Literature (Discussion Questions)

The Huluppu Tree

In the first days, in the very first days,

In the first nights, in the very first nights, In the first years, in the very first years, In the first days when everything needed was brought into being, In the first days when everything needed was properly nourished, When bread was baked in the shrines of the land, And bread was tasted in the homes of the land, When heaven had moved away from earth, And earth had separated from heaven, And the name of man was fixed; When the Sky God, An, had carried off the heavens, And the Air God, Enlil, had carried off the earth, When the Queen of the Great Below, Ereshkigal, was given the underworld for her domain, He set sail; the Father set sail, Enki, the God of Wisdom, set sail for the underworld. Small windstones were tossed up against him; Large hailstones were hurled up against him; Like onrushing turtles, They charged the keel of Enki's boat. The waters of the sea devoured the bow of his boat like wolves; The waters of the sea struck the stern of his boat like lions.

At that time, a tree, a single tree, a Huluppu tree Was planted by the banks of the Euphrates. The tree was nurtured by the waters of the Euphrates. The whirling South Wind arose, pulling at its roots And ripping at its branches Until the waters of the Euphrates carried it away.

A woman who walked in fear of the word of the Sky God, An, Who walked in fear of the word of the Air God, Enlil, Plucked the tree from the river and spoke:

"I shall bring this tree to Uruk. I shall plant this tree in my holy garden.,'

Inanna cared for the tree with her hand. She settled the earth around the tree with her foot. She wondered:

"How long will it be until I have a shining throne to sit upon? How long will it be until I have a shining bed to lie upon?"

The years passed; five years, then ten years. The tree grew thick, But its bark did not split.

Then a serpent who could not be charmed

Made its nest in the roots of the Huluppu-tree. The Anzu-bird set his young in the branches of the tree. And the dark maid Lilith built her home in the trunk.

The young woman who loved to laugh wept. How Inanna wept! (Yet they would not leave her tree.)

As the birds began to sing at the coming of the dawn, The Sun God, Utu, left his royal bedchamber. Inanna called to her brother Utu, saying: "O Utu, in the days when the fates were decreed, When abundance overflowed in the land, When the Sky God took the heavens and the Air God the earth; When Ereshkigal was given the Great Below for her domain, The God of Wisdom, Father Enki, set sail for the underworld, And the underworld rose up and attacked him. . . .

At that time, a tree, a single tree' a Huluppu tree Was planted by the banks of the Euphrates' The south wind pulled at its rots and ripped at its branches Until the waters of the Euphrates carried it away' I plucked the tree from the river; I brought it to my holy garden'. I tended the tree' waiting shining throne and bed'

Then a serpent who could not be charmed Made its nest in the roots of tree,

The Anzu-bird set his young in the branches of the tree, And the dark maid Lilith built her home in the trunk I wept How I wept! (Yet they would not leave my tree')"

Utu, the valiant warrior, Utu Would not help his sister, Inanna.

As the birds began to sing at the coming of the second dawn' Inanna called to her brother Gilgamesh' saying: "O Gilgamesh' in the days when the fates were decreed, When abundance overflowed in Sumer,

When the Sky God had taken the heavens and the Air God the earth'

When Ereshkigal was given the Great Below for her domain, The God of Wisdom, Father Enki, set sail for the underworld, And the underworld rose up and attacked him. At that time, a tree, a single tree, a huluppu-tree Was planted by the banks of the Euphrates. The South Wind pulled at its roots and ripped at its branches Until the waters of the Euphrates carried it away. I plucked the tree from the river;

I brought it to my holy garden. I tended the tree, waiting for my shining throne and bed.

Then a serpent who could not be charmed Made its nest in the roots of the tree,

The Anzu-bird set his young in the branches of the tree, And the dark maid Lilith built her home in the trunk. I wept. How I wept! (Yet they would not leave my tree.)"

Gilgamesh the valiant warrior, Gilgamesh, The hero of Uruk, stood by Inanna

.

Gilgamesh fastened his armor of fifty minas around his chest. The fifty minas weighed as little to him as fifty feathers. He lifted his bronze ax, the ax of the road, Weighing seven talents and seven minas, to his shoulder. He entered Inanna's holy garden.

Gilgamesh struck the serpent who could not be charmed. The Anzu-bird flew with his young to the mountains; And Lilith smashed her home and fled to the wild, uninhabited places. Gilgamesh then loosened the roots of the huluppu-tree; And the sons of the city, who accompanied him, cut off the branches.

From the trunk of the tree he carved a throne for his holy sister. From the trunk of the tree Gilgamesh carved a bed for Inanna.

From the roots of the tree she fashioned a pukku for her brother. From the crown of the tree Inanna fashioned a mikku for Gilgamesh, the hero of Uruk.

THE HOLY PRIESTESS OF HEAVEN

I say, "Hail!" to the Holy One who appears in the heavens! I say, "Hail!" to the Holy Priestess of Heaven! I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven! Holy Torch! You fill the sky with light! You brighten the day at dawn! I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven! Awesome Lady of the Annuna Gods! Crowned with great horns, You fill the heavens and earth with light! I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, First Daughter of the Moon! Mighty, majestic, and radiant, You shine brilliantly in the evening, You brighten the day at dawn, You stand in the heavens like the sun and the moon, Your wonders are known both above and below, To the greatness of the holy priestess of heaven, To you, Inanna, I sing!

LOUD THUNDERING STORM

Proud Queen of the Earth Gods, supreme Among the Heaven Gods, Loud thundering storm, you pour your rain over ail the lands and all the people. You make the heavens tremble and the earth quake. Great Priestess, who can soothe your troubled heart?

You flash like lightning over the highlands; you throw your firebrands across the earth. Your deafening command, whistling like the south wind, splits apart great mountains. You trample the disobedient like a wild bull; heaven and earth tremble. Holy Priestess, who can soothe your troubled heart?

Your frightful cry descending from the heavens devours its victims. Your quivering hand causes the midday heat to hover over the sea. Your nighttime stalking of the heavens chills the land with its dark breeze. Holy Inanna, the riverbanks overflow with the flood-waves of your heart. . . .

On the seventh day when the crescent moon reaches its fullness, You bathe and sprinkle your face with holy water. You cover your body with the long woolen garments of queenship. You fasten combat and battle to your side; You tie them into a girdle and let them rest.

In Eridu you received the me from the God of Wisdom, Father Enki presented the me to you at his holy shrine in Eridu. He placed queenship and godship in your hands.

You mount the steps to your high throne. In all majesty you sit there With your beloved husband, Dumuzi, at your side.

The gods of the land, wishing to hear their fate, come before you. The gods of heaven and earth kneel before you. The living creatures and the people of Sumer come before you. The people of Sumer who parade before you Are caught in your gaze,

And held in our holy yoke.

THE HOLY ONE The people of Sumer parade before you. They play the sweet ala-drums before you. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven!

They beat the holy drum and timpani before you. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven! They play the holy harp and timpani before you. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, First Daughter of the Moon!

The male prostitutes comb their hair before you. They decorate the napes of their necks with colored scarfs, They drape the cloak of the gods about their shoulders. The righteous man and woman walk before you. They hold the soothing harp by their sides. Those who follow wear the sword belt. They grasp the spear in their hands.

The people of Sumer parade before you.

The women adorn their right side with men's clothing. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven!

The men adorn their left side with women's clothing. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven!

The people compete with jump ropes and colored cords. The people of Sumer parade before you.

I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, First Daughter of the Moon!

The young men, who carry hoops, sing to you. The maidens and coiffured priestesses walk before you, They carry the sword and double-edged ax. The ascending kurgarra priests raise their swords before you. The priest, who covers his sword with blood, sprinkles blood, He sprinkles blood over the throne of the court chamber. The tigi-drum, the sem-d.rum, and the ala-tambourine resound!

In the heavens the Holy One appears alone.

My Lady looks in sweet wonder from heaven. She looks in sweet wond.er on all the lands And on the people of Sumer as numerous as sheep.