farewell".

"Go and say your farewell". Ogun said.

" But I can not go back without my animal form,they would cast me out!!"

" I can tell my heart to let you go and say farewell your kind, but on the matter of the skin and horn, I would not give them to you and if you stubbornly refuse me, I would cut the skin and make a thick cap from it and for your horn, I would make a hole in it and wear it around my neck, and by that time,they would become totally useless to you and you will live among men forever!!"

" No!! don't!! I agree. I will be your woman. I would go with you".

" What is your name?" Ogun asked her.

" Oya". She replied.

Ogun took her by the hand and led her home. And from that day, Oya became the wife of Ogun. Also, because of Oya, Ogun seldom kill humans as before.

(Adapted from "Tales of Ogun: Yoruba Legend by Nostalgic folktaler) The book is available on Amazon.

The misfortune of Ogun


Once upon a time Ogun decided to go on hunting, so he made a divination, the oracle spoke and gave him a stern warning:

"Do not go hunting, stay at home so that you won't lose your treasures". But Ogun was already too determined to hunt. He called to his wife:

" Lakaaye is about to trouble the forest and the panthers of the trees, my forge is in your care, keep it alive and do not let it rust until my return."

With this he left for the forest. In the forest, Ogun came across a tiger of terrible stare lying on a rock. The tiger knew Ogun because all the beasts of the forest knew him. In the animal society, Ogun is death!! certain death!! to any beast that encounters him. The tiger, having heard about Ogun, was afraid, but because he is a beast of great pride, he did not flee but gave a terrible stare at Ogun and made terrifying sounds at him.

But Ogun moved closer to him, then the tiger spoke:

" Ogun, I see you and you see me, you came here for meat, I can show you where there are multitudes of stupid antelopes and deers, even fattened deers. Beyond the lake after the Ose tree, there are so many of them, so many and stupid that when you chase them, they become confused and run straight at you, I just had a nice breakfast from one of the unfortunates. Go for them now, and quickly before they disperse....." but before the tiger would continue with his expositions, Ogun in a swift movement of an arm made the tiger headless.

The large cat poured out a flood of blood and slumped down from the rock where he had lay down. Ogun stooped and lapped the tiger's blood. After that, he picked up the large cat, skinned it and made a fire where he roasted the beast. He hung the skin and the tiger meat on a tree where he lay. It was night and Ogun was asleep. Eshu the trickster appeared and stole the tiger skin. When Ogun woke up, he was very angry to find the tiger skin missing; because the skin of a tiger is the pride of a hunter. When a hunter claims that he kills a tiger, since the tiger is a large beast that cannot be carried by one man, the people ask for the skin instead and when they see the skin, they believe the hunter. The skin of the tiger is the proof of a hunter's courage and prowess, but now, the skin is gone.


Ogun knew that no man or beast could do this if not an Orisha, and that no Orisha could do it if not Eshu. Ogun cursed Eshu and insulted his personality and then he moved on. When it was night again, and Ogun was asleep, Eshu the trickster once again appeared and stole the remainder of the tiger steaks. When Ogun woke up and find the steaks missing, he cursed Eshu so much that Eshu who was in a distant village heard his curses and came to him:

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood." The trickster greeted him. But before he could utter the last word of his greetings, Ogun drew out his sword and beheaded him.

No sooner had he sheathed his weapon that Eshu arrived again.

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood".

Again, Ogun drew his sword and beheaded him. And no sooner did he sheathed his weapon that Eshu arrived once again:

"Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood".

And for the fourth time Ogun beheaded the trickster. And then the fifth, sixth and seventh until countless times that Ogun beheaded Eshu the mischievous Orisha, but each time he does, the trickster appears again, undisturbed and unharmed as if he is unaware of his previous executions. It went on until Ogun loses patience and sheathed his sword finally.

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood.". Eshu greeted him.

" A word you do not deserve from Ogun, if not a sword to the neck, begone from this place you thief!!!"

"Patience! patience! What reason do I deserve such harsh words from you?"

"Was it not you; O wall of stone! that went away with the skin and steak of my game or is it not you? The thieving Orisha!!"


" Cast aside, Ogun; you are the greatest thief that needs a whip of Olodumare!!"

" Bring me proof of my theft and I will end my life right here and right now, but if not; may your journeys be rough and weary like the journey of a fish across a sandy dune, may you be stuck to a spot like Araba tree, may you become as worthless as the feces of a dog ."

" Save your breath, Lakaaye! Let me show you how great a thief you are. Answer me, the tiger you killed did you buy him from his father?" No. Did you then buy him from his mother? No. Then certainly the tiger sold himself to you? No. How then did he become your property?"

" What foolery is this? I made him my meat with my strength and my blade, the reward of my sweat and my courage, was this not enough of a price? you provoke me even more with your stupid banters! To accuse a hunter of murder in the matter of a beast, surely, your mind is shallow! I am very certain, you have been fed with Adi and now your mind has become dumb and shallow. I beseech you,leave this place now before Olodumare puts you in my mercy".

"You are already in my mercy, Ogun Lakaaye; and you must leave this place and go to your home in Ire. keep your bed warm with your wife by your side, go back to your forge and make the black steel red, blow your bellows and hit the hot bars, trouble the palm trees and make palm wine, drink yourself to peaceful sleep, but let the forest breathe". Eshu said.


"Ogun remains here, let the moon appear in the midday or the sun by midnight; Lakaaye shall roam the forest as he likes and whatever that comes my way is mine. My glory is in this very forest and in the blood of the unfortunate. Now find yourself some works to do. The sun is not getting any brighter and you know; hard work is my honor and idle talks I hate. Make space Laalu!!"

"Very well then ". Eshu said. " you shall indeed roam".


So Eshu left Ogun and diligently hid all the animals in the forest. Ranging from the little crickets to the great elephants and rhinos. Eshu hid them and Ogun could not find any game to kill. And for nine days, Ogun roamed the dark powerful forest. But he couldn't find any games not to mention of getting one

On the twelfth day, Ogun had become so hungry and weary that he dropped his sword which he is accustomed to carrying all the time. Eshu, who had observed Ogun and his fruitless effort came to him while Ogun was resting under a large tree.

"Greetings to Ogun!! The aggressive cobra that spits when it is too far to bite. I have come to ask for a favor, I decided to steal from you earlier but remembering the virtue of honesty, I have come to humbly beg, please give me a piece of meat from your kills". Eshu said.


" As you can see, Laalu, I am tired and famished. Twelve days have I used roaming but not a single game was in sight. I had made spells to bring out the beasts but my spells brought out nothing. It was as though the beasts isolated the forest and right now I am dying of hunger".

" What a shame!!" Eshu said. " The king of the hunt starving in the field, do we not sing your praise as the hunter of heaven and the earth, why then did you fail to bring down a beast in twelve days?"


"This matter is also disturbing to me, O wall of Stone!!" Ogun said. " And I need clarification and enlightenment of my predicament, please, journey for me to Ode Orun and present my case to Orunmila, I know he will shed light on this matter.

" Do not suffer me to prove that the grass is green, Orunmila does not have a word for you, except the one he told you earlier : Do not go hunting, stay at home, so that you won't lose your treasures". Eshu replied.

"I paved way for the sixteen deities that found Ife, in my sweat the earth was nourished, how then can I be denied the harvest of earth?"

Summoning his last strength he stood up and went in search of games. He searched and searched, but he could not sight any games, not even cricket. Now, he has become sick with hunger and thirst, so thirsty that his tongue had become dry as firewood. His body had become so heavy that it seemed to him that he had carried the weight of the whole world.

Ogun once again lay down burning in the heat of hunger. Eshu the trickster appeared to Ogun:
" I see death hovering around you Ogun, certain death!!"

" Please, Laalu". Ogun said. "Go to Ire and tell my wife to bring meat and wine, tell her that Lakaaye is about to become immortal if she delays. Tell her that her hurry might keep me being her husband".

" Iro o!! Lakaaye fate is certain. Death!!!" Eshu replied.

" Lakaaye is not afraid of death, but nothing is as painful and shameful as a great hunter like me who starved to death in the forest of thousands of beasts. Let me die and cross the river with tangible meat and a pot of wine in my stomach, this is the honor of a hunter. Laalu, make haste and take my message to Ire, I will pay your price: a live tortoise, three pots of honey,the legs of a bush rat, and bile of seven alligators from shallow rivers".

" Save your words Ogun! I heard you, I will help you to get your strength to return to Ire". Eshu said.

" Laalu Ogiri oko, you are kind,what shall I do to get back my strength?". Ogun asked.

" Look around". Eshu said. " what do you see?"

" Nothing, if not the trees and shrubs". Ogun answered.

"Look again". Eshu said." What do you see?"

"Truly, I see nothing if not the trees and shrubs".

"Look around Ogun and tell me what you see."

So, Ogun diligently observed as far as his eyes could see, then he replied:

"If not the trees and shrubs, nothing else except my dog and my sword".

" Kare Ogun!! you saw well,pick up your sword and with your last strength:' ewhuu! render the head of your beast asunder. Appease your thirst in her blood and appease your hunger in her flesh. Your strength shall return in ten fold and you shall once again be the Orisha that you are ''. Eshu said.

(Adapted from Tales of Ogun Yoruba Legend by Nostalgic folktaler)

Nostalgic222:
The misfortune of Ogun


Once upon a time Ogun decided to go on hunting, so he made a divination, the oracle spoke and gave him a stern warning:

"Do not go hunting, stay at home so that you won't lose your treasures". But Ogun was already too determined to hunt. He called to his wife:

" Lakaaye is about to trouble the forest and the panthers of the trees, my forge is in your care, keep it alive and do not let it rust until my return."

With this he left for the forest. In the forest, Ogun came across a tiger of terrible stare lying on a rock. The tiger knew Ogun because all the beasts of the forest knew him. In the animal society, Ogun is death!! certain death!! to any beast that encounters him. The tiger, having heard about Ogun, was afraid, but because he is a beast of great pride, he did not flee but gave a terrible stare at Ogun and made terrifying sounds at him.

But Ogun moved closer to him, then the tiger spoke:

" Ogun, I see you and you see me, you came here for meat, I can show you where there are multitudes of stupid antelopes and deers, even fattened deers. Beyond the lake after the Ose tree, there are so many of them, so many and stupid that when you chase them, they become confused and run straight at you, I just had a nice breakfast from one of the unfortunates. Go for them now, and quickly before they disperse....." but before the tiger would continue with his expositions, Ogun in a swift movement of an arm made the tiger headless.

The large cat poured out a flood of blood and slumped down from the rock where he had lay down. Ogun stooped and lapped the tiger's blood. After that, he picked up the large cat, skinned it and made a fire where he roasted the beast. He hung the skin and the tiger meat on a tree where he lay. It was night and Ogun was asleep. Eshu the trickster appeared and stole the tiger skin. When Ogun woke up, he was very angry to find the tiger skin missing; because the skin of a tiger is the pride of a hunter. When a hunter claims that he kills a tiger, since the tiger is a large beast that cannot be carried by one man, the people ask for the skin instead and when they see the skin, they believe the hunter. The skin of the tiger is the proof of a hunter's courage and prowess, but now, the skin is gone.


Ogun knew that no man or beast could do this if not an Orisha, and that no Orisha could do it if not Eshu. Ogun cursed Eshu and insulted his personality and then he moved on. When it was night again, and Ogun was asleep, Eshu the trickster once again appeared and stole the remainder of the tiger steaks. When Ogun woke up and find the steaks missing, he cursed Eshu so much that Eshu who was in a distant village heard his curses and came to him:

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood." The trickster greeted him. But before he could utter the last word of his greetings, Ogun drew out his sword and beheaded him.

No sooner had he sheathed his weapon that Eshu arrived again.

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood".

Again, Ogun drew his sword and beheaded him. And no sooner did he sheathed his weapon that Eshu arrived once again:

"Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood".

And for the fourth time Ogun beheaded the trickster. And then the fifth, sixth and seventh until countless times that Ogun beheaded Eshu the mischievous Orisha, but each time he does, the trickster appears again, undisturbed and unharmed as if he is unaware of his previous executions. It went on until Ogun loses patience and sheathed his sword finally.

" Greetings to Lakaaye, the one who has water in his house but chooses to bathe with blood.". Eshu greeted him.

" A word you do not deserve from Ogun, if not a sword to the neck, begone from this place you thief!!!"

"Patience! patience! What reason do I deserve such harsh words from you?"

"Was it not you; O wall of stone! that went away with the skin and steak of my game or is it not you? The thieving Orisha!!"


" Cast aside, Ogun; you are the greatest thief that needs a whip of Olodumare!!"

" Bring me proof of my theft and I will end my life right here and right now, but if not; may your journeys be rough and weary like the journey of a fish across a sandy dune, may you be stuck to a spot like Araba tree, may you become as worthless as the feces of a dog ."

" Save your breath, Lakaaye! Let me show you how great a thief you are. Answer me, the tiger you killed did you buy him from his father?" No. Did you then buy him from his mother? No. Then certainly the tiger sold himself to you? No. How then did he become your property?"

" What foolery is this? I made him my meat with my strength and my blade, the reward of my sweat and my courage, was this not enough of a price? you provoke me even more with your stupid banters! To accuse a hunter of murder in the matter of a beast, surely, your mind is shallow! I am very certain, you have been fed with Adi and now your mind has become dumb and shallow. I beseech you,leave this place now before Olodumare puts you in my mercy".

"You are already in my mercy, Ogun Lakaaye; and you must leave this place and go to your home in Ire. keep your bed warm with your wife by your side, go back to your forge and make the black steel red, blow your bellows and hit the hot bars, trouble the palm trees and make palm wine, drink yourself to peaceful sleep, but let the forest breathe". Eshu said.


"Ogun remains here, let the moon appear in the midday or the sun by midnight; Lakaaye shall roam the forest as he likes and whatever that comes my way is mine. My glory is in this very forest and in the blood of the unfortunate. Now find yourself some works to do. The sun is not getting any brighter and you know; hard work is my honor and idle talks I hate. Make space Laalu!!"

"Very well then ". Eshu said. " you shall indeed roam".


So Eshu left Ogun and diligently hid all the animals in the forest. Ranging from the little crickets to the great elephants and rhinos. Eshu hid them and Ogun could not find any game to kill. And for nine days, Ogun roamed the dark powerful forest. But he couldn't find any games not to mention of getting one

On the twelfth day, Ogun had become so hungry and weary that he dropped his sword which he is accustomed to carrying all the time. Eshu, who had observed Ogun and his fruitless effort came to him while Ogun was resting under a large tree.

"Greetings to Ogun!! The aggressive cobra that spits when it is too far to bite. I have come to ask for a favor, I decided to steal from you earlier but remembering the virtue of honesty, I have come to humbly beg, please give me a piece of meat from your kills". Eshu said.


" As you can see, Laalu, I am tired and famished. Twelve days have I used roaming but not a single game was in sight. I had made spells to bring out the beasts but my spells brought out nothing. It was as though the beasts isolated the forest and right now I am dying of hunger".

" What a shame!!" Eshu said. " The king of the hunt starving in the field, do we not sing your praise as the hunter of heaven and the earth, why then did you fail to bring down a beast in twelve days?"


"This matter is also disturbing to me, O wall of Stone!!" Ogun said. " And I need clarification and enlightenment of my predicament, please, journey for me to Ode Orun and present my case to Orunmila, I know he will shed light on this matter.

" Do not suffer me to prove that the grass is green, Orunmila does not have a word for you, except the one he told you earlier : Do not go hunting, stay at home, so that you won't lose your treasures". Eshu replied.

"I paved way for the sixteen deities that found Ife, in my sweat the earth was nourished, how then can I be denied the harvest of earth?"

Summoning his last strength he stood up and went in search of games. He searched and searched, but he could not sight any games, not even cricket. Now, he has become sick with hunger and thirst, so thirsty that his tongue had become dry as firewood. His body had become so heavy that it seemed to him that he had carried the weight of the whole world.

Ogun once again lay down burning in the heat of hunger. Eshu the trickster appeared to Ogun:
" I see death hovering around you Ogun, certain death!!"

" Please, Laalu". Ogun said. "Go to Ire and tell my wife to bring meat and wine, tell her that Lakaaye is about to become immortal if she delays. Tell her that her hurry might keep me being her husband".

" Iro o!! Lakaaye fate is certain. Death!!!" Eshu replied.

" Lakaaye is not afraid of death, but nothing is as painful and shameful as a great hunter like me who starved to death in the forest of thousands of beasts. Let me die and cross the river with tangible meat and a pot of wine in my stomach, this is the honor of a hunter. Laalu, make haste and take my message to Ire, I will pay your price: a live tortoise, three pots of honey,the legs of a bush rat, and bile of seven alligators from shallow rivers".

" Save your words Ogun! I heard you, I will help you to get your strength to return to Ire". Eshu said.

" Laalu Ogiri oko, you are kind,what shall I do to get back my strength?". Ogun asked.

" Look around". Eshu said. " what do you see?"

" Nothing, if not the trees and shrubs". Ogun answered.

"Look again". Eshu said." What do you see?"

"Truly, I see nothing if not the trees and shrubs".

"Look around Ogun and tell me what you see."

So, Ogun diligently observed as far as his eyes could see, then he replied:

"If not the trees and shrubs, nothing else except my dog and my sword".

" Kare Ogun!! you saw well,pick up your sword and with your last strength:' ewhuu! render the head of your beast asunder. Appease your thirst in her blood and appease your hunger in her flesh. Your strength shall return in ten fold and you shall once again be the Orisha that you are ''. Eshu said.

(Adapted from Tales of Ogun Yoruba Legend by Nostalgic folktaler)

Interesting. This looks like a translated work from the Ifaodu corpus.

GuestReader88:

Interesting. This looks like a translated work from the Ifaodu corpus.

yes.

Nostalgic222:
yes.

Hmmm, well done.

Ogun and Oshoosi



Also, there was a tale told concerning Oshoosi and Ogun. During one of Ogun hunting expeditions, he met a strange man named Oshoosi; who was also a hunter. But they did not speak a word to each other. Each hunter just went his own way. So Ogun went north of the forest, while Oshoosi went south.

Ogun sighted a herd of antelopes and drew his bow aiming at an antelope. He shot his bow, but before his arrow could strike the animal, an arrow came from the south and struck the animal. And no sooner did the fallen animal vanish like smoke.
So Ogun looked out for the one who shot the bow but he couldn't see anyone.

" It must have been the man I saw the other time". Ogun thought. " He must be a very good archer".

So Ogun aimed for another antelope, but before he could release the arrow, another arrow came from the north and struck the animal; thwarting Ogun's second kill.

"Who is that!!?" Ogun shouted in anger.

But no one replied. So he cooled off and tried to aim for another game, but alas!! The antelopes were already aware of danger, so they dispersed and ran away. Ogun became really vexed and decided to find this mysterious archer and let out his anger on him.

So Ogun climbed a nearby hill and gazed around the forest until he saw the strange archer far off the forest resting under a tree in the savanna, resting his chin on his long powerful bow.

"This man cannot be the archer that shot my aims, he is too far from me, just as far as Owo is from Akure. No one can shoot an arrow that far and still get a clean, powerful shot".


So Ogun doubted and went farther away from the strange man moving farther to the north of the forest, there Ogun came across another herd of antelopes feeding on the grass.

He gently brought out his arrow, but before he could even aim, the antelope he tried to aim for had already fallen down, dead. The animal had been shot by an arrow from the west.

The other animals dispersed as soon as they saw the animal fall down dead. Quickly, Ogun faced the direction where the arrow came from and ran towards it, trying to catch the archer who had been thwarting his kills.

After Ogun had searched for a long time, he came across a river which led to a village.

"No one could have crossed this river in a hurry". Ogun said. "The archer is certainly not from this direction".

So Ogun went back and decided to return home since it seems luck was not on his side that day. So he headed south. On his way, he met Oshoosi, still sitting under the tree in the savanna resting his chin on his bow but this time Oshoosi had three freshly killed antelopes at his feet.

"These are the antelopes that I aimed for". Ogun thought.

But Oshoosi paid no attention to Ogun but gazed at the forest as if in a daydream.

" Nle o! Ogun saluted Oshoosi, in reply, Oshoosi waved his bow and again gazed at the forest as if in a trance.

Then suddenly, Oshoosi picked his bow and shoveled in an arrow, he stretched the bow string so fast and swift that one would have doubts if the bow actually had a string. Taiiii!! In an instant, he released the bow.

The arrow moved so fast that Ogun doubted if Oshoosi actually sent an arrow. Some seconds later, the arrow appeared, buried inside a large antelope. Oshoosi pulled out the arrow and spoke to Ogun:

" I have heard about you, Ogun Lakaaye. The forest speaks of you all the time. The savanna grass knows your breeze and breathes. The great hyenas speak greatly of the edge of your blade; They said it is very sharp and very strong, they said, it cuts through flesh and bone.


You are the blacksmith of heaven, you are the hot-red steel, blood-bathing demon, husband of the vein. You work with the bellow and make a large furnace where you melt steel and shape blades. I know you Lakaaye, I know you; but do you know me?"

" It is not a thing of wonder if everybody knows Lakaaye,but it will be a great wonder if Lakaaye knows everybody. I do not know you; O hunter!"

" You are right, you don't know me, yet I riddle you three times with my arrow and seized your kills right from the shade of this tree".

" Now, cast aside your bluffs and lies!! The arrows did not come from you; one came from the south another from the north and one from the west, But you sat under this tree like a rock you refused to move and from afar I said what a lousy hunter you are. You neither search nor chase, how then can your kind say ' I riddle you with my arrows?'.

Oshoosi when he heard this, picked up his bow and stood up. He sent an arrow into the earth. But the arrow dropped from the sky buried inside a kite.

Oshoosi picked up the bird and removed the arrow. Again, he shot into the sky but the arrow came out of the earth buried inside a huge bush rat. He shot into the west and the arrow returned from the east. He shot into the north but the arrow returned from the south, and each time the arrow returned, it returned buried inside an animal.

" Indeed, you are a wonder!! You are an Orisha. Your art is great." Ogun said in respect.

" I am Oshoosi, the path finder. I am in all directions and close to every being, even when they are far off ".

" Teach me your art and be my friend. Let's chase games together, teach me your art and I will teach you blacksmithing, you will make arrow heads of iron and will not bother to sharpen your arrow at every blink of an eye." Ogun said.

" Oowu! I am a contented person, my art is sufficient for me." Oshoosi replied.

" Teach me your art then for the sake of friendship and for the sake of this profession which we shared."


" No bird can soar as high as the eagle; no beast can ever be as majestic as the lion. No matter how wild a fish has become, it can never swim across a desert and live to tell the tale; a broken pot, either big or small, will forever rest at the bottom of the river, if it is not removed by hand. Any bird that tries to hang upside down like the bat would spew blood. I am the bat, you are the bird, I am the dry branches that will forever stay on top of the water to see the sunrise and the sunsets, you are the pot that settles at the bottom of the river, strong but heavy. I am Oshoosi,you are Ogun, my Ashe is mine, your Ashe is yours; it cannot be learnt or given".

Oshoosi after saying this, stood up. He went to the antelopes' carcasses and slaughtered them. He roasted one which he shared with Ogun. He took another one for himself and the remaining two he left for Ogun.

Oshoosi picked up his antelopes and slung them over his shoulders. He picked his bow and arrow and hurried away into the sunset.

(Adapted from Tales of Ogun:Yoruba Legend by Nostalgic folktaler?

GuestReader88:

Hmmm, well done.

Thanks.

Ogun and the drunks of Ire





One day, Ogun returned from a hunt, and he was so thirsty and tired that he couldn't find the strength to climb the hill of Ire. So he went into the village searching for palm wine.

He came across a group of drunken men who had just finished three large calabash of palm wine. When Ogun saw the calabash of wine he was very glad. He hurried to the drunken men and picked up a calabash to gulp the wine, but to his disappointment, the calabash was empty.

He picked another calabash, still, there was no wine in the second calabash. He did this to the third calabash but it was the same; there was no wine.

" What deception!!?" Ogun screamed in rage.

But the drunken men laughed harder and said some funny things about Ogun. In a deadly rage, Ogun drew his sword and beheaded the drunken men. Ever since then, Whenever the Yoruba people finish drinking palm wine, they turn the cup down to show that the cup is empty in order not to anger Ogun.

Ogun became the king of Ire


Once upon a time the people of Ire went to war with a neighboring community, but it was to the loss of Ire. The Ire warriors were slaughtered mercilessly and like fire sparks, they scattered and ran away from the battle.

The enemies pursued and kill them in flight. Ire became like a snail driven out of his shell by a firefly. Huts and properties were set on fire, the young men were slaughtered and bound as slaves,the young maidens were dishonored, the cry of the children fill the dark of the moonless night.

But Ogun the blacksmith was at his forge on the hills, beating the red steel with a large mallet. He heard the screams and cries of the people of Ire despite the loud clangs of metal he worked with. Ogun came out of his forge drenched in sweat and gazed upon the town of Ire, he saw flames, the people of Ire are ruined, he thought.

He decided to return to his forge and do his business, but no sooner did he turn his back that he noticed an enemy warrior ascending the hills chasing a young maiden:

" Help me!! save me!! save me!!" The young maiden screamed at the top of her voice.

The enemy was getting closer to her,but she headed straight at Ogun. Ogun seeing the young lady barging into his territory made him angry, but seeing the insolent and proud warrior marching the hill like a king; like a champion drove Ogun mad with rage. Ogun unsheathed his sword and lunged forward pushing the young maiden aside he struck swiftly at the warrior 's neck rendering his head asunder
.
" Leave this place!!" Ogun said to the young maiden. But she refused and held onto his feet and praised him:

" Ogun kills, but Ogun does not strike the weak, Ogun does not strike his children except a pat on the buttocks. Our enemies had caught us by the neck and now they are choking us to our death. They had burned our hut, they have disgraced our womanhood, they had killed our sons and made our children fatherless. Ogun would not strike the weak, Ogun would never strike the weak, do not strike me Ogun, it is my enemies you should strike. Strike at one and let ten die. Shout at one and let ten flee. Make a flood out of their blood. Was it not you Ogun lakaaye who cleared the path for the sixteen deities after their heavy journey from heaven to earth? Did you not make way for them to Ife? Ogun would not strike the weak, Ogun would never strike the weak. Pick your sword Ogun and fight for Ire, fight for Ire and your song would never cease from our mouth, we would speak of your terrific roar, your swift arms, your swift legs, your swift victory, we would dance and scream your name. We shall tell our children and our children's children of what you have done for us. We would call you Ogun Onire because you shall be our king and you shall protect us. Ogun rise swiftly and make a flood out of the blood of our enemies!! ".


When Ogun heard this, his heart favored Ire. And swiftly,he descended the hill with leaps and jumps, with his sword raised in the air he dived into the midst of the enemies. All through the night, Ogun slaughtered the enemies and by morning, Ire was littered with headless bodies and isolated heads of the enemies. The victory of Ogun!!.

When the people of Ire gazed upon Ogun, he was covered head to toe with blood. That day, the people made Ogun their king. And to the people of Ire, Ogun became the Orisha of war and victory.

After some time, Ogun became bored with being a king, so he left the throne in the hands of one of his chiefs and left the town. But before Ogun left Ire, he taught the people of Ire the art of war, also he gave the them war charms that they can use against their enemies, and most importantly, he taught the people of Ire the art of blacksmithing, hunting and sword making in, order to protect themselves from their enemies.

Ogun promised the people of Ire that if there should be a war beyond their might, they should call on him. And till today, Yorubas still call on Ogun during war and hunting.

And so, Ogun left Ire and descended into the earth, never to be seen again. But many Yorubas believe that Ogun still lives at the tip of every blade of iron.

(Adapted from Tales of Ogun Yoruba Legend by Nostalgic folktaler).