EN-KI-DU (english version)

The two heroes were resting in the aftermath of the battle. Fighting had been exhausting as always. Defeat was too closed too many times and death tried to capture them in several moments. In the last instant, both warriors came over the monster and brought him down to the ground. Then they severed the giant’s head and dismembered the body. The cedar woods have no longer a guardian and its beauty offers wide open to both warriors.

Gilgamesh gets distracted remembering his city, the great Unug, while his brother in arms takes care of his own wounds. Then the cedars start to shake and rumble, some trees brake and others are tear down to pieces by a unnatural whirlwind. Both heroes are thrown to the ground, helpless against that mysterious wind.

Before them appears the goddess Inanna, supreme lady of the combats. She claims victory for the friends. Nevertheless, En-ki-du sees something strange in the goddess and tells his friend to be cautious about that strange situation.

Inanna approaches Gilgamesh and declares him celestial hero. The prince of Unug receives his price with doubt and not much enthusiasm. Inanna disappears and both heroes start jumping and celebrating, they held each other as real brothers. They scream victory and compare themselves to the gods.

Then night falls and the two warriors prepare themselves to get some rest. They fall asleep. They promise each other to look for new adventures in the morning.

Suddenly, a shining takes them away from their dreams. The goddess Inanna appears again before them. This time she wants Gilgamesh to take her, but he rejects her with violence. The hero from Unug knows the luck of the previous lovers of Inanna and he does not fall to her beauty.

Now Inanna is furious. She screams and promises misfortune and death to the heroes. Then she disappears. The companions feel the ground roaring and shaking bellow them with an overwhelming force. Expecting the worst, the friends are back to back and waiting for their destiny. The reason for the earthquake soon comes to sight. The powerful God An has sent one of his winged bulls to destroy those who offended his daughter. The enormous beast charges against the warriors, but at the end the monster is the one that perishes because of the strength of both comrades.

Gilgamesh starts to jump and scream of happiness. But En-ki-du is paralyzed, numb, away within his own mind. His brother sees him in that state and gets closer to En-ki-du.

- What is it great En-ki-du, hero among heroes?! – he shouts. We have prevailed!!

- Yes Gilgamesh, we have prevailed. Now, as I have done in thousands of years, I will wait for the God and his daughter to appear again. Then I will take a leg from the bull’s corpse and throw it to Inanna. My recklessness will take me to death. But the myth will stay alive. You will stay alive too and you will have time to think and become the thoughtful king of the city of Unug.

Gilgamesh is almost unable to answer the words of his friend. But he feels the sadness in his friend’s destiny.

- You speak with the truth En-ki-du, but … What can we do? One of us has to throw that bull’s leg and die because our exaggerated audacity and our disrespect to the gods. If not, the time will brake in his eternal order. The centuries will bend and the waters will flood everything. What will happen to the world?!!

- You also speak with the truth En-ki-du, oh king of Unug. But after all this centuries fighting together, it is time for you to show something more for your fellow fighter. Why don’t you throw the bull’s leg? Give that opportunity to whom has already dead too many times to be remembered. We will see each other in a new cycle. We will fight again with Gum-ba-ba and will defeat him. This time I will come back to your city after your death. I promise to lead your people with wisdom. I have learned a lot about humbleness and justice in this thousands of years. What say you Gilgamesh?!! Will you make a sacrifice for your brother En-ki-du?!!

Gilgamesh had no time for answering his friend’s question. The god An and his daughter Inanna just appeared in that very moment. En-ki-du walked to the bull’s corpse, but Gilgamesh pushed him away with violence, throwing En-ki-du over his back. The king of Unug took the bull’s leg and threw it over the goddess. Both deities disappeared.

- Thank you my brother! – cried En-ki-du. You have shown me how selfless you are. You have saved me and the cycle stays unaltered.

The two heroes prepared again to sleep. Nevertheless, Gilgamesh was not able to sleep. He knew he was going to die soon and not going back to his city. He surrendered to his memories and soon the morning was breaking. As he feels the sunlight his heart was filled with joy. He ran to his sleeping friend. But En-ki-du did not wake up. The pain and the horror he felt were more than whatever he had felt during uncountable years. His brother was dead, even though he was the one who throw the bull’s leg. Then the god An appeared to Gilgamesh.

- You are great among great heroes Gilgamesh. You have shown that to the Universe. But, remember, myths are unalterable. God’s and heroes’ fate is one and only one. Now go, you can begin your search for immortality.