Oshun - Yoruba

Do you hear that gentle, happy sound? It’s like music flowing over smooth, colorful stones in a stream. That sound is me, Oshun, and people say my voice is as sweet as honey. Long, long ago, when the world was brand new, the other Orishas, who are great and powerful spirits, were busy building everything. They were all very strong and made tall, rocky mountains and vast, empty skies. But they were in such a big hurry that they made the world hard and dry, forgetting the most important thing of all: sweetness. They forgot about the happy gurgle of a river, the sweet smell of flowers, and the feeling of a cool drink of water on a hot day. They forgot about kindness and love. This is the famous myth of how I, Oshun, had to remind them that the world needs gentleness to truly live and be beautiful for everyone.

The other Orishas, all strong and powerful, built mountains that touched the clouds and skies that went on forever. But without me, the sun beat down too hard, and the ground became cracked and thirsty, like a cookie left out too long. No pretty plants would grow, and no colorful flowers would bloom. The people and animals were sad and tired because there was no water to drink. The Orishas had forgotten to invite me to their meetings. They thought my gentle ways weren't as important as their loud thunder and mighty winds. 'We don't need sweetness,' they must have thought. Seeing the world suffering made my heart ache, so I quietly withdrew my power. I held back all the rivers and streams I command. A great, sad silence fell over the land. The other Orishas tried everything to fix it. They stomped their feet to make rain and blew their winds to cool the earth, but nothing worked. Finally, they went to the wise creator, Olodumare, who knew everything. Olodumare told them, 'You have ignored Oshun, and without her, there can be no life.' The Orishas looked at each other, and I think they felt very silly. They finally understood their mistake and came to me with shiny gifts and big apologies. They learned that every voice, whether it's gentle like a whisper or strong like a storm, is needed to make the world a happy place.

When I saw that they had learned their lesson, my heart felt happy and light again. I forgave them and let my sweet, cool waters flow once more. Imagine the sound. The rivers gurgled and danced, the land drank up the water and turned a beautiful, bright green. Soon, the world was filled with the happy music of buzzing bees, singing birds, and laughing children. This story, which was first told by the wonderful Yoruba people in West Africa around cozy campfires, teaches a very important lesson. It teaches us that kindness and love are some of the most powerful forces in the whole world. It shows that everyone, no matter how quiet their voice may seem, has an important gift to share. Even today, people celebrate this story. They see my spirit in the flowing rivers of Nigeria, especially at a place called the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. Every year in August, there is a big festival there to honor me. My story lives on, a sparkling reminder that a little bit of sweetness can make the whole world bloom.