Latest / Abide Meditation App / Dreamy Bedtime Story _ Dreams of Gilgamesh _ Historical Sleepy Story

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Dreamy Bedtime Story _ Dreams of Gilgamesh _ Historical Sleepy Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Welcome to get sleepy the podcast where we listen we
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: relax and we get sleepy i'm your host tom thanks
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: for joining us at the start of a new week
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: Tonight we'll travel back in time to ancient Mesopotamia to
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: hear one of humanity's greatest and oldest tales, the Epic
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: of Gilgamesh. Let's settle into bed and transition away from
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the day. Tonight's story is both relaxing to listen to
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: and also a fair bit longer than the majority we
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: release on the podcast. So I want to invite you
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: to completely let go of any pressure to fall asleep.
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: Sleep is pretty unique in that unlike most facets of
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: our life, it ought to require as little effort or
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: force as possible That's not to say the routines we
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: build throughout the day and around bedtime don't deserve our effort,
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: because they can significantly help in ensuring we sleep well.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: But I'm talking about the moment when we're in bed
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: and ready to get some shut-eye. At that time, it's
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: best to keep things as simple and relaxed as we can.
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: Hopefully having a bedtime story read to you might well
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: be the perfect tool for creating that simple and relaxed
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: environment to guide you off to sleep. So, make sure
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: you're comfortable and take a big, deep breath in. Hold
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: for just a moment and enjoy the calming release of
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: the breath as your body and mind let go of
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: any unnecessary energy. Relax deeper and deeper into your bed.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: Taking more of those deep breaths, if you'd like. And
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: just listen along to the sound of my voice. A deep,
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: restorative sleep will soon be yours. But for now, let's
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: head back in time and hear the epic tale of Gilgamesh.
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: There was once a brave king who went on journeys
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: no mortal man had gone on before. One part man
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  Speaker 1: and two parts divine, he became the master of wisdom
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: and held knowledge of all things. His name was Gilgamesh. Tonight,
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: we share his 5,000-year-old tale The city of Uruk was
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: a sprawling metropolis built in the 5th century BCE. The
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: biggest city in the ancient Near Eastern world, it was
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: not challenged in size until Rome was founded several thousand
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: years later. Uruk was the city of King Gilgamesh. The
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: rushing Euphrates River ran just north of the city, where
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: plants grew bountifully. It flowed into town, where it broke
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: into meandering waterways. The city was surrounded by tall walls
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: to keep the inhabitants safe. Its mud brick houses dotted
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: the winding streets and canals. People poked their heads out
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: of their windows to hang their laundry to dry and
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  Speaker 1: say hello to their neighbours. The clay walls of people's
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: homes mirrored the clay tablets that some of the world's
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: first pieces of art and literature were carved on. One day,
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh would use these thick clay tablets to write down
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: the stories of his adventures. Canals crisscrossed the city, carrying
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: people in long reed boats with pointed bows. The people
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: cruised up and down the waterways, visiting their friends and family.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: Traders with food, cloth, gems, and stones sold their goods
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: along these channels that connected the massive city to the
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: river and surrounding towns. Artists molded clay bowls and broke
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: ceramic tiles to make mosaics. Paintbrushes swept back and forth
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: on walls. Sculptors created statues, the grandness of which had
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: never been seen in the ancient world before. People walked
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: to the temples, the jewels of the city, carrying offerings
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: for the gods. The sanctuary of Anu, the sky god,
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: and the sanctuary of Inanna, the goddess of love and war,
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  Speaker 1: were the beating heart of the city. Each day, the
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: residents of the city made a pilgrimage to the temples
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: to pay homage to the deities and participate in community events.
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: Anu's temple was made from stone and worshippers walked among
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  Speaker 1: glistening marble columns. a rarity in this city made of mud.
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: Inanna's temple featured mosaic designs, with tiles pressed onto clay
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: cones in mesmerizing geometric shapes. All of the people of
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Uruk worked together to make the city lively and grand.
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: And as for Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh dreamt. He dreamt of the
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: starry sky above and the gods in the heavens. He
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  Speaker 1: dreamt the great sky god, Anu, fell to earth and
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  Speaker 1: embraced him. Then he dreamt of a man who looked
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: not so different from himself. A bit shorter, a bit wilder,
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  Speaker 1: but he recognized a kindred soul. Gilgamesh slept, but a
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  Speaker 1: deep part of him knew that his destiny and the
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: destiny of the man he dreamt of were intertwined. Anu
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: and Ninma smiled from the heavens above. The god of
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: the sky and Ninma, the goddess of the earth, knew
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: that ruling was a lonely job. Gilgamesh needed a friend,
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  Speaker 1: someone both to challenge and support him. They would create
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: such a man. When Gilgamesh woke he knew his dream
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  Speaker 1: had been of great importance. To have it interpreted he
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: went to see his mother, the goddess, who was wise
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: in the way of dreams. From the open windows of
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: her room, he could hear the water trickling outside the
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  Speaker 1: palace walls. Piney scents of river plants wafted in on
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  Speaker 1: the breeze. Mother, he said, I have dreamt of a
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  Speaker 1: strange man in a strange place. In my dream, Anu
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  Speaker 1: himself fell from the sky and we embraced each other
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  Speaker 1: as equals. Then he turned into a man, a wild
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: man living amongst the animals, but I could tell that
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  Speaker 1: he had honor and strength. After he told her the dream,
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: his mother was very quiet. She stood and then walked
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: back and forth, stopping at the window to look out
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  Speaker 1: at the expansive city below. My son, she said, the
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: stars in the sky represent your friends and your people.
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  Speaker 1: When the god fell on your shoulders and you embraced
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  Speaker 1: as equals, it showed that you are equal to the gods.
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  Speaker 1: The man you saw will be your equal too, and
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  Speaker 1: a stout-hearted friend. He will never abandon you, and you
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: will never abandon him. He will have the strength of
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: the gods. just as you do, but the love and
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: kindness of a man. Gilgamesh took a deep breath and
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: looked out the window while he thought about what that meant.
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: He could see beyond the city walls where farmers plowed
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: verdant fields. Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers. was a
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: fertile place. Past the farmland was a golden desert. Ninmah
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: brought a rain down on the sand to make clay.
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: From the clay, she molded the man from Gilgamesh's dream.
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: She made him strong and loving, wild and knowing. the
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  Speaker 1: perfect match for Gilgamesh. Enkidu rose from the earth and
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: looked around him. Far from the great city walls of Uruk,
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: all he could see was the hot desert sand. Two
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  Speaker 1: bronzed gazelles galloped past him, and he followed. as free
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  Speaker 1: and wild as the beasts, until they reached a river.
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  Speaker 1: Enkidu drank from the river and ate from the plants nearby.
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: The cool water refreshed him and the river plants filled
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: his belly. He gazed at the beautiful animals and land
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  Speaker 1: all around him and was happy. But still, he saw
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: the gazelles were a pair, alike to each other. Would
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: he find another like him? One day, a shepherd saw
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: Rinkidu drinking by the river. He approached the man to
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: offer him a place to stay for the night, but
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: nearly ran away when he saw him. The man looked
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: almost exactly like the great king Gilgamesh. But this wild
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  Speaker 1: man couldn't be his king. He was running with the beasts.
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  Speaker 1: The shepherd followed the rushing river to the city. He
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: marveled at how green and lush the land was by
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  Speaker 1: the flowing river. in contrast to the dryness of the desert.
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  Speaker 1: The sun warmed his skin and danced on the water
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  Speaker 1: as he walked, eager to tell his king about the
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: man he had seen. When he arrived at Gilgamesh's palace,
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: he told the king his tale. There is a man,
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: he said, who looks just like you, strong and brave
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  Speaker 1: and loyal. But he is a wild man. He lives
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  Speaker 1: with the beasts. Gilgamesh remembered his dream. Could this be
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: the man he was fated to meet? Gilgamesh followed the
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  Speaker 1: shepherd back to the place where he'd seen Enkidu. The river,
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  Speaker 1: always present, guided their way. As they got closer, they
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  Speaker 1: saw Enkidu drinking with the gazelles. Gilgamesh waved goodbye to
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: the shepherd and tiptoed to the animals so as not
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  Speaker 1: to scare them away. When he was close enough, he
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  Speaker 1: spoke to Enkidu. He offered him a loaf of bread
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  Speaker 1: and some wine to drink. He told him of the
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  Speaker 1: great walled city of Uruk, where he could bathe at
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  Speaker 1: the temples of Anu and Inanna, and use his strength
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  Speaker 1: and courage to go on great adventures. In Uruk, Each
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  Speaker 1: day is a revel, my friend. You must join us,
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  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh said. Enkidu saw his likeness in Gilgamesh. He ate
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: the bread, delighting in the crispy crust and soft, doughy center.
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  Speaker 1: He drank the wine and enjoyed its sweetness. much different
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  Speaker 1: to the water from the river. But he noticed, as
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  Speaker 1: soon as he'd done those things, the gazelles moved away
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  Speaker 1: from him. He had transitioned from the world of the
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  Speaker 1: animals to that of men. It was time to go
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  Speaker 1: with Gilgamesh to the city, The two men, so similar
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  Speaker 1: in stature, traced the river back to Uruk's walls. When
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  Speaker 1: Enkidu entered the city, his mouth fell open in surprise.
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  Speaker 1: It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. Compared to
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  Speaker 1: the wilds of the desert where he'd been born, nothing
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  Speaker 1: could be more different Women danced in the streets wearing
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  Speaker 1: brightly colored clothes. Musicians banged on drums and tambourines. Children
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  Speaker 1: played games on the sidewalks. And farmers sold fresh fruits
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: and vegetables at the market. Smells of freshly baked bread,
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  Speaker 1: sweet fruit, cooking stews filled with spices and drying herbs
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  Speaker 1: delighted Enkidu's senses. In the desert, life was beautiful, but
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  Speaker 1: calm and monotonous. Here, around each corner, Enkidu marveled at
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  Speaker 1: a new wonder. Gilgamesh led Enkidu to the temple of Inanna. There,
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  Speaker 1: the priestesses bathed him in warm water, scrubbing the sand
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  Speaker 1: of the desert and mud of the river from his skin.
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  Speaker 1: They cut his hair and helped him shave his beard.
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  Speaker 1: They anointed him with sweet-smelling oils. and gave him a
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  Speaker 1: light woolen tunic to wear. By the time they were finished,
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  Speaker 1: he looked just as kingly as Gilgamesh. When Gilgamesh saw him,
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  Speaker 1: he grinned, for he knew this was the man he
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  Speaker 1: had dreamed of. Just like in his dream, he went
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  Speaker 1: to Enkidu and pulled him into a hug. Enkidu wrapped
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  Speaker 1: his arms around the king. They swore to be each
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  Speaker 1: other's most loyal friend from that day on. The two
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  Speaker 1: friends passed many days together in Uruk. They attended festivals
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  Speaker 1: where they drank ale and ate fragrant foods. Enkidu wanted
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  Speaker 1: to try them all. Fried leeks, garlic and eggplant, lentil
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  Speaker 1: and barley soup, grilled fish from the river sprinkled with herbs,
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  Speaker 1: roasted nuts, dried figs, and yogurt drizzled with honey. The
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  Speaker 1: flavors mingled in Enkidu's mouth, sating the appetite of the
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  Speaker 1: man made of clay. They danced to lively music, took
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  Speaker 1: trips to the market, and enjoyed the large sculptures, mosaics, paintings,
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  Speaker 1: and carvings that adorned the mud walls of the city.
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  Speaker 1: They watched with fascination the welders performing lost wax casting
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  Speaker 1: to make small bronze sculptures to sell in neighboring towns.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: And they marveled at the stones and fabrics that merchants
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  Speaker 1: brought from far off places. But soon, the men started
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: to get restless. Enkidu longed to venture back into nature
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  Speaker 1: for a time, to see his friends, the gazelles and
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  Speaker 1: the cattle, and to walk along the river. Gilgamesh also
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: yearned for an adventure, to bring back something good for
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  Speaker 1: his people. I have wanted to go to the Forest
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: of Cedars for some time now, he told Enkidu. It
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: is a long journey, for the Forest of Cedars is
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  Speaker 1: far to the west, near the White Mountain, Laban. Won't
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  Speaker 1: it be hard for you to be away from your
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: people for so long? Enkidu asked. Gilgamesh looked around the
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  Speaker 1: city he was so proud to rule. He would be
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: sad to leave, but the pull of adventure was too strong.
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  Speaker 1: No matter what I do, I cannot stay in this
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  Speaker 1: city forever, he told his friend. One day I will
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  Speaker 1: be gone, and my son, and then his son, will
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: rule the city under the guidance of the gods. But
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: if I do something the scribes deem worthy to record,
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  Speaker 1: I will live forever through their stories. Enkidu and Gilgamesh
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: packed for their trip. They filled linen packs with dried fruits, nuts, beans,
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: and salted fish. They folded spare shawls to protect themselves
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: from the sun and the wind, and slid an extra
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: pair of wooden sandals into their bags. Before departing, they
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: visited the temples of Anu and Inanna, and asked for
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: protection on their journey. Anu blessed them and asked Shamash,
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: the sun god, to watch over them in the day.
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: Inanna asked Sin, the moon god, to watch over them
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  Speaker 1: at night. Their last stop was to say goodbye to
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh's mother. She hugged them both glad her son had
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: found such a worthy friend. The people waved farewell as
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: the two men left the city. Gilgamesh felt sad to
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: be leaving home, but excited for the journey ahead. Enkidu
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: longed to be back in the wilds, but would miss
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: the comforts he'd grown accustomed to in the city. Outside
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: of the walls, they headed west. They walked through the desert,
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  Speaker 1: filling their water casks at any streams they could find.
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: The sun shimmered on the golden sand. Enkidu noticed the
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: footprints of gazelles and smiled. thinking of his first friends.
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  Speaker 1: They slept that night under a dark sky speckled with
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: bright stars. The next day they left the desert and
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: descended into a valley. They quenched their thirst in a
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  Speaker 1: clear river and continued on. They climbed over rocky hills
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  Speaker 1: covered in shrubs and walked down into green valleys. Up
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  Speaker 1: and down they went, the rhythm of their conversation matching
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  Speaker 1: the undulation of the landscape. Neither had ever had a
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  Speaker 1: friend they could confide in so fully. They shared their
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  Speaker 1: fears and hopes and dreams. They talked of the landscape
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  Speaker 1: and the food they missed. They held long chats over
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  Speaker 1: the campfire and slept beside one another, nodding to sleep
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  Speaker 1: each night, entranced by the beauty of the night sky. Finally,
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: they saw the snowy white tip of Laban and knew
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: they were near the cedar forest. When they turned the
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  Speaker 1: next bend in the river, a wall of trees greeted them.
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  Speaker 1: They found a small dirt path and followed it through
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  Speaker 1: the trees up the mountain. Wind rustled the leaves like
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: the whispering of secrets between friends. A bird sang, answered
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  Speaker 1: by another, and soon the whole forest was filled with birdsong.
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  Speaker 1: A solitary tree cricket joined in the chorus. A wood
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  Speaker 1: pigeon called, and a turtle dove answered. monkeys jumped from
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  Speaker 1: branch to branch, howling with laughter. The sounds of the
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  Speaker 1: forest came together like a band, aiding the men on
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: their journey. When the friends made a fire in the evening,
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: cedar incense blowed them to sleep. Gilgamesh dreamed again that
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: night He saw a great mountain, taller and whiter even
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  Speaker 1: than Laban. When he woke, he told Enkidu of his dream.
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  Speaker 1: We are close to the mountain of the gods, Enkidu interpreted.
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  Speaker 1: We must go to visit them. Deeper into the forest
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  Speaker 1: they walked. The air was cool and fresh. They bathed
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  Speaker 1: in icy streams, washing away the dirt from their journey.
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  Speaker 1: Then a wind blew at Gilgamesh, a wind with a message.
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  Speaker 1: Welcome from the sun god Shama. The men thanked Shamash
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  Speaker 1: for keeping them safe on their journey and burned cedar
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  Speaker 1: incense in his honor. Shamash sent gentle breezes behind them,
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  Speaker 1: guiding them to the most beautiful parts of the forest.
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  Speaker 1: When Gilgamesh dreamed again that night, it was of all
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  Speaker 1: the beautiful things the artisans in the city would build
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  Speaker 1: with the cedar wood he'd bring back to Uruk. The
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: next day, Gilgamesh and Enkidu loaded a wagon with as
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  Speaker 1: much cedar wood as they could take with them. They
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: said their goodbyes to the trees and the birds, the
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: flowers and the monkeys. Over the last few days of
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: camping in the forest, this place had developed a homely feel.
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh was looking forward to returning to Uruk. But now,
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: being on the road felt just as comforting as lying
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: in his own bed. They retraced their path, walking under
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  Speaker 1: the heat of shamash and sleeping under the light of sin.
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: When they returned to Uruk, the people cheered and welcomed
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  Speaker 1: them home. A giant feast was prepared for the heroes.
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  Speaker 1: They ate roasted lamb, which was warm and hearty, and
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  Speaker 1: fell from the bone. A spicy chickpea stew had all
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: the fragrance of home. For dessert, cakes and fruit drizzled
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: in honey appeared on the table before the friends. The
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: people danced and sang, happy that their king had returned
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  Speaker 1: with such a bounty. The next morning, Gilgamesh brought the
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: cedar wood to the craftsman. The artisan's eyes shone when
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: they thought of everything they could build with the finest
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: quality wood. They promised to build a special room for
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh in his palace to thank him for this wonderful gift.
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: Gilgamesh and Enkidu eased back into the comforts of city life.
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  Speaker 1: Each time they went for a boat ride or walked
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: down the city streets, they heard the hammering and sanding
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  Speaker 1: of craftsmen making wonderful wooden creations. Soon, the whole city
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: smelled like cedar. But even with all the joys of
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: the Walled City, it wasn't long until the two friends
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: itched to go on another adventure together. They sat across
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: from each other at their dinner table one night, sipping
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: their drinks. Where should they go on their next adventure?
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  Speaker 1: Was there somewhere to the east they hadn't been yet?
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  Speaker 1: Did they dare venture so far as the great land
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: of Egypt, where stone pyramids rose high in the sky?
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: But then Gilgamesh remembered a story he had heard once
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: as a boy, of the man named Utnapishtim. The legend
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: was that he and his wife lived alone on an island,
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  Speaker 1: that they had survived the great flood hundreds of years ago,
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  Speaker 1: and that they were sorcerers who knew how to live forever.
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: The friends decided they couldn't miss the chance to meet
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: the pair. They prepared for their journey packing food and
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: clothing and saying goodbye to their friends. They visited the temples,
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: asking for protection from the gods. And lastly, Gilgamesh kissed
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: his mother goodbye as she gave him a blessing for
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: safe travels. Then, once again, the two friends left the city,
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: Wandering east this time, they crossed rivers where they cooled
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: their tired feet, walked through jungles where they tasted fresh fruit,
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: and ambled across deserts under the glowing sun. They didn't
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: know exactly where Utnapishtim lived, but each time they went
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: through a town, or found a tavern on the side
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: of the path, they stopped to ask if anyone had
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: heard of the man. At first, they were dismissed. The
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: people hadn't heard of him, or they didn't believe he
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: was real. But then, one day, on a deserted road,
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: they came to a small tavern, made of old creaking wood.
• 36:27
  Speaker 1: The heroes went inside. The old woman behind the bar
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: was covered with a veil. Underneath the fabric, they could
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: see her twinkling and mischievous eyes. She knew why they'd come.
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: Only those who seek the great sorcerer come to my tavern,
• 36:59
  Speaker 1: she said in a smooth voice. Stay here tonight. Tomorrow
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: I will help you find what you seek. The men
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: ate supper with the tavern keeper. She cooked them a
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: hearty meal of roasted boar. spiced sweet potato, sour yogurt,
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: and sliced vegetables. It is a long journey ahead, she
• 37:32
  Speaker 1: told them, handing them a basket of crusty bread. You
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: must keep your strength. They enjoyed a long meal together,
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: sharing stories. The woman told them of all the wayward
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: travelers she met at her inn. Gilgamesh and Enkidu told
• 37:58
  Speaker 1: her of the great city of Uruk, with its walls
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: and waterways, and craftsmen and temples. She could hardly believe
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: a city of such size and grandeur could exist in
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: the world. It was almost as foreign to her as
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: the story of Utnapishtim had been to many of the
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: villages they'd met on their journey. When the moon shone
• 38:32
  Speaker 1: high in the sky, the women showed the heroes to
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: their rooms for the night. Sleeping on a soft bed
• 38:42
  Speaker 1: for the first time in weeks, Gilgamesh and Enkidu quickly
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: drifted off into a deep sleep. In the morning, the
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: woman fed them a breakfast of boiled eggs, nuts, and fruit. Then,
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: she took them through the back door of her tavern,
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: where water spread out before them. All along They had
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: been on the coast of a great sea, though from
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: inside the tavern they hadn't seen its vastness or heard
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: its weight. The blue waters extended to the horizon and
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: the waves crashed upon the shore. The woman told them
• 39:41
  Speaker 1: to take her boat and sail straight ahead. If Utnapishtim
• 39:49
  Speaker 1: wished to be found, they would find him. They climbed
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: into the reed vessel, feeling the steady rocking beneath their feet.
• 40:04
  Speaker 1: Unlike the fresh water of the river, the air was
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: salty here. Fish leapt up from below the waves and
• 40:15
  Speaker 1: splashed back under the surface. looking at the strangers paddling
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: through the sea on their narrowboat with a curved bow.
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: The wood paddles felt solid between Gilgamesh's and Enkidu's hands.
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: They soon fell into a steady rhythm, paddling the boat
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: toward the horizon. They were so calm in their rowing
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: that they almost didn't notice the land coming into view
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: like a shimmering mirage ahead of them. As they got closer,
• 40:59
  Speaker 1: they saw a man and a woman standing on the beach.
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: The man had a long white beard, and the woman
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: had glowing white hair. Their wrinkled faces, brighted with smile,
• 41:17
  Speaker 1: when they saw the two men approaching. The heroes landed
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: their boat, stepping out into the cool water, which washed
• 41:32
  Speaker 1: their feet clean. They shook hands with Utnapishtim and his wife,
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: who pulled each of them in for a hug. As
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: evening approached, the couple cooked them swordfish over the fire.
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: The flames crackled beneath the setting sun, creating an orchestra
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: with the waves crashing and birds singing. As the fish cooked,
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: Utnapishtim told the heroes his tale. You asked how we
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: have been granted immortal life. The man let out a
• 42:22
  Speaker 1: hearty laugh that warmed Gilgamesh to the soul. We are
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: just like you or any other human on this planet.
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: But I will tell you how we survived the great
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: flood and how we were given the gift of immortality.
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: It was many years ago now. I was still a
• 42:50
  Speaker 1: young man. The great god Ea came to me in
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: a dream. He told me there would be a flood
• 43:01
  Speaker 1: and that I should build a boat out of cedar
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: for my family and my community. Together, my townspeople and
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: I found the wood and built the boat. We worked hard,
• 43:19
  Speaker 1: but it was joyful to do it together. Then we waited,
• 43:27
  Speaker 1: and one day it started to rain. At first the
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: people were glad. The plants needed to drink and grow,
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: and it had been dry for a long time. But
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: I knew this was the flood I had been warned of.
• 43:51
  Speaker 1: I gathered my people and we boarded the boat. It
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: was the most delightful form of chaos. Not only did
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: people bring their friends and family, they also brought sheep, goats, cows, gazelles, birds, dogs, cats,
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: and any other animals. that would climb aboard the ship
• 44:19
  Speaker 1: with them. The rain pattered on the roof of the boat,
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: which floated easily in the water. No rain could penetrate
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: the strong cedar wood. Soon, the water levels rose higher
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: and higher. Some of the people came outside, to feel
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: the cool rain on their skin and taste the fresh
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: water on their tongues. The boat rocked from side to
• 44:58
  Speaker 1: side in the swell. Safe on board, the people and
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: animals watched with wonder as water covered the usually parched earth.
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: The flood was a time for everyone to start anew.
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: Free from life's daily chores, families got to spend more
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: time together. Artists improved their craft and worked together to
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: decorate the inside of the boat. Friends shared meals together.
• 45:40
  Speaker 1: In the evening, we all made music. All the while,
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: the rain played a steady rhythm on the wooden roof.
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: It really was a grand adventure. One day, the rain stopped.
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: Everyone came on deck to see a rainbow of blue light. yellow, red, orange,
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: and purple mist shining brightly overhead. But before we returned home,
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: I had to make sure the waters had lowered enough.
• 46:29
  Speaker 1: On the first day after the rain stopped, I released
• 46:33
  Speaker 1: a fluttering white dove from the boat. But the dove
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: returned there was no land for her to perch on.
• 46:46
  Speaker 1: On the second day after the rain stopped, I released
• 46:51
  Speaker 1: a cooing swallow. She too returned with nowhere else to land.
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: On the third day after the rain stopped, I released
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: a black feathered raven. The raven did not return, it
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: was safe to go home. We celebrated with the rest
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: of our food as we sailed back to the city. Soon,
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: we'd resume our normal lives, but we'd never forget the
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: days we spent together on the cedar ship. Gilgamesh and
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: Enkidu sat on logs around the fire, listening to the tale.
• 47:47
  Speaker 1: They had eaten the fish while the man spoke, but
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: he was not quite finished. It was after we were
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: back home that the gods decided to make my wife
• 48:01
  Speaker 1: and I immortal again. the great deed we had done
• 48:06
  Speaker 1: in saving our town, he said. Gilgamesh wanted to become
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: immortal himself. He thought of all he could accomplish for
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: the great city of Uruk. Not all is better when
• 48:28
  Speaker 1: you live forever. So many things in life are sweet
• 48:35
  Speaker 1: because they are fleeting, Utnapishtim said. But seeing the look
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: on Gilgamesh's face, he offered him something else. Take this
• 48:51
  Speaker 1: rosy pink flower and share it with your people. It
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: will help everyone live a long and healthy life. The
• 49:07
  Speaker 1: next morning, Gilgamesh and Enkidu departed. With the flower safely
• 49:15
  Speaker 1: stowed in Gilgamesh's pocket, they rode back to the opposite shore.
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: After hearing the man's tale, the sun felt warmer, the
• 49:31
  Speaker 1: water tasted fresher, and the trees seemed a brighter shade
• 49:37
  Speaker 1: of green than before. they dropped off the boat at
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: the tavern and said goodbye to the woman who'd helped them.
• 49:50
  Speaker 1: They journeyed back across deserts and jungles, mountains and rivers.
• 50:00
  Speaker 1: When they were close to home, Enkidu recognized a small,
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: rocky waterfall. It was close to the spot he had
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: been born so many years ago now, where Gilgamesh had
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: found him and brought him to Uruk to be dear friends.
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: The men decided to stop and go for a swim.
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: The water was cool and refreshing and washed the dust
• 50:36
  Speaker 1: and salt from their long journey off their skin. But
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: while they were swimming, the flower, tucked in Gilgamesh's tunic,
• 50:51
  Speaker 1: was carried away by the wind. From the pool, the
• 50:57
  Speaker 1: men watched the beautiful flower float away. Gilgamesh thought he
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: should feel sad at the loss of this gift for
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: his people. But he didn't. Perhaps Utnapishtim was right. The
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: greatest gift was being able to enjoy each moment, fleeting
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: as it is, for all the beauty and joy it contains.
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: The friends smiled at each other and continued to swim
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: in the cool water. As the sun began to set,
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: they climbed out to dry on the rocks and then
• 51:54
  Speaker 1: walked up the small hill behind the water. From the
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: top of the hill, they could gaze out at the
• 52:05
  Speaker 1: city of Uruk in the distance. Its thick walls sprawled
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: as far as the eye could see, Gilgamesh could make
• 52:18
  Speaker 1: out the tops of the temple, and Enkidu watched the people,
• 52:24
  Speaker 1: tiny from this vantage point, moving around in the city,
• 52:29
  Speaker 1: winding down from their daily deeds, getting ready to rest
• 52:35
  Speaker 1: for the night. The pink, orange, and purple of the
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: sunset painted the outsides of the walls and the roofs
• 52:49
  Speaker 1: of houses, making the entire city look like a picture.
• 52:58
  Speaker 1: How wonderful to be alive and to witness this marvel
• 53:05
  Speaker 1: of civilization, they thought to themselves. As the moon made
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: her way into the sky, the friends climbed back down
• 53:19
  Speaker 1: the hill to make camp for the night. They laid
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: out sleeping mats and blankets and built a small fire.
• 53:34
  Speaker 1: From the warmth of their blankets, they thought of their friendship.
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: Of all the joyful times they'd shared together. Of all
• 53:46
  Speaker 1: the exciting adventures they'd been on. And about how many
• 53:52
  Speaker 1: more adventures they'd have during their lifetime together. Stars glittered
• 54:03
  Speaker 1: in the dark sky above. Shades of black, navy, and
• 54:11
  Speaker 1: white acted as a backdrop to the moon and stars.
• 54:20
  Speaker 1: Just as he was closing his eyes, Gilgamesh saw a
• 54:26
  Speaker 1: comet fly through the darkness. He smiled. The friends could
• 54:35
  Speaker 1: hear the singing of birds and the trickling of the
• 54:40
  Speaker 1: water The cicadas hummed and a gentle wind rustled through
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: the trees. Tomorrow, they'd return home. And who knew what
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: the day after that would bring. For now, it was
• 55:13
  Speaker 1: time To drift off. To sleep. you you you Thank you.
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: you Thank you. This is the first time that I
• 57:54
  Speaker 1: have seen this. I have never seen anything like this before.
• 57:57
  Speaker 1: This is the first time that I have seen this.
• 57:59
  Speaker 1: I have never seen anything like this before. Thank you
• 58:22
  Speaker 1: for watching. Thanks for watching! you Thank you. Thank you.
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 1: Thank you for watching. Thank you for watching. Thank you.