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T. G. PINCHES, LL.D.j M.E.A.S., OX VERSIONS 



fat. But anything which floats on the surface of the water, like 

 grease, would suit the passage. If Langdon be right in restoring 

 the name of the goddess Nin-tu(d), man would naturally be 

 intended. 



The next column is the third — the extreme right-hand 

 column, which, when one has to work from a photograph, is 

 always unsatisfactory, as the characters at the end, in the case 

 of the longer lines, are almost certain to be written <: round the 

 corner,' 1 — i.e., on the right-hand edge. This portion seemingly 

 refers to certain goddesses who, on being appealed to, said or 

 represented themselves as not being wroth with the seed of the 

 pious, or words to that effect. The first was Xin-sar, or Xin-mu 

 (" the lady of growing things "), and the statement was made 

 twice, apparently through her messenger. After this we have 

 the words : 



" My king reverently approached (?). 

 His foot alone on the ship he set ("?)." 



Here come two lines which are too difficult to translate : 



Enki had devastated the field — 



" to the field she will give life," Enki announced. 



The day was 1, its month 1 : 

 The day was 2, its month 2 : 

 The day was 9, its month 9. 



And after this we have again the lines apparently comparing 

 the floating corpses to fat or butter (?) on the water. 



One or two uncertain lines follow, and then the same words 

 come again, coupled with the name of the goddess Xin-kurra, 

 " the lady of the mountain." This, too, has the reference to 

 days 1 to 9, with their corresponding months, followed by the 

 comparison with fat. After this is a line with a reference to 

 Xin-kurra, but in what connection does not appear. According 

 to Langdon's rendering of the line which follows, she reveals 

 secrets " to the divine Tagtug." In the next line, another god- 

 dess, Xin-turi, speaks to him somewhat as follows : 



" Verily, I will declare thy purity my purity . . . 



I will tell thee, and my words .... 



O thou lone man, for me [he has reckoned these]— 



Enki for me [has reckoned these, yea has reckoned these]." 



Traces of one line follow this. 



It is difficult to see how this legend can be a story of the 



