Once day, three people who had been having bad luck decided to turn their luck around. They prayed to Eshu, guardian of the crossroads and messenger of the gods. “Eshu!” they cried out. “We call upon your blessings! Bring us knowledge and bring us power!”
Before too long, Eshu appeared. “What do you guys want?” he asked. “Why are you calling me?”
“We want knowledge and we want power!” the first man said, and the others nodded. “What do can we do for you so you will help us?”
“So that’s what you want, eh? Knowledge and power?” asked Eshu. “OK then, I want you guys to build me a house! Whoever builds me the best house is the one I will help.” And with those words, he left.
The first man spit on the ground and mixed his saliva in with the dirt. He knew that Eshu could be large, or small, and change as he liked, so he made a little house, thinking that would be fine.
The second man went to the river and fetched some water. He mixed the water in with dirt from the ground and made another house out of mud, the same size. Both men sat back and watched their houses dry, but the third man did nothing at all.
Soon Eshu came back to check on their progress. “Have you guys made houses for me yet?” he asked.
“Yes, ” the first two men replied.
Eshu began to chuckle. “And what about you?” he asked the third man. “Why didn’t you build me a house?”
“Look,” the third man said, turning to the first two houses.
First he blew on the first house, the one made out of dirt and saliva. It fell apart.
Then he blew on the second house, the one made out of dirt and water. It fell apart too.
“When I build you a house, it will be a strong house that nothing can blow down,” the third man told Eshu. And so Eshu agreed to help the third man.
MORAL: When you’re about to do something with yourself, make sure you have a strong foundation so that no wind can destroy what you set out to build. Why give Eshu a house built on sand? Take your time, and build on rock instead.
