Post by deviance on Jan 16, 2006 22:30:40 GMT -5
One day, in the long ago times when the orishas walked alongside trolls and the great paradise of Hesha was no farther then a two day walk from anywhere in the world. Elegbra was relaxing in the shade of a fig tree. All of a sudden his rest was interrupted by the sounds of many feet approaching. Eshu looked up and saw all the kings of the world comming tward him, their faces streaked with tears and their eyes wide with fright.
Coming to him, they threw themselves at his feet and wailed as one: "Oh, Elegbara most favored of the orishas, save us! We beg of you, take these sacrfices to the goddess and beg her to set the world right again." and they laid many treasures of gold, silver and ivory at his feet, for Elegbara was the messanger of the goddess, the greatest of the Orishas, and would carry prayers and sacrfices to her from all corners of the mortal world. Seeing these great treasures, Elebara began to get an idea, but first he put on his most serious face and scowled down at them.
"What would you require of the mighty goddess that i should trouble her with your worthless trinkets?" he asked, and the kings of the world trembled and said to him "ojo, the bringer of dawn, and iku keeper of the darkness of death are quarrling over a maiden. Each wants her for himself and until the matter is settled they refuse to turn the world. Already half our kingdoms are as ice, and our people freeze in the darkness, and the other half burn in the ceaseless day, and the people shrivel and die of thirst. Oh please, Elebrar, tell the goddess to set all things right agian!"
So eshu promised them that all would be made right and sent them away, but he did not take the sacrfices to olorun, for he was intrigued by the tale they told and decided to settle the matter himself. This was also his way for Elegbara was orisha of accident and chance as well and could never be predicted by mortals or even the other orishas. Instead he filled his pouches with treasure and set off to find Ojo and iku himself.
After much wandering and many adventures in the frozen wasts and the burning deserts, at last the prophet came upon the place where ojo and iku where warring, a place constructed half of rays of brillant sunlight and half of frozen pools of shadow. When he came into the main chamber, he saw the two quarreling orishas standing on either side of the room. Ojo stood in his bright rainment with his great tome of enlightenment tucked under one arm, and Iku crouched the other side, dressed as a simple peasant farmer, but with a handsome face and bearing his fearsome scythe which he used to reap the souls of hte dead. Seeing these two with their most powerful treasures in hand made Elegbara idea grow bigger still, but he concealed his glee with a cough and announced himself.
"I am Elegbara, gaurdian of the higheways messenger of the mighty Goddess, greatest of the orishas," he proclaimed and the two fell back a step, for he was a powerful orisha himself, and they knew what he might come to do. "Your feud is laying waste to the many kingdoms of the world and must end this very day. Bring forward the cause of the dispute so that I may see what has caused two powerful orishas to forget their duties and act so much like squabbling children."
At this the veils at the back of the chamber party and the most stunning young woman the troll had ever seen stepped forward. To describe her radiance would be to do a injustice to her, for the words truly needed to do so belong only to the nighest of the gods and cannot be captured in the low tounge, no matter how skillfully spoken. One look passed between them and instantly they were smitten with love for each other, and the plan that had been growing in Elegbaras mind at last reached fruition. He rubbed his chin as one does in serious contemplation hiding his smile, and said in his most solemn voice, "Now tell me of your dispute, that it might be settled fairly"
I was walking my paths across the world one morning, o great one" began ojo "when i came across this graceful creature drinking from an oasis. I was struk by her beauty and so hid myself behind a cloud and watched her in secret she is a wise woman, a fortune-teller, and braims with wisdom. I claim her as mine by right of affinity, for she too seeks to spread wisdom in darkness like the rays of the sun at dawn" Satisfied ojo bringer of the logic and the raven glowed with radiance, proud that his lore had served him.
A deep growling from the bringer of fury, "This one may think he was first to spy her, o powerful one," countered iku "but she has been mine from birth. When she was very young, if gifted her with the ability to see into my kingdom, to speak with the spirits of the dead, with the intention of taking her to me when she had come of age. I assert my claim by right of kinship." Iku displayed his great scythe confident his instincts had worn him the day once more.
Elegbara sat for a long time as if in delibration, then rose and spoke to the impatient orishas, "Both of you have an excellent claim to this maiden, and as messenger of the goddess I cannot deny one right in favor of the other, or sacred tradition is broken. Nor can you fight a duel, for to lose either of you would destroy the world for all time. And so there is but one solution left: The maiden herself must choose" At this the two orishas both turned to face the gorl. who cowered beneath the weight of their flashing eyes. But Elebara was clever and knew just what to do.
"Stop at once!" Eshu commanded, and they looked to him puzzled, "Cant you see the poor girl is overwhelmed by the presence of the two such great beings as yourselves? How can she decide if her will is pitched back and fourth between you like waves on the sea? She cannot!" Elegbara let this knowledge settle on them for a moment then spoke once morem his eyes alight with mischeif "There is a easy way to settle this." he said "but i will need your treasures to do it properly" When the two orishas protested, Elegbara held up a hand. saying "They are what most represents you are they not?" Then give them to me and I will take her out to the courtyard and let her examine them to see which she prefers. I myself will watch her closeley to ensure that she judges them fairly and correctly. Should she choose the book, I will entrust her to ojo, should she choose the scythe iku shall have her for himself agreed?"
Ojo and Iku were delighted by such a fair solution to such a difficult problem and gladly handed their treasures to to Elegbara. They then settled in to await the maidens decision. An hour passed, then another, then yet another, but neither moved for fear of incurring the goddess wrath. When a day had passed and there was still no word, however, iku at last spring to his feet, to impatient to care any longer, and strode out into the courtyard, Ojo following timidly behind. What else did they find but Elegbara and the maiden were long gone, leaving nothing but tracks, in the shifting deasert sands from the courtyard to the west with their treasures with them! For in their haste to have the maiden and their pride in their own strengths, they had forgotten that Elegbara is the orisha of chance, who walks outside the rules and needs respect no traditions.
With a great howl of outrage, Iku lept from the castle and gave chase, followed shortly thereafter by furious ojo. As they circled the world searching for Elegbara, it began to turn once more, until day and night were restored to their proper place and the kingdoms of trollhood were saved.. Thus did Elegbara start the world turning once more.
Coming to him, they threw themselves at his feet and wailed as one: "Oh, Elegbara most favored of the orishas, save us! We beg of you, take these sacrfices to the goddess and beg her to set the world right again." and they laid many treasures of gold, silver and ivory at his feet, for Elegbara was the messanger of the goddess, the greatest of the Orishas, and would carry prayers and sacrfices to her from all corners of the mortal world. Seeing these great treasures, Elebara began to get an idea, but first he put on his most serious face and scowled down at them.
"What would you require of the mighty goddess that i should trouble her with your worthless trinkets?" he asked, and the kings of the world trembled and said to him "ojo, the bringer of dawn, and iku keeper of the darkness of death are quarrling over a maiden. Each wants her for himself and until the matter is settled they refuse to turn the world. Already half our kingdoms are as ice, and our people freeze in the darkness, and the other half burn in the ceaseless day, and the people shrivel and die of thirst. Oh please, Elebrar, tell the goddess to set all things right agian!"
So eshu promised them that all would be made right and sent them away, but he did not take the sacrfices to olorun, for he was intrigued by the tale they told and decided to settle the matter himself. This was also his way for Elegbara was orisha of accident and chance as well and could never be predicted by mortals or even the other orishas. Instead he filled his pouches with treasure and set off to find Ojo and iku himself.
After much wandering and many adventures in the frozen wasts and the burning deserts, at last the prophet came upon the place where ojo and iku where warring, a place constructed half of rays of brillant sunlight and half of frozen pools of shadow. When he came into the main chamber, he saw the two quarreling orishas standing on either side of the room. Ojo stood in his bright rainment with his great tome of enlightenment tucked under one arm, and Iku crouched the other side, dressed as a simple peasant farmer, but with a handsome face and bearing his fearsome scythe which he used to reap the souls of hte dead. Seeing these two with their most powerful treasures in hand made Elegbara idea grow bigger still, but he concealed his glee with a cough and announced himself.
"I am Elegbara, gaurdian of the higheways messenger of the mighty Goddess, greatest of the orishas," he proclaimed and the two fell back a step, for he was a powerful orisha himself, and they knew what he might come to do. "Your feud is laying waste to the many kingdoms of the world and must end this very day. Bring forward the cause of the dispute so that I may see what has caused two powerful orishas to forget their duties and act so much like squabbling children."
At this the veils at the back of the chamber party and the most stunning young woman the troll had ever seen stepped forward. To describe her radiance would be to do a injustice to her, for the words truly needed to do so belong only to the nighest of the gods and cannot be captured in the low tounge, no matter how skillfully spoken. One look passed between them and instantly they were smitten with love for each other, and the plan that had been growing in Elegbaras mind at last reached fruition. He rubbed his chin as one does in serious contemplation hiding his smile, and said in his most solemn voice, "Now tell me of your dispute, that it might be settled fairly"
I was walking my paths across the world one morning, o great one" began ojo "when i came across this graceful creature drinking from an oasis. I was struk by her beauty and so hid myself behind a cloud and watched her in secret she is a wise woman, a fortune-teller, and braims with wisdom. I claim her as mine by right of affinity, for she too seeks to spread wisdom in darkness like the rays of the sun at dawn" Satisfied ojo bringer of the logic and the raven glowed with radiance, proud that his lore had served him.
A deep growling from the bringer of fury, "This one may think he was first to spy her, o powerful one," countered iku "but she has been mine from birth. When she was very young, if gifted her with the ability to see into my kingdom, to speak with the spirits of the dead, with the intention of taking her to me when she had come of age. I assert my claim by right of kinship." Iku displayed his great scythe confident his instincts had worn him the day once more.
Elegbara sat for a long time as if in delibration, then rose and spoke to the impatient orishas, "Both of you have an excellent claim to this maiden, and as messenger of the goddess I cannot deny one right in favor of the other, or sacred tradition is broken. Nor can you fight a duel, for to lose either of you would destroy the world for all time. And so there is but one solution left: The maiden herself must choose" At this the two orishas both turned to face the gorl. who cowered beneath the weight of their flashing eyes. But Elebara was clever and knew just what to do.
"Stop at once!" Eshu commanded, and they looked to him puzzled, "Cant you see the poor girl is overwhelmed by the presence of the two such great beings as yourselves? How can she decide if her will is pitched back and fourth between you like waves on the sea? She cannot!" Elegbara let this knowledge settle on them for a moment then spoke once morem his eyes alight with mischeif "There is a easy way to settle this." he said "but i will need your treasures to do it properly" When the two orishas protested, Elegbara held up a hand. saying "They are what most represents you are they not?" Then give them to me and I will take her out to the courtyard and let her examine them to see which she prefers. I myself will watch her closeley to ensure that she judges them fairly and correctly. Should she choose the book, I will entrust her to ojo, should she choose the scythe iku shall have her for himself agreed?"
Ojo and Iku were delighted by such a fair solution to such a difficult problem and gladly handed their treasures to to Elegbara. They then settled in to await the maidens decision. An hour passed, then another, then yet another, but neither moved for fear of incurring the goddess wrath. When a day had passed and there was still no word, however, iku at last spring to his feet, to impatient to care any longer, and strode out into the courtyard, Ojo following timidly behind. What else did they find but Elegbara and the maiden were long gone, leaving nothing but tracks, in the shifting deasert sands from the courtyard to the west with their treasures with them! For in their haste to have the maiden and their pride in their own strengths, they had forgotten that Elegbara is the orisha of chance, who walks outside the rules and needs respect no traditions.
With a great howl of outrage, Iku lept from the castle and gave chase, followed shortly thereafter by furious ojo. As they circled the world searching for Elegbara, it began to turn once more, until day and night were restored to their proper place and the kingdoms of trollhood were saved.. Thus did Elegbara start the world turning once more.
