A story where a man was pursued by Iku (Death) and hid in the ant-hill (the house of Òyẹ̀kú). By performing the necessary sacrifice of a black animal, he confused the Spirit of Death and escaped. This story establishes Òyẹ̀kú as the 'Hiding Place of the Living.'
A man whose time had not yet come was being relentlessly pursued by the spirit of Iku. He ran through the forest, but Iku was always behind him. He came upon a massive ant-hill, the sacred home of Òyẹ̀kú Méjì. A priest told him to sacrifice a black goat and crawl inside the hollow of the earth. When Iku arrived, he could only see the blackness of the hole and the blood of the sacrifice. He believed he had already taken the soul and moved on. The man emerged safe, learning that Òyẹ̀kú is not just the end of life, but the secret sanctuary where life is preserved from the premature grasp of death.