We would thus obtain an entirely artificial combination, "man (or hero), father, hero," which would simply convey in an emphatic manner the idea of the _Ur-held_, the original hero, the father of heroes as it were--practically the same idea, therefore, as the one conveyed by Gish alone, as the hero _par excellence_. Our investigation thus leads us to a substantial identity between Gish and the longer form Gish-bil(or bíl)-ga-mesh, and the former might, therefore, well be used as an abbreviation of the latter. Both the shorter and the longer forms are _descriptive epithets _based on naive folk etymology, rather than personal names, just as in the designation of our hero as _muktablu_, the "fighter," or as _âlik pâna_, "the leader," or as _Esigga imin_, "the seven-fold hero," or _Esigga tuk_, "the one who is a hero," are descriptive epithets, and as Atra-hasis, "the very wise one," is such an epithet for the hero of the deluge story. The case is different with Gi-il-ga-mesh, or Gish-gì(n)-mash, which represent the popular and actual pronunciation of the name, or at least the _approach_ to such pronunciation. Such forms, stripped as they are of all artificiality, impress one as genuine names. The conclusion to which we are thus led is that Gish-bil(or bíl)-ga-mesh is a play upon the genuine name, to convey to those to whom the real name, as that of a foreigner, would suggest no meaning an interpretation _fitting in with his character_. In other words, Gish-bil-ga-mesh is a "Sumerianized" form of the name, introduced into the Sumerian version of the tale which became a folk-possession in the Euphrates Valley. Such plays upon names to suggest the character of an individual or some incident are familiar to us from the narratives in Genesis. [58] They do not constitute genuine etymologies and are rarely of use in leading to a correct etymology. Reuben, e.g., certainly does not mean "Yahweh has seen my affliction," which the mother is supposed to have exclaimed at the birth (Genesis 29, 32), with a play upon _ben_ and _be'onyi_, any more than Judah means "I praise Yahweh" (v. 35), though it does contain the divine name (_Ye_hô) as an element. The play on the name may be close or remote, as long as it fulfills its function of _suggesting_ an etymology that is complimentary or appropriate.