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Nostalgic222:
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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)

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