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Inanna placed the shugurra, the crown of the steppe, on her head.

When Inanna places the crown of the steppe on her head, she assumes her role as Queen of the Land. As Queen of the Land of Sumer, Inanna is responsible to and receives her power from the resources and fertility of the land. With the shugurra on her head, Inanna goes to the sheepfold, which is the center of nature in Sumer. Leaning against the fruit tree, she rejoices in her own nature powers -her wondrous vulva. In Sumerian, the word for sheepfold, womb, vulva, loins, and lap is the same. The images presented in the first few line -shepherd, sheepfold, apple tree, young woman, and vulva- are all related to fertility. Gone is the brooding, fearful adolescent girl of "The Huluppu-Tree." Inanna has received her throne and crown. The story of "Inanna and the God of Wisdom begins with Inanna delighting in her womanhood and wishing to test its powers.

Inanna decides to go on a journey. Often in heroic stories, before the hero sets out on a journey, he takes up and brandishes his sword or manly weapon. In "The Huluppu-Tree," before the young Gilgamesh ventures into Inanna’s garden, he demonstrates his extraordinary virility by raising a bronze ax weighing 450 ponds. Likewise, the young Inanna, about to set out on a journey, exults, in an amazingly straightforward way, in her feminine powers -her wondrous vulva.

Inanna sets out to visit Enki, the God of Wisdom, who is also the God of the Waters. In "The Huluppu-Tree, after the new world is divided, Enki appears, but he is not assigned a fixed domain. Yet without the presence on earth of Enki, the God of the Waters, no life is possible. With his presence, water, which permeates and fertilizes the land, gives the earth the power of life and creativity. This in part accounts for the dual aspect of Enki’s powers, for as well as being God of the Waters, he also has many powers over the earth (in Sumerian, "Enki" means literally God of the Earth). Enki’s iconographic emblem, the goat-fish, further indicates his earth-water aspect: the goat goes to the highest point of all earth animals and the fish to the lowest depths.

Enki is the Creator of Humankind, the Fertilizer of the Land, the Organizer of his Creations, a Magician, Master of Ritual and Incantations. Rather than upholder of the laws of the gods, he is a Mediator between Men and a Mediator before the Gods on the part of the Mortals. Always following his own feelings and instincts, Enki is the Great Shaman. His sacred shrine, the Abzu, is built above the regions of the underworld. His city, Eridu, is located near where the fresh and salt waters meet, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the Persian Gulf converge.

When we consider the myriad aspects of the God of Wisdom, Inanna’s decision to journey to Eridu can be understood as a wish to be "fertilized" by the sexual as well as the magical, spiritual, and cultural powers of life -both for herself and her queendom.

Enki, the overconfident, over-effusive host offers the treasures of his kingdom to his guest. She accepts.

The offering of the me offers some indication of what the Sumerians -or the Sumerian priesthood who had possession of the me- valued. The first eight groupings center on the priesthood and the rituals involved in serving the gods, the king, and the temple. The last six groupings, beginning with "the art of the hero," are related to humanity’s concerns: political power, the secure dwelling place, crafts, husbandry, emotions, the family, counseling, and decision.

Inanna’s eagerness turns from bravado to true decision. Inanna decides she wants to keep the me; and so she hastily and prudently departs. Although most of the me stress the power and importance of the priesthood and servitude, without ‘the making of decision’ the other me are meaningless. Without the individual’s decision there can be no kingship, leather making, princess/priestess, counseling. It is the will -strength and ability to make decisions- that houses the divine attributes. It is the will that perceives, believes, and takes action.

As the God of Wisdom, Enki knows that the powers of knowledge need to be shared; as King of Eridu, he knows that the best rule is the self-sufficiency of his citizens; as Father, he knows that the best way to raise his children is by encouraging initiative and independence.

Perhaps the vessel of Urash from which Enki drinks partially influences his generous state of mind. Urash, the primordial Mother of the Earth, does not hold back. In giving birth, Urash gives away everything; all that a plant or tree needs is given in the birthing. No power is withheld. But surely the beer within the vessel also contributes to Enki’s fluid state. Immediate concerns, cares, and boundaries vanish. Enki’s ego melts. The God of Wisdom gives the young Queen of Uruk all the necessary knowledge for the ruling of her kingdom. Yet as soon as the drink wears off and his consciousness returns, so do Enki’s possessive, jealous, and controlling aspects. Enki -god, king, father, and magician- wants his riches for himself.

Now the other side of the God of Wisdom, the dark shaman who withholds rather than gives birth, emerges, and Enki summons his occult powers. Of the six creatures who guard the treasures of Eridu, we have fragmentary information on only two: the enkum and the lahamas. The enkum are protective spirits created by Enki and placed under the floors and foundations of Eridu. They are part-human, part-animal, and have hair that hangs loosely behind them. The lahamas are dragon-like stone statues who guard the door-ways of Eridu and act as messengers for Enki. Throughout the world mythology, wherever there is a great treasure there are also dragons, monsters, and demons to guard that treasure. The mysteries or spiritual treasures offer abundance and riches, but only to those capable of both winning and protecting them. Enki, who has lost his treasures, sends his servant Isimud with the enkum-creatures to rescue the me of Eridu.

Inanna defeats Enki’s magic creatures, and acquires their corresponding shamanic powers. A hero wrests the treasure from the adversary; a shaman uses higher powers to protect the well-being of the community; and a queen, mother of her country, offers her people that which will nourish them both physically and spiritually.

When Inanna returns to Uruk, she is acclaimed -and even more than she expected. As the me are unloaded and presented to the people of Uruk, they are announced for the fourth time. Then, suddenly, more me appear than Enki had given. These me center on feminine attributes. At the beginning of the story, Inanna flaunted her raw feminine vitality -her wondrous vulva. En route and in battle her powers were tested, and, joining forces with more spiritual resources, Inanna emerged a fuller woman. She passed from vulva to provider, from hero to queen. Thus she was rewarded by the great Earth Shaman, Father Enki, with the "art of the woman." And this, too, she offers to the people of Uruk.

Much of the gifts to Inanna, all the "He gave me..." reminded me of the Gnostic "Thunder, Perfect Mind." I could be out of my own mind, but it did. "Wisdom" is older, though, so I wonder who copied whom.