Obatala went first and tried to clean him with his white cloth with no effect. Orula prepared a tonic to drink and Olofi remained the same, Ozain tried an herbal rub and the great king remained the same. Every Orisha tried and they were unsuccessful.
Elegua walked amongst the Orishas but since he was a child the Orishas out stood him. He shrugged on Yemaya’s skirt to get her attention and asked if he could try, Yemaya told him to behave and be quiet. He went to Oya and with the look she gave him, he ran to the legs of the others. He shrugged Aggayu’s pants and Aggayu told him his presence was not needed, for him to go play outside since this was a matter for the elders. Elegua soon grew upset.
He ran to Obatala and asked him if he could try. Obatala told him that his Ache had no match to heal Olofi. He went on to tell Elegua that all the other Orishas are trying their best to do what they can for the great king. Elegua looked at Obatala and told him he should be given a chance as he is a Orisha as well. Obatala raised his staff and ordered silence. He told them to step aside and let Elegua try and revive Olofi, all the Orishas whimpered under their breath not to make Obatala hear them as he is a father figure and the eldest.
Elegua walked slowly to Olofi’s throne and looked at him from head to toe. Elegua reached into his nap sack and pulled out three herbs. He was always roaming the woods and he has seen Ozain work with the different herbs of the forest. With the herbs he picked up he grabbed a leaf from each branch and placed it into the mouth of Olofi. Now all the Orishas were seeing this child on the lap of Olofi and how long would Obatala make this mockery last.
Elegua grabs the mouth of Olofi and manually moves it so that he can chew and swallow. After he swallowed the herbs, Elegua takes out a feather and passes it over the body of Olofi. After he is done, he walks off from the throne and Obatala has grief in his eyes as Olofi remained the same.
All the Orishas began to talk about how Elegua’s tactics were unforgivable and he should be reprimanded for it. A slight glow began to rise from Olofi’s chest and it began getting brighter, brighter until the great king stood mighty tall on his throne with light so powerful all Orishas fell to their feet.
Olofi called to Elegua and thanked him for what he had done. He asked how had he done it and Elegua responded that he studied every part of the forest and its secrets. He has seen how every Orisha worked differently and he went on telling Olofi that none of the Orishas would let him try but Obatala. Olofi smiled and told Elegua that from this day he would have virtue of opening all gates and doors and pathways. He gave Elegua a gold key that unlocked Olofi’s home and every door in the universe. He also blessed his feather, telling him with this feather he would be able to walk forward and backwards through time, through light and dark, through evil and good.
Olofi then proclaimed that Elegua would be his personal messenger and that they must always count on him in all they do. If Elegua wasn’t pleased, then their work and messages would not reach the castle. He then said that Elegua must be the first to eat at every ceremony and the first to be prayed to. With all this said, Olofi touched his head and an inner light glowed from Elegua.
As a kid at heart, he faced the court of Orishas and stuck out his tongue laughing. Olofi smiled at him and sent him on his way to maintain order in the crossroads of humanity and the Orishas.
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