So Nice Play It Twice
Earth Doesn’t Love Us
Our Species
Our Cousins
Where there are humans,
You’ll find flies,
And Buddhas.
Kobayashi Issa
The Story of Twins – Baba Wáňdé Abimbólá
At one time, the king of Ife went into the forest (against the advice of his advisors and kin). His only son was ill and none of the diviners/healers was able to cure him. The king went looking for a particular tree he thought would cure his son. He went where he remembered it, but it wasn’t there. He then went to another place he thought it was, but nothing looked familiar. Before long he was lost. Earlier, the òrìşà Ifa (Òrúnmilá) had twin children called Ędun. One was male, one female. They were humans but they had tails. Their mother, Pèrègúnlèlè, had many husbands, and had children with each of them. Ifa taught them (the Ędun) how to make medicine. They weren’t particularly happy with the humans, because the people mocked them because of their tails. When they were of age, Ędun went into the bush.
Back to the king.
Ędun saw the king, lost in the forest and exclaimed “the source of good character is lost”. This sounds like the cry of the colobus monkey. They asked the king, “Why are you here?” He replied, “I am lost in the forest. I don’t know the way back to town.” Ędun brought water to the king and he drank. Then Ędun told the king to mount on their back. They traveled rapidly, tree to tree back to the edge of the city. They asked if he could find his way home from there and he said “yes”. Then Ędun left and the king called all his advisors and kin and said he would not go to the palace until the whole world had a chance to celebrate his return. The invitation to the party, called Oşìn, was sent to everyone.
There are 18 apartments in the royal palace. The King lives in the farthest back apartment, the 18th. The 17th apartment is for the diviners. There are 16 royal diviners who are, after initiation and election/appointment, kings in their own right.
Then Ędun (the colobus monkey) went. They were warned about the rudeness and shame found by the other animals but they were human and had helped the king. They also knocked on the door at Ìlèkùn Olà. The response was the same. The Ędun replied “When the king was lost, we brought him back. When he was thirsty we gave him water to drink. How can you keep us out?” The king heard them and replied, “That is true, open the door and let them in.” Ędun said “No, you don’t need to open the door, we will open it.”
The people inside tried to open it, but were unsuccessful. Ędun then used their àşe, or their medicine, learned from Ifa himself, to open the door. They then became one of the Awo Oòni, diviner kings in the 17th apartment of the royal palace. Because of Ędun, twin children are revered (or worshiped) as Ìbejì.
