The Storytellers Goddess Part 4

"I've come to help You mourn, Ereshkigal. Not to die! To mourn! To cry with You. To hold You. Ereshkigal! Stop looking at Me!"

Ereshkigal had moved Her hands to the arms of Her throne. Her fingers had curled in strength there and were pus.h.i.+ng Her body forward. Her eyes with the skulls in them seemed to pierce through Inanna.

"No one escapes this House of Death, Inanna. No one. You die, Inanna."

Inanna began to rock forward and backward. Her shoulders shook. Her neck arched. She tried to wrench Her face away from the face of Her Sister. But Her head was held in the force of the Queen of the Underworld's eyes. With a terrible noise, Inanna died.

Ereshkigal picked up the body of Her Sister in Her arms and carried it to the wall. There on a giant hook She hung it and went back to sit on Her throne.

Three days had pa.s.sed back in the palace of the Queen of Heaven. Inanna had not returned. Ninshubar tied a knife to her belt under her skirts and went for help. She went first to one G.o.d, and then another. Both refused to help.

Ninshubar began to run. Panting, she came to the house of Enkil.

"Enkil," she gasped.

"Inanna has not returned from Ereshkigal. Please help."

Enkil was immediately alert. He poured Ninshubar a gla.s.s of cool water and bade her drink and rest. Ninshubar swallowed thirstily and began to breathe more easily' There Enkil smiled.

"Now for help." He sat quietly for some moments and then looked at His hands.

"Aha!" He said.

"I know just the thing!" From under His little fingernail He flicked two specks of dirt. He set them on the end of His index finger and blew them into the air. At once the two bits of dirt changed to two tiny demons with pointed ears, feet, and tongues.

"Off with you both to the Underworld," said Enkil.

"Come back with our Queen Inanna."

The demons flew off on their tiny wings. Down they went, so small and quick that the guards at the seven gates did not even notice them as they darted through each gate's latticework.

In the throne room of Ereshkigal the demons saw a terrible sight. Queen Inanna hung rotting on a hook. Elies buzzed around Her body. The basin of blood had spilled, and Queen Ereshkigal was hanging over the edge of the coffin at the center of the room moaning and screaming in pain and grief. The demons touched hands for a moment and then flew to each side of the sobbing Queen.

"My husband is dead!" screamed Ereshkigal.

"Your husband is dead, O Queen," sang the demons.

"My husband is dead. My Sister is dead. I am lower than low," moaned Ereshkigal.

"Your husband is dead. Your Sister is dead. You are lower than low, O Queen," sang the demons.

"I am lower than low. My stomach crawls on the floor," moaned Ereshkigal.

"You are lower than low. Your stomach crawls on the floor," sang the demons.

Ereshkigal sobbed for a long time. The demons hovered quietly. For another long time, Ereshkigal lay quiet. Finally, She raised Her head and looked at the demons. Her eyes were wet and deep, but there were no skulls in them now.

"Who are you?" asked Ereshkigal.

"We've come for Queen Inanna," sang the demons.

Ereshkigal hiccuped.

"Your song is good, small ones," said Ereshkigal.

"Help Me take Her down."

Ereshkigal and the demons lifted Inanna's body from the horrible hook.

"We have died together, My Sister and I," said Ereshkigal.

"It is the law of the Underworld."

"Tell us the law, Queen Ereshkigal," sang the demons.

"My Sister leaves. But the law is that She must send another in Her place," said Ereshkigal.

"She must send another in Her place," sang the demons.

"That is the law."

So they took Queen Inanna's body back up through the seven gates. At each gate, the guards gave back Inanna's garments.

Then, at the opening to the Upper World, the demons waited and watched as Inanna revived Herself. Awake and whole finally, She stood, and the demons bathed Her and fed Her. And when they had dressed Her in all Her finery, they told Her Ereshkigal's instructions.

"You must send someone down, O Queen, to take Your place," they sang and flew away.

Inanna opened Her arms to the trees and the sky and stepped one giant step into Her palace. At the first archway, She met Her Brother, crying bitterly for the loss of His Sister.

"Brother," said Inanna, "do not grieve. I am here! I have returned.

Dance with Me for joy."

At the second archway, Inanna met Her Son, smearing His face with ashes for the loss of His Mother.

"My Son, do not grieve," said Inanna.

"I am back! I have returned! Dance with Me for joy."

Then Inanna saw Ninshubar. She took Her friend in Her arms and held her close.

"You have returned, my Queen," said Ninshubar.

"Where is My husband?" said Inanna.

"I long for him. Where is he?"

Ninshubar looked away and shook her head.