In the region to which Gilgamish had come stood the palace or fortress of the goddess Siduri-Sabîtu, and to this he directed his steps with the view of obtaining help to continue his journey. The goddess wore a girdle and sat upon a throne by the side of the sea, and when she saw him coming towards her palace, travel-stained and clad in the ragged skin of some animal, she thought that he might prove an undesirable visitor and so ordered the door of her palace to be closed against him. But Gilgamish managed to obtain speech with her, and having asked her what ailed her, and why she had closed her door, he threatened to smash the bolt and break down the door. In answer Siduri-Sabitu said to him:-- 33. "Why are thy cheeks wasted? Thy face is bowed down, 34. "Thine heart is sad, thy form is dejected. 35. "Why is there lamentation in thy heart?" And she went on to tell him that he had the appearance of one who had travelled far, that he was a painful sight to look upon, that his face was burnt, and finally seems to have suggested that he was a runaway trying to escape trom the country. To this Gilgamish replied: 39. "Why should not my cheeks be wasted, my face bowed down, 40. "My heart sad, my form dejected?" And then he told the goddess that his ill-looks and miserable appearance were due to the fact that death had carried off his dear friend Enkidu, the "panther of the desert," who had traversed the mountains with him and had helped him to overcome Khumbaba in the cedar forest, and to slay the bull of heaven, Enkidu his dear friend who had fought with lions and killed them, and who had been with him in all his difficulties; and, he added, "I wept over him for six days and nights ... before I would let him be buried." Continuing his narrative, Gilgamish said to Sabîtu-Siduri: 57. "I was horribly afraid.... 58. "I was afraid of death, and therefore I fled through the country. The fate of my friend lieth heavily upon me, 59. "Therefore am I travelling on a long journey through the country. "The fate of my friend lieth heavily upon me, 60. "Therefore am I travelling on a long journey through the country. 61. "How is it possible for me to keep silence about it? How is it possible for me to cry out [the story of] it? 62. "My friend whom I loved hath become like the dust. "Enkidu, my friend whom I loved hath become like the dust. 63. "Shall not I myself also be obliged to lay me down 64. "And never again rise up to all eternity?"