The reason of the writing of the version already translated and in part commented upon is not difficult to find—it was to give an account of the origin of the world and the gods whom they worshipped. The reason of the writing of the bilingual story of the Creation, however, is not so easy to decide, the account there given being the introduction to one of those bilingual incantations for purification, in which, however, by the mutilation of the tablet, the connecting-link is unfortunately lost. But whatever the reason of its being prefixed to this incantation, the value and importance of the version presented by this new document is incontestable, not only for the legend itself, but also for the linguistic material which a bilingual text nearly always offers. The following is a translation of this document— “Incantation: The glorious house, the house of the gods, in a glorious place had not been made, A plant had not grown up, a tree had not been created, A brick had not been laid, a beam had not been shaped, A house had not been built, a city had not been constructed, A city had not been made, no community had been established, Niffer had not been built, Ê-kura had not been constructed, Erech had not been built, Ê-ana had not been constructed, The Abyss had not been made, Êridu had not been constructed, (As for) the glorious house, the house of the gods, its seat had not been made— The whole of the lands were sea. When within the sea there was a stream, In that day Eridu was made, Ê-sagila was constructed— Ê-sagila, which the god Lugal-du-azaga founded within the Abyss. Babylon he built, Ê-sagila was completed. He made the gods (and) the Anunnaki together, The glorious city, the seat of the joy of their hearts, supremely he proclaimed. Merodach bound together a foundation before the waters, He made dust, and poured (it) out beside the foundation, That the gods might sit in a pleasant place. He made mankind— Aruru made the seed of mankind with him. He made the beasts of the field and the living creatures of the desert, He made the Tigris and the Euphrates, and set (them) in (their) place— Well proclaimed he their name. Grass, the marsh-plant, the reed and the forest, he made, He made the verdure of the plain, The lands, the marsh, the thicket also, The wild cow (and) her young the steer; the ewe (and) her young—the sheep of the fold, Plantations and forests also. The goat and the wild goat multiplied for him (?). Lord Merodach on the sea-shore made a bank, ... (which) at first he made not, ... he caused to be. (He caused the plant to be brought forth), he made the tree, (Everything?) he made in (its) place. (He laid the brick), he made the beams, (He constructed the house), he built the city,