(Talk strongly and loud during this part)

All characters: Glory to Gilgamesh! Remember his great deeds!

Ishtar: No one but Gilgamesh could build the strong wall around Uruk!

Anu: It was he who brought . . .

All: The tablets.

Shamash: Praise him! Glorify him!

All: Remember what he has done!

Narrator: Gilgamesh was two thirds god and one third man. His mother was the goddess Ninsun, and his father was the mortal Lugalbaba. Shamash, the sun god gave him beauty, and Adad, the storm god, gave him courage. Ea, wisest of all gods, gave him wisdom. Although Gilgamesh had all these gifts, he was a mortal! He would have to meet the fate of all men, death. (Gestures when saying this)

Gilgamesh: (Walk around triumphantly) I am the king of Uruk! I do as I please when it pleases me! People say I wrestle like a bull!

Noble #1: Gilgamesh’s behavior is unruly.

Nobles: Speak loudly and complain.

Nobles #2 & #3: I almost wish that the gods had chosen another person to be king!

Noble #4: Tonight I shall pray to the gods for a change in Gilgamesh’s behavior.

Narrator: The gods heard the nobles talking, and they called an assembly. (Talk slightly sad)

Anu: I have heard and seen what the nobles have complained about! We shall create an equal to Gilgamesh named Enkidu!

Ishtar, Shamash, Sin, Nintu, and Ea: Enkidu will teach Gilgamesh...

Sin: (Start singing) Enkidoodle went to town a riding on a wild-beast.

Anu: Stop that singing!

Narrator: Nintu made Enkidu out of clay. (Nintu should act like she is modeling, and Enkidu should step in front of her like he has just been modeled.) Enkidu was made as a grown up. He lived like a wild man, living with the gazelles. One day, a hunter saw him.

Hunter: Oh my! There is a wild man living by the watering hole! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” (Run around like you have been stung by a thousand bees.)

Hunter: Father! There is a wild man living with the gazelles! He lets my traps go, and he gives me the heebie-jeebies! (Pant when talking)

Hunter’s father: Go to Uruk. Tell Gilgamesh what you have seen. Then, get a priestess from the temple to teach this wild dude the ways of life. (Act wise, yet cool)

Narrator: The hunter did as he was told. The priestess went with him to the watering hole where he saw Enkidu. They waited there for three days. Enkidu saw the priestess and liked her. He spent seven days with her, while she taught him how to be a human.

Priestess: Don’t slouch! Eat that with your spoon young man! Tuck in your shirt and fix your tie! Keep your elbows off the table! That’s not a toy, that’s your cup!

Narrator: Enkidu tried to return to the animals, but they did not recognize him, so he returned to the priestess.

Priestess: Come Enkidu. We will go to the strong walled city of Uruk. Gilgamesh will dream of your arrival. He will become your best friend. But first, you must learn to eat and drink like a man.

Hunters: Here is some bread and beer for you to drink, Enkidu.

Enkidu: (Takes a taste) Thank-you young hunters, but I do not like the bread and beer you give me. I am used to drinking milk from the animals.

Priestess: If you want to be a man, you must eat and drink like one.

Narrator: Enkidu thanked the hunters and killed the wolves in return for their hospitality. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh...

Gilgamesh: Mother, last night I had a dream. A star being fell from the sky and blocked my path! The people of the city loved it. I liked it too, but when I brought it to you, you made me fight it. What does my dream mean!?

Ninsun: Your dream means that Enkidu will come! You will become his best friend.

Gilgamesh: Do I have to?

Ninsun: Yes!

Gilgamesh: I had another dream later on. In it, I found an ax in the middle of the street, and when I brought it to you, you made me fight it!

Ninsun: That dream meant that Enkidu has the strength of the gods. Do you have any more dreams to complain about? I’m trying to sleep!

Narrator: Enkidu and the priestess soon arrived in Uruk...

Noble#4: A god-like creature has appeard!

Nobles #2 & #3: He is a match for Gilgamesh!

Noble#4 & #1: He will teach Gilgamesh to be a good king!

All Nobles: Rejoice! Hooray!!

Narrator: Enkidu stopped Gilgamesh at the temple gates. ( Gilgamesh and Enkidu should act like they are fighting) They began to wrestle like bulls.

Gilgamesh: You have defeated me, Enkidu! Let’s put aside our anger and become friends.

Enkidu: Ever since I entered the strong walled city of Uruk, I have been a weakling! My once strong arms hang useless at my sides.

Gilgamesh: Let’s go to the cedar forest and kill Humbaba, guardian of the cedars.

Enkidu: It is a dangerous journey! We would surely die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!

Gilgamesh: Humbaba’s a wimp. It will be easy! Doing this journey would bring fame to you and me! Even if we do die, we will make names for ourselves!

Enkidu: I don’t want fame, I want to live! I do not choose death! (Run around in circles) I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!

Gilgamesh: Are you scared of death? Come with me on this quest!

Enkidu: ( Stick your fingers in your ears) La la la la. I’m not listening! I can’t hear you!

Gilgamesh: Come on the journey with me!

Enkidu: I will go if I must. But first, ask Shamash for her help. (leave the set)

Nobel#1: Do not go on this quest! Humbaba is like a raging flood of fire!

Nobles#2 & #3: This mission is too risky to do! We might lose you, our king! (Turn to each other) Stop saying what I say!

Noble#1: Humbaba kills everything in his path! He spits fire at all things that come to his ground!

Noble#4: It would be wise to not do this.

Narrator: Gilgamesh recruted 50 young men to join him on his journy. Then, he went to the palace to pray to Shamash.

Gilgamesh: Oh great Shamash! Help me on my journey to kill Humbaba and cut the cedars.

Shamash: Why do you wish to go to the cedar forest?

Gilgamesh: ( Talk sadly) Mortals like me die. I wish to make a name for myself before I die. Doing this would remove all evil from the land! There would be better wood and less danger in the world!

Shamash: I will help you. Enkidu will be your bodyguard. When you have killed Humbaba, wash your feet. Now, go to Ninsun and ask for her blessing.

Gilgamesh: Mother! I have decided to go to the ceder forest and kill Humbaba! Shamash wants you to give us your blessing.

Ninsun: I will.

Narrator: Ninsun got herself prepared to pray. She took some incense to help her pray to Shamash.

Ninsun: Why did you give me such a son?! Why is he so restless? Please let him return in safety.

( Enkidu enters the room)

Ninsun: Enkidu, even though you are not my true son, I am going to adopt you as my own.

Enkidu: Follow me, everyone! I know the way to the cedar forest! Follow me and have no fear.

Narrator: The party of men walked 150 miles each day, a three day journey fit into one. They crossed seven mountains before they got to they gateway to the cedar forest. There they found watchmen, whom they killed.

Gilgamesh: I will not leave the cedar forest until I have fought with Humbaba. Do not fear Enkidu.

Narrator: That night, Gilgamesh had a dream...

Gilgamesh: Enkidu! Wake up! I’ve just had a dream!

Enkidu: ( Sleepily) Well, what was it?

Gilgamesh: I dreamt that a mountain fell on top of me and someone pulled me out of the rubble!

Enkidu: That means that we will kill Humbaba.

Narrator: The next night...

Gilgamesh: Enkidu! I’ve had another dream!

Enkidu: (Annoyed) Not again.

Gilgamesh: A wild bull came in my dream!

Narrator: The next day Gilgamesh fell one tree with his axe...

Humbaba: ( Loudly) Who cut down one of my cedars?

Enkidu: Wasn’t me!

Gilgamesh: It was I, Gilgamesh, king of Uruk! I am here to kill you!

Shamash: I will send the winds to keep Humbaba in one place! Do not fear to approach him.

Humbaba: Have mercy on me! I will serve you if you will let me live! I can wash dishes, do the laundry, anything you want me to do.

Gilgamesh: Should I let him go, Enkidu?

Enkidu: It would be a bad choice.

Narrator: ( Enkidu and Gilgamesh should act this part out.) Gilgamesh took their swords and axes and hit Humbaba on the throat. Gilgamesh took his ax and, with one final blow, cut off Humbaba’s head.

Ishtar: Oh, Gilgamesh, I admire your royal beauty. If you marry me you shall have all the bounty of the land.

Gilgamesh: Why should I marry you? Everyone you have ever loved you left, and now they weep. Some even turned into wild beasts. No, I refuse.

Ishtar: Wha, wha,wha, daddy, give me the bull of the heavens (sniff), so I can bring revenge upon Gilgamesh.

Anu: If I give you the bull of the heavens, 7 years of famine will come.

Ishtar: And if you don’t, I will tear open the gates of the dead, and I will let them feast upon the living.

Anu: Have you stored enough food for the humans during the famine?

Ishtar: Yes, daddy.

Anu: Alright, you may take the bull.

Bull: Roar!!

Towns people: The bull is killing all our young men!

Gilgamesh, save us!

Gilgamesh and Enkidu: (karaty) chop! hiyah!

Gilgamesh: We defeated the bull.

Ishtar: How dare you kill the bull of the heavens!

Enkidu: How dare you talk to my friend that way (throws the thigh at Ishtar)!

Ishtar: Wa, wa! My bull! You’ll pay for that.

Enkidu: Last night I had a dream.
The gods say that I must die.
(Enkidu goes to the temple.) Curse everyone! All they did was help me on my way to death.

Shamash: Enkidu, do not curse them. They have done nothing but help you live a full life.

Enkidu: (nods head) Yes, Shamash. Thank everyone for my wonderful life.

Enkidu: Gilgamesh, I dreamed of the house of darkness.

Gilgamesh: (cries)

Enkidu: Good-bye, Gilgamesh! (falls dead)

Gilgamesh: (sobbing) Build a gold statue for my valiant friend, Enkidu.

Gilgamesh: I have been roaming the hills, afriad to die, since Enkidu’s death. Ah! There are two lions. Sin, god of the moon, protect me! I have killed them. I will use their coats for warmth.
(walks again)

Scorpion-man: Gilgamesh, why have you traveled this far?

Gilgamesh: I’m seeking Utanapishtim.

Scorpion-man: The only way to get to him is through a black tunnel that runs 36 miles. Can you make the journey?

Gilgamesh: Yes, I will. (walks in place) Finally! I have made it to the light. What a beautiful sea. And oh, there is the fish wife. Come out!

Suduri: Who are you? Where are you going?

Gilgamesh: I am the king of Uruk, and I seek everlasting life.

Suduri: To die is our fate, but Utanapishtim is who you are looking for. Go, find the man with stone statues, Urshanabi. He will take you to him.

Gilgamesh: Where is Urshanabi? (Instead of finding him, he found some stone statues and smashed them.)

Gilgamesh: Utanapishtim, how did you get everlasting life?

Utanapishtim: I will reveal a secret of the Gods.

Ea: I do not want all people to die in the flood! Utanipishtim, stand by your hut and I will talk to you. Construct an ark that is equal in length and equal in width! Hurry! Before the storm comes.

Utanipishtim: The sky is dark, our nightlight gone, the storm is coming! Everyone in the ark!

Wife: I’m getting seasick. Ulgrh!

Gods: Wa, wa, wa, we’re getting seasick too!

Utanapishtim: Dove, swallow, Raven go. (later) The raven has not returned to me; that must mean he has found dry land. The Earth is drying; look, we’ve landed on Mt Ninsun. Let us burn an offering to the gods.

Ishtar: Look, humans survived. Here is my necklace as a token of love. Don’t let Enlil come to the offering.

Enlil: MM, what smells so good? Humans!

Ea: Enlil, You have done no good; you owe these humans something.

Enlil: You’re right. Here, Utanipishtim, his wife. You may have everlasting life.

Gods: Hurray!

Utanapishtim: That is my story.

Utanapishtim: You must have eternal strength to live forever. I will show that you are weak. I bet you can’t stay awake for 7 nights.

Gilgamesh: Sure, I can stay awww... zzzzzzzzz

Utanapishtim: See! I was right. He can not even keep his eyes open. Wife, every day he sleeps, put a loaf of bread by his head.

(6 days later)

Giigamesh: Mmmmm, what smells so good?

Utanapishtim: Hah, you didn’t even stay awake. You will never live forever.

Gilgamesh: Nooooo!

Utanapishtim: Here, at the bottom of the lake there is a flower. Pick it, and you will not live forever, but you will always stay young. Go now, Urshanabi, get him good clothes and take him back to Uruk.

Gilgamesh: Dive, dive, dive! I’ve got the flower!

Urshanabi: (finishes paddling) We’ve reached the end of our trip, look, there’s a pond. Go for a swim, Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh: This feels nice. Oh, no! That snake stole my flower! I’ll never get it back now. Well, I better get back to my city anyways.

All: And Gilgamesh lived happily ever after.

Ninsun: Except when he died, of course.

THE END