To Samas came the snake and said:-- The eagle has come to my nest, my young are scattered. See, O Samas, what evil he has done me. Help me, thy nest is as broad as the earth, Thy snare is like the heavens, Who can escape out of thy net? Hearing the snake's complaint, Samas opened his mouth and spake:-- Get thee on thy way, go to the mountain. A wild ox shall be thy hiding-place. Open his body, tear out his inward parts, Make thy dwelling within him. All the birds of heaven will descend, with them will come the eagle, Heedless and hurrying on the flesh he will swoop, Thinking of that which is hidden inside. So soon as he enters the ox, seize his wing, Tear off his wing-feathers and claws, Pull him to pieces and cast him away, Let him die of hunger and thirst. So as the mighty Samas commanded, Rose the snake, went to the mountain, There he found a wild ox, Opened his body, tore out his inward parts, Entered and dwelt within him. And the birds of heaven descended, with them came the eagle. Yet the eagle, fearing a snare, ate not of the flesh with the birds. The eagle spake to his young:-- We will not fly down, nor eat of the flesh of the wild ox. An eaglet, keen of eye, thus to his father spake:-- In the flesh of the ox lurks the snake [The rest is lost.] VI. THE FLIGHT OF ETANA /* The priests have offered my sacrifice With joyful hearts to the gods. O Lord, issue thy command, Give me the plant of birth, show me the plant of birth, Bring the child into the world, grant me a son. Samas opened his mouth and spake to Etana:-- Away with thee, go to the mountain.... The eagle opened his mouth and spake to Etana:-- Wherefore art thou come? Etana opened his mouth and said to the eagle:-- My friend, give me the plant of birth, show me the plant of birth, Bring the child into the world, grant me a son.... To Etana then spake the eagle:-- My friend, be of good cheer. Come, let me bear thee to Anu's heaven, On my breast lay thy breast, Grasp with thy hands the feathers of my wings. On my side lay thy side. On his breast he laid his breast, On his feathers he placed his hands, On his side laid his side, Firmly he clung, great was his weight. Two hours he bore him on high. The eagle spake to him, to Etana:-- See my friend, the land, how it lies, Look at the sea, the ocean-girded, Like a mountain looks the land, the sea like petty waters. Two hours more he bore him up. The eagle spake to him, to Etana:-- See my friend the land, how it lies, The sea is like the girdle of the land. Two hours more he bore him up.