The Death of the Humbaba
Gilgamesh needed to travel to the last iceberg of the Earth, where Humbaba, the ice protector, lived. The warrior went to his friend’s house, Enkidu, to express his desire for the adventure and his need for his friend to have his back. “Enkidu, we must leave to meet Humbaba. It’s far too cold in this land, and we need to melt the ice so the heat can return to our homes,” Gilgamesh spoke vividly.
“No! Do you know what is going to happen if we disturb this nature? Have you thought about it even one second ahead of your passion?” Enkidu replied wisely. Snow started to fall while the two friends gazed at each other, trying to persuade one another regarding the reasons to go or not go on the icy adventure. “I need to go, friend. In the name of God, we must face Humbaba. That’s all I ask,” Gilgamesh muttered.
Tea was poured by Enkidu’s wife. She had heard the discussion from the kitchen, but she didn’t want to get into men’s business, even if they sounded childish and crazy. “Gilga, we’ve been friends since childhood; we’ve been through troubles, wars, and so forth. But this request is utterly impossible to achieve. It’s dangerous to alter Humbaba’s will. It must protect that ice, and sacred words have dictated that no man must metamorphose this. Please…” Enkidu spoke again so calmly that Gilgamesh felt his mind was slipping into his nonsense desire.
“If you’re cold, set up a bonfire. Look at those dead trees. They can warm you during the extreme winter of these times. They can heat your meals, your home, and the bed that you share with your love,” Enkidu continued his sermon, while Gilgamesh’s eyes rolled toward the floor in a sign of shame for merely entertaining the thought of destroying a god.
“I’m sorry, my friend. I know I sound like a lunatic nowadays, but there’s no sun; there isn't a single glance of light in this dark world, and it’s only noon! My body feels numb; it needs the powers from the golden master, and the heat is far away from us in time.” Gilgamesh sounded as though regret had sprouted from his tongue, but behind his tensed muscles, other intentions were hidden.
The following day, Gilgamesh mounted his horse and rode towards Humbaba’s icy foyer deep in the south of the planet. It took him several months to reach the eternal iceberg. He saw Humbaba contemplating its kingdom, just as a king does before a war. Gilgamesh, utilizing an arrow prepared with cobra venom, struck the head of the god. Finally, he accomplished his wicked dream of never feeling cold again.
The earth began to feel the absence of Humbaba. The ice melted quickly, and the sea level rose, flooding the palm tree islands where villages gathered coconut oil and milk, their only wealth. The golden master shone so strongly that all crops burnt, and famine took over Gilgamesh’s family and friends, including Enkidu. “I told you, I warned you, and your stubborn mind didn’t listen. I have shame upon me for being your friend. Now, I’m dying because of your greed and careless heart.” Those were the last words of Enkidu.
Several centuries have gone by, and a portion of the eternal iceberg was extracted from the melted ice. Modern humans placed it into a museum where the cold winter section is exhibited as: “Once upon a time, the earth had seasons; winter was one of them, but not anymore. You can feel it, however, just for five minutes. Please don’t take photos and don't touch the exhibits.”
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