SPIRITUALITY / RELIGION "With brilliant and beautiful narratives, ocha'ni Lele skillfully navigates the complex stories of the ancient Yoruba people. The myths presented in Diloggun Tales of the Natural World are eternal; equally as profound as those of the Greeks and Romans. With a compelling power akin to the I Ching, this work is well overdue. Finally, we have an author willing to serve up the spiritual beauty of ancient Africa at the table of the modern world. Clearly, there is a legacy beginning to unfold. What a blessing!" --Iyanla Vanzant, founder of Inner Visions Spiritual Institute and author of Peace from Broken Pieces Since ancient times the Yoruba of West Africa created sacred stories--patakis--to make sense of the world around them. Upon arrival in the New World, the Yoruba religion began to incorporate elements from Catholic and Native traditions, evolving into Santeria, and new patakis were born, adding to the many chapters already found in the odu of the diloggun--the sacred oral teachings and divination system of the Yoruba, or Lucumi, faith. Comparable to the myths of ancient Greece and Rome and rich with jewels of wisdom like the I Ching, these Santeria stories are as vast as the Hindu Vedas and as culturally significant as the parables in the Torah, Talmud, and Christian Bible. Diloggun Tales of the Natural World presents more than 40 patakis that shed light upon the worldview of Santeria. Each story in this collection, reassembled from the oral tradition of the African diaspora, is centered on a spiritual principle in nature: the waxing and waning of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, the phenomenon of shooting stars, the separation of sky and earth, and the origins of the animals and birds who play key roles in Santeria symbology. Revealing the metaphysics, theology, and philosophy of the Yoruba people, this volume shows these stories to be as powerful and relevant today as they were to the ancient Yoruba who once safeguarded them. oCHA'NI LELE has been immersed in the underground culture of orisha worship since 1989. He made Ocha in 2000 and was crowned a priest of Oya. His other books include Teachings of the Santeria Gods, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination, Obi Oracle of Cuban Santeria, and The Diloggun: The Orishas, Proverbs, Sacrifices, and Prohibitions of Cuban Santeria. He lives in Winter Park, Florida.

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: The Importance of Patakís 1 Patakís from the Composites of Okana The Separation of Heaven and Earth The Separation of Sky and Earth The Story of the Maja Obatalá’s Favorite Dove, or, How the Cat Lost His Dinner The Birth of the Dead Sea How Osain Became an Herbalist 2 Patakís from the Composites of Eji Oko The Story of Rain and Drought The Birth of Rain The Sickness of the Swamp 3 Patakís from the Composites of Ogundá Why the Cat Is Chased But Not Caught How the Cat and the Ferret Became Enemies Where the Goat Was First Sacrificed 4 Patakís from the Composites of Irosun The Sun, the Moon, the Fire, and the Water The War between Fire and Water The Cat, the Rat, and the Fish 5 Patakís from the Composites of Oché Poverty and Hunger The Birth of Menstruation How the Hummingbird Was Born Even a Woman Can Hunt 6 Patakís from the Composites of Obara The Mountain Money Is Trouble, and Trouble Is Death How the Rosary Bead Plant Got Its Ashé The Kingdom of Earth, the Kingdom of Heaven 7 Patakís from the Composites of Odí Iroko, the Tree of Life How the Birds Got Their Wings How the Maraca Was Born The Pact of the Hand and the Anus 8 Patakís from the Composites of Unle The Rock and the Cactus How the Moon Fooled the Sun and Saved the Earth The Waxing and Waning of the Moon Ekún Fails to Make Ebó The Tale of Cotton The Calabash of Ashé 9 Patakís from the Composites of Osá How the Frog Got Its Poison The Birth of Red Blood Cells How the Turtle Won the Race Why Butterflies Stay in the Country Why the Sea Is Salty 10 Patakís from the Composites of Ofún How the Pigeon Was First Sacrificed Why Orúnmila Eats Hens, and Not Roosters Ananagú: How Osogbo Was Freed in the World 11 Patakís from the Composites of Owani The Old Woman and the Leopard The Osogbos (Misfortunes) and the Àkùko (Rooster) The Earth and the Wind 12 Patakís from the Composites of Ejila Shebora The Lands of Lesa and Mogue The Hunter and the Leopard The Tale of the Spiders Glossary Index