Inanna's Thanks to Enki
In the ancient Mesopotamian city of Uruk, there lived a powerful goddess named Inanna. Inanna was known for her beauty, her love of music, and her fierce independence. She was also known for her love of gardens, and she had a particularly special fondness for a single lemongrass plant that grew in her garden.
The lemongrass was a gift from her beloved Enki, the god of wisdom and water. It was a small, delicate plant with long, slender leaves that released a sweet, citrusy fragrance when brushed against. Inanna cherished the lemongrass, and she would often spend hours tending to it, watering it, and pruning its leaves.
One day, Inanna decided to travel to the underworld to visit her sister, Ereshkigal, the queen of the dead. Inanna was a powerful goddess, but she was also a curious one, and she was eager to see what the underworld was like.
Before she left, Inanna instructed her gardener to take extra care of the lemongrass. She told him to water it every day and to protect it from the harsh sun. The gardener promised to do as Inanna asked, and Inanna set off on her journey.
When Inanna reached the gates of the underworld, she was stopped by a series of seven gates. At each gate, she was required to remove one of her garments and her jewelry. By the time she reached Ereshkigal's throne room, Inanna was completely naked and powerless.
Ereshkigal was not pleased to see her sister. She had been expecting Inanna to show her respect, but instead, Inanna had come to the underworld out of curiosity. Ereshkigal was so angry that she ordered her servants to kill Inanna.
Inanna was killed and hung from a hook in Ereshkigal's throne room. Her body remained there for three days, and during that time, the lemongrass in her garden began to wilt. The gardener was heartbroken, and he knew that something was wrong.
Inanna's friends and allies were also worried. They knew that Inanna was a powerful goddess, but they also knew that she was vulnerable in the underworld. They decided to send Enki, the god of wisdom, to rescue her.
Enki was a powerful god, and he was able to outsmart Ereshkigal. He tricked her into releasing Inanna, and Inanna was able to return to the world of the living.
When Inanna returned to her garden, she was overjoyed to see the lemongrass. It was still alive, but it was weak and sickly. Inanna knew that she had to do something to help it.
Inanna used her magic to heal the lemongrass. She poured her divine energy into the plant, and the lemongrass began to thrive once again. Inanna was so grateful that she decided to dedicate the lemongrass to Enki, the god who had saved her life.
From that day on, the lemongrass was known as Enki's plant. It was a symbol of hope, healing, and the power of love. And Inanna, the goddess of love and war, always remembered the day that the lemongrass had saved her life.
