Timewyrm - Genesys by John Peel

Author:John Peel [Peel, John]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780426203551
Publisher: London Bridge
Published: 1991-06-14T22:00:00+00:00

12

AVRAM’S TALE

Praise to Shulpae, god of feasting! He has given us food to delight us.

Praise to Ashnan, god of the barley! With his aid, we quench our thirsts.

Praise to Gilgamesh, king of men! By his protection, we are safe, and warm, and fed.

Listen!

In the east, by the waters of Ocean, there stand great mountains

Jagged, and strong, they challenge the realm of Anu, father of gods.

Men call them the mountains of Mashu, gateway to the day.

In the rocks, the ibis frolics. In the peaks, the itubi-birds sing.

In the pathways, the zuqaqip stand. They are tall, like men,

Tall as the sons of men! And strong they are.

In one hand, they can crush a boulder; yes, even a stone the size of a man.

Their skins are not as the skins of men, nor like the fur of the beasts.

In the place of hair, they are clothed in metal. In the light of Shamash, they glow.

When the sun falls upon them, bright is their appearance!

They stand at the gateway to the gods, and they neither slumber nor sleep.

Ever-watchful, they wait, and waiting, they serve.

Strong is the arm of the zuqaqip, but stronger yet his sting!

Like the arrows of Adad, whose storms sweep the land

The arrows that fly and bring fire to the land

So are the stings of the zuqaqip, the watchers by the way.

Like the arrows of Adad, they fly and burn. Like the arrows of Adad, they cut and kill.

Who can withstand these stings? Can mortal man?

Can a man crush a rock, till like sand it falls?

Can a man call out, and cause Adad to rise?

Can a man stay without sleeping seven times seven days?

Who can withstand the strength of these watchers?

And what do they guard, these zuqaqip?

What secret so great could they keep from our eyes?

Listen!

Beyond those mountains lies the garden of the gods.

In those fields, the first-born sons of the immortals dwell.

Even the kin of Utnapishtim!

Who is this Utnapishtim? Who but the saviour of his people.

In a far land they dwelled, in peace and comfort. None there worked, save so they wished. None there toiled, nor dug, nor spun.

In their place, their servants worked. For their praise, their maids toiled.

All of the sons of Mashu were blessed. All of their lives were gentle and long.

Then came among them Ishtar the great. Ishtar the beautiful, Ishtar the proud.

‘Shall men forever sit idle?’ she asked. ‘Shall their lot be ease? No!’

Instead, she enchained them, and made them toil. They who had known rest

Now knew only work. They who had led their gentle lives now sweated

To give Ishtar praise, they laboured.

Then Utnapishtim, strong and wise, saw what had befallen.

He wept, and cried, and tore at his hair in despair.

‘How far are you fallen, children of dawn! How hard it is for you.

And, kind father,’ he made vow: ‘Soon shall you be free!’

Setting his powers to work, Utnapishtim, wise and cunning, Loosened bolts of thunder, and arrows of Adad.

Storms raged! Wind rose! Waters grew! The very earth shook!

Then Ishtar, seeing this, grew angry and afraid.

‘If you do this,’ she cried, ‘then men will die.

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