Oshun - Yoruba

This is a story about Oshun, a beautiful spirit whose laughter sounded like splashing water. Long ago, the world was very new, but it grew quiet and dry. The other great spirits, the Orishas, made big things like tall mountains and loud thunder. But they forgot about the gentle, sweet things. This is the myth of Oshun, and how she brought the rivers back to the world.

The sun was hot. The flowers were so thirsty, and no birds sang their happy songs. The world was sad and quiet. Oshun saw this, and she knew she had to help. She put on her favorite dress, which was a bright, happy yellow. She put on her shiny brass bracelets that went jingle-jangle. Then, Oshun began to dance. Her feet went patter-patter on the dry ground. Her arms flowed like a gentle stream. With every spin and every twirl, cool water bubbled up. Splash, splash, splash. The other Orishas stopped their noisy work. They watched her beautiful dance and saw the water. They finally understood that the world needed sweetness and joy.

The little splashes of water grew bigger and bigger. They became little streams that wiggled and giggled across the land. Soon, the streams grew into big, sparkling rivers that flowed everywhere. The thirsty flowers lifted their heads to take a long, cool drink. The world was full of bright colors and happy sounds again. Oshun brought the sweetness back. This story reminds us that gentle things, like a dance or a kind smile, can be very strong. When you see a river shining in the sun, you can think of Oshun's happy dance and the joy she brought to the world.