The Stranger at the Door
Philosophical Summary
Tells the story of a rich man who turned away a dirty traveler. The traveler was Esu in disguise. The next day, a sudden wind destroyed the rich man's farm. Meanwhile, a poor farmer who fed the traveler was rewarded when the wind dropped gold on his property.
Summary
A test of character masked as a request for food leads to a sudden reversal of fortunes.
Interpretation
Tests of Character. It teaches that our 'Openness' to the unexpected is the barometer of our spiritual readiness. Esu is the monitor of character, ensuring that those who lack compassion eventually lose the weight of their stolen prosperity.
Sacred Verses
English
Esu traveled as a beggar, smelling of the road and covered in dust. He knocked on the door of a man with full granaries who slammed the door in his face. Esu then visited a man who had only a bowl of corn; the man shared half with the stranger. The next morning, a supernatural wind blew. It stripped the rich man's roof and scattered his grain to the birds. But over the poor man's field, the same wind rained down gold coins and rain that blessed his seeds. Esu revealed: 'The door you close on a stranger is the door you close on your own destiny.'
Tradition Perspectives
Source: Standard Ifá Oral Tradition