The Huluppu Tree, version 1


 * In days of yore, in the distant days of yore,
 * In nights of yore, in the far-off nights of yore,
 * In days of yore, in the distant days of yore,


 * After in days of yore all things needful had been brought into being,
 * After in days of yore all things needful had been ordered,
 * After bread had been tasted in the shrines of the Land,
 * After bread had been baked in the ovens of the Land,
 * After heaven had been moved away from earth,
 * After earth had been separated from heaven,
 * After the name of man had been fixed,
 * After An had carried off heaven,
 * After Enlil had carried off earth,
 * After Ereshkigal had been carried off into the nether world as its prize --


 * After he had set sail, after he had set sail,
 * After the father had set sail for the nether world,
 * Against the king, the small were hurled,
 * Against Enki, the large were hurled,
 * Its small stones of the hand,
 * Its large stones of the dancing reeds,
 * The keel of Enki's boat,
 * Overwhelm in battle like an attacking storm,
 * Against the king, the water at the head of the boat,
 * Devours like a wolf,
 * Against Enki, the water at the rear of the boat,
 * Strikes down like a lion.


 * Once upon a time, a tree, a huluppu, a tree --
 * It had been planted on the bank of the Euphrates,
 * It was watered by the Euphrates --
 * The violence of the South Wind plucked up its roots,
 * Tore away its crown,
 * The Euphrates carried it off on its waters.


 * The woman, roving about in fear at the word of An,
 * Roving about in fear at the word of Enlil,
 * Took the tree in her hand, brought it to Erech:
 * "I shall bring it to pure Inanna's fruitful garden."


 * The woman tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * Inanna tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * "When will it be a fruitful throne for me to sit on," she said,
 * "When will it be a fruitful bed for me to lie on," she said.


 * The tree grew big, its trunk bore no foliage,
 * In its roots the snake who knows no charm set up its nest,
 * In its crown the Imdugud-bird placed its young,
 * In its midst the maid Lilith built her house --
 * The always laughing, always rejoicing maid,
 * The maid Inanna -- how she weeps!


 * As light broke, as the horizon brightened,
 * As Utu came forth from the "princely field,"
 * His sister, the holy Inanna,
 * Says to her brother Utu:
 * "My brother, after in days of yore the fates had been decreed,
 * After abundance had sated the land,
 * After An had carried off heaven,
 * After Enlil had carried off earth,
 * After Ereshkigal had been carried off into the nether world as its prize --


 * After he had set sail, after he had set sail,
 * After the father had set sail for the nether world,
 * Against the king, the small were hurled,
 * Against Enki, the large were hurled,
 * Its small stones of the hand,
 * Its large stones of the dancing reeds,
 * The keel of Enki's boat,
 * Overwhelm in battle like an attacking storm,
 * Against the king, the water at the head of the boat,
 * Devours like a wolf,
 * Against Enki, the water at the rear of the boat,
 * Strikes down like a lion.


 * Once upon a time, a tree, a huluppu, a tree --
 * It had been planted on the bank of the Euphrates,
 * It was watered by the Euphrates --
 * The violence of the South Wind plucked up its roots,
 * Tore away its crown,
 * The Euphrates carried it off on its waters.


 * The woman, roving about in fear at the word of An,
 * Roving about in fear at the word of Enlil,
 * Took the tree in her hand, brought it to Erech:
 * "I shall bring it to pure Inanna's fruitful garden.'


 * The woman tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * Inanna tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * "When will it be a fruitful throne for me to sit on,' she said,
 * "When will it be a fruitful bed for me to lie on,' she said.


 * The tree grew big, its trunk bore no foliage,
 * In its roots the snake who knows no charm set up its nest,
 * In its crown the Imdugud-bird placed its young,
 * In its midst the maid Lilith built her house --
 * The always laughing, always rejoicing maid,
 * I, the maid Inanna, how I weep!"


 * Her brother, the hero, the valiant Utu,
 * Stood not by her in this matter.


 * As light broke, as the horizon brightened,
 * As Utu came forth from the "princely field,"
 * His sister, the holy Inanna,
 * Speaks to the hero Gilgamesh:
 * "My brother, after in days of yore the fates had been decreed,
 * After abundance had sated the land,
 * After An had carried off heaven,
 * After Enlil had carried off earth,
 * After Ereshkigal had been carried off into the nether world as its prize --


 * After he had set sail, after he had set sail,
 * After the father had set sail for the nether world,
 * Against the king, the small were hurled,
 * Against Enki, the large were hurled,
 * Its small stones of the hand,
 * Its large stones of the dancing reeds,
 * The keel of Enki's boat,
 * Overwhelm in battle like an attacking storm,
 * Against the king, the water at the head of the boat,
 * Devours like a wolf,
 * Against Enki, the water at the rear of the boat,
 * Strikes down like a lion.


 * Once upon a time, a tree, a huluppu, a tree --
 * It had been planted on the bank of the Euphrates,
 * It was watered by the Euphrates --
 * The violence of the South Wind plucked up its roots,
 * Tore away its crown,
 * The Euphrates carried it off on its waters.


 * The woman, roving about in fear at the word of An,
 * Roving about in fear at the word of Enlil,
 * Took the tree in her hand, brought it to Erech:
 * "I shall bring it to pure Inanna's fruitful garden.'


 * The woman tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * Inanna tended the tree with her hand, placed it by her foot,
 * "When will it be a fruitful throne for me to sit on,' she said,
 * "When will it be a fruitful bed for me to lie on,' she said.


 * The tree grew big, its trunk bore no foliage,
 * In its roots the snake who knows no charm set up its nest,
 * In its crown the Imdugud-bird placed its young,
 * In its midst the maid Lilith built her house --
 * The always laughing, always rejoicing maid,
 * I, the maid Inanna, how I weep!"


 * Her brother, the hero Gilgamesh,
 * Stood by her in this matter,
 * He donned armor weighing fifty minas about his waist --
 * Fifty minas were handled by him like thirty shekels --
 * His "ax of the road" --
 * Seven talents and seven minas -- he took in his hand,
 * At its roots he struck down the snake who knows no charm,
 * In its crown the Imdugud-bird took its young, climbed to the mountains,
 * In its midst the maid Lilith tore down her house, fled to the wastes.


 * The tree -- he plucked at its roots, tore at its crown,
 * The sons of the city who accompanied him cut off its branches,
 * He gives it to holy Inanna for her throne,
 * Gives it to her for her bed,
 * She fashions its roots into a pukku for him,
 * Fashions its crown into a mikku for him.


 * The summoning pukku -- in street and lane he made the pukku resound,
 * The loud drumming -- in street and lane he made the drumming resound,
 * The young men of the city, summoned by the pukku --
 * Bitterness and woe -- he is the affliction of their widows,
 * "O my mate, O my spouse," they lament,
 * Who had a mother -- she brings bread to her son,
 * Who had a sister -- she brings water to her brother.


 * After the evening star had disappeared,
 * And he had marked the places where his pukku had been,
 * He carried the pukku before him, brought it to his house,
 * At dawn in the places he had marked -- bitterness and woe!
 * Captives! Dead! Widows!


 * Because of the cry of the young maidens,
 * His pukku and mikku fell into the "great dwelling,"
 * He put in his hand, could not reach them,
 * Put in his foot, could not reach them,
 * He sat down at the great gate ganzir, the "eye" of the nether world,
 * Gilgamesh wept, his face turns pale . . ..


 * The Sumerians. Samuel Noah Kramer, p. 199.