The Woodpecker, the Diviner of Trees

A man wanted to build a great canoe, but he needed to find the perfect tree. He searched the forest but could not tell which tree was solid and which was rotten inside. He went to a babalawo (diviner), who told him, "The forest has its own diviner. You must look for the Woodpecker." The man returned to the forest and listened. Soon he heard the rhythmic tok-tok-tok of a woodpecker. He followed the sound and saw the bird tapping on a giant iroko tree. He watched as the bird tapped on several spots and then flew away. The man knew this was a sign. He cut down the tree and found it to be perfectly solid and sound, the best wood he had ever seen. He built a magnificent canoe. He had learned that every creature in the forest has its own deep knowledge and purpose. The Woodpecker's tapping was not just noise; it was a form of divination, a way of seeing into the heart of the wood.