Gilgamesh-Book One

Book One

In this book we learn of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, who does as he pleases merely because he is king. Aside from this, we also learn of Enkidu, man that is like animal, who is Gilgamesh's supposed equal. Gilgamesh had been having dreams that his mother, Ninsun, interpreted to be about the coming of Gilgamesh's soul mate. As Gilgamesh is having dreams, the story focuses in on Enkidu, the animal-like man, and how he lives amongst the animals. He has known no other way of life than this. One day, a boy stumbles upon Enkidu and watches secretly and in awe as Enkidu acts very much like an animal, but is obviously still human. The boy is the son of a hunter, and Enkidu has been freeing all the animals from the hunter's traps. The boy tells his father about what he saw, and his father tells him to speak to Gilgamesh about it. He tells the boy to ask Gilgamesh to send a prostitute down to Enkidu that will sleep with him, and then Enkidu shall be shamed by the animals and abandoned. The prostitute sleeps with Enkidu, and Enkidu feels the presence of the animals leave him. He is now a man, not an animal. The prostitute shaves his long hair and makes him appear to be a proper man. She then takes him into Uruk where he meets Gilgamesh. Alike in appearance, (Enkidu slightly stronger) the town assumes Ekidu to be Gilgamesh's equal. They wrestle around in dislike for one another, but then realize that they are each others' equal and become friends instead.