With his first breath, Anu created Enlil his son who became everything in between the heavens and the earth. Seated at the right hand of Anu, Enlil begat Enki, the master craft worker of the Earth and assigner of the Fates. Gathering his sisters, Enki gift them each a Fate and employment in the order of the World. Enki, O he who created men of clay began assigning duty to his sisters.
“To Enlil’s sister, the sister of breath and life I assign the fate of the new born. For Aruru, sister of Enlil shall be the midwife of Kings and hold aloft the umbilical cord that binds man to the Fate of mortality. O Aruru, the midwife step forward and receive the lancet for cutting cords and the lapis-lazuli bowl for gathering unto you the afterbirth.”
Aruru steps forward and bows before her nephew, Enki the crafter, receiving the gifts bestowed to her. Enki turns to his sister, Ninisina:
“My sister Ninisina I bequeath the Heavens and the Earth, to ever stand at the side of Anu and bid him companionship and wisdom. O Ninisina, for you are to be the mistress of the Heavens and the Earth. You shall wear the jewellery of cuba stones and stand by Anu’s side.”
Enki presented Ninisina with her gifts and with them the Fate of the Heavens and the Earth. Turning to his other two sisters, Ninmug and Nisaba, Enki gave unto them the gifts of metal working and demarcation; a golden chisel of creating crowns for Kings and a lapis-lazuli measuring tape for assaying lands for portion. They stepped forward, taking upon themselves the Fate of Kings and Lands. Enki bowed reverently before the Lady Nance, she who rests her feet upon the holy pelican:
“O Lady Nance to you I decree the Fates of the Birds and the Fishes; to replenish and nourish, for you to pick the delectable fish and delicious birds for the table of the gods.”
The august Lady accepts her Fates graciously and returned to the side of her menagerie and cornucopia.
“So be it! Enki proclaims to all. So be it!”
The maiden Inanna is disparaged, for Her father the Lord Enki has neglected Her.
“Unto what Fates do I, Inanna proclaim ownership? O Enki, Lord who opens his mouth and plenty is for all; O Enki unto what Fates do I, the maiden Inanna take claim? For you have neglected to gift your holy daughter, you have neglected to gift the holy Inanna Her gifts.”
The maiden Inanna turns from Her father, the Lord Enki. She turns and raises Her slender tanned arms to the Heavens, Her eyes turn to the Earth.
“So be it! Her father cries. So be it! The Lord Enki, father of the holy Inanna proclaims. He has forgotten his daughter; he has forgotten his daughter Inanna.”
Enki approaches his daughter and lowers Her arms, raises Her face to his.
“O daughter, I the Lord Enki have not neglected you, for your gifts are bountiful. You have the gift of Battle, the blood and war cry with passion and death. You have the gift of Words; for ill omen or for good, you my daughter Inanna have the power to make right what is wrong and to make wrong what is right.”
Enki leads the maiden Inanna to the balcony overlooking the square in his domain.
“O daughter, your father and lord Enki has gifted you with many things. You shall never grow tired of admirers. You shall never grow weary of the flesh. I, Enki, Lord of Prosperity and Wisdom has given you the gifts of Good and of Evil. I, Lord Enki have bestowed loveliness upon your head, loveliness and the apocalyptic upon holy Inanna’s head.”
Enki smiles unto his daughter, the maiden Inanna.
“I am the Lord, the one whose word is reliable. I am the Lord, the one who excels at everything. All right! So be it! So be it, my daughter Inanna!”
On the day the Fates were decided upon and apportioned between the gods; the maiden Inanna was bestowed with the most of all. For loveliness and the apocalyptic was upon Her head and words for the greater good or evil became Hers.
To Chapter Fifty-Eight – Within Without
The Angry Farmer 