Iansã transforms the wounds of Obaluaê into popcorn
Arriving from his travels to the village of his birth,
Obaluaê saw that a party was rolling
And all the orixás were in attendance.
Obaluaê could not enter the party
Due to his frightful appearance.
So, he peered in from the slits in the terreiro walls.
Ogum, noticing the anguish of the orixá,
draped him in a cover of straw which hid his head
and invited him to enter and
enjoy the happiness of the revelers.
Even though he was embarrassed, Obaluaê entered
but no one came near him.
Iansã followed everything out of the corner of her eye.
She understood the sadness of Obaluaê's situation
And she sympathized with him.
Iansã waited until he was in the center of the room.
The party was swinging
The orixás danced happily with their caretakers.
Iansã drew up close to him
And blew his covering of straw
raising the stalks that covered his illness.
In this moment of magic and windstorm,
the sores of Obaluaê leapt off his body
and were transformed into a rain of popcorn
that burst white and spread over the room.
Obaluaê, the god of disease, was transformed into a young man
A beautiful and charming young man.
Obaluaê and Iansã Igbalé became great friends
And reigned together over the world of spirits,
sharing the unique power to open and interrupt
the demands of the dead over the living.
