At first there was no earth. There was Okun, the ocean, stretching over all things. Above the ocean was Olorun, the sky. Okun and Olorun contained all and possessed all things that there were.
Olorun had two sons. The elder’s name was Orisha. The name of the younger son was Odudua. They were living together in the sky.
Olorun called Orisha to him. He gave him a handful of earth and a hen with five claws. Olorun said to him, “Go down and make land upon Okun, the ocean.”
Orisha went. On the way he found some palm wine. He drank some of it and became drunk. Then he fell asleep.
Olorun saw this. He then called Odudua and said to him, “Thy elder brother has become drunk on his way below and has fallen asleep. Go thou, take this handful of earth and the hen with five claws and make land upon Okun.”
Odudua went. He took the handful of earth. He went down and laid it on the ocean. He put the hen with five claws on it. The hen began to scratch and spread the handful of earth about and forced the water aside. Much land then appeared.
The ocean grew less and less at this place and ran away through a small hole. From this small hole came holy water. This was the source of the holy river, the water of which heals and never fails.
Now Orisha was very angry because he himself had not created the earth. He and his brother fought for a long time and then both went underground and were never seen again.