The Pursuit of
Shugat-Nergal
A story set in Ancient Sumer
by James W. Bell © 2002 - 2004
43
Mulim’s voice answered, “As long as I stay invisible, Namtar can’t see me.”
“But what about me? I’m the one Namtar’s after.”
“Shugat, I would say you have a problem.”
“Damn it, Mulim, two problems! Kalama’s going to be coming back any time with her tribe to get married to me.”
“It will be interesting to see which claims you first.”
“Mulim!”
“Stay calm, Shugat,” the shade counseled. “You have a little time. Namtar has to work his way down the cliff before he can get you; and Kalama will have to gather her tribe together before she can return. While you still have the chance, you’d better eat some of that roast goat Kalama brought.”
Shugat pulled a haunch out of the basket and starting gnawing at it. “And then?” he asked with his mouth full.
“There’s no way you’re going to walk out of this one, Shugat-Nergal. Face it. You’re tired and your body’s bruised from sliding down the bluff. Namtar can track you on land andKalama’s hunters certainly know the terrain. As I see it, your only hope of escape is by water.”
“Come on, Mulim, you know we don’t have a boat. Besides, the mountain stream’s shallow.”
“But it’s swift flowing, Shugat. If you’ll lower yourself into the water, the current will carry you away. You should be out of sight by the time anyone arrives. If you stayed in the river so you couldn’t be tracked, I doubt if they would find you.”
“What about you?”
“I’d better stay behind … in my dematerialized state of course … to see what happens. When I find out, I’ll catch up with you and bring you up to date.”
Again, Namtar’s voice hailed from the top of the cliff, two hundred feet above. “I’m coming down for you, Shugat-Nergal.”
“You’d better finish eating and get moving,” Mulim’s voice advised. “You might dump the bone and a few scraps of meat in the basket and fling it somewhere. If a lion finds it and savages what’s left, your pursuers may think the beast caught you and dragged your carcass away. Might throw them off the scent.”
“That’s an ignominious suggestion.”
“You want to get caught?”
Shugat put the bone back in the basket and threw it into the brush.
“That’s better. Now, Shugat, if you value your life or freedom, once you get in the water, don’t come out again until I reach you and tell you it’s safe. These mountain men have dogs who track and they’re vicious.”
44
Later, that afternoon, Shugat pulled his bedraggled body onto a rocky shoal in the middle of the stream, his head barely out of the water. “Damned current,” he swore. “I’ve been smashed into every boulder along the way. I can go no farther.” He collapsed, his form partly hidden by a bed of reeds. Battered and exhausted, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, when the air was cooler and the moon overhead, a familiar voice aroused him. “Wake up, Shugat-Nergal.”
Shugat crawled out of the water and looked around. “Mulim?”
The dark form of the shade materialized in front of him. “I’m right here,” Mulim said. “I bring good news.”
“Thank the gods.”
“Are you aware Namtar is Ereshkigal’s only son?”
Shugat nodded.
“That’s lucky for you. Being an only child, Namtar is spoiled and overbearing. As I promised, I stayed to see what happened after you left. Well, Namtar took his time working his way down the cliff—he used the same ledge you did. He didn’t make it till noon, just as Kalama returned with her father’s tribe for the marriage ceremony.”
“They met?”
“Indeed! You should have seen it. When the chief spied Namtar coming towards them, he asked Kalama if the anemic-looking man was her groom-to-be. His daughter made a terrible face and exclaimed, ‘No, never!’
“It caused Namtar to fly into a terrific rage. ‘Who’s calling me names and accusing me of being betrothed? And, why is she sneering at me?’
“The chief responded with ‘What business is it of yours?’ and that’s when Namtar announced that he was Namtar, Herald of the Underworld, on a sacred mission to the Great Above to reclaim Shugat-Nergal and carry him back down into the Underworld.
“Shugat, you would have loved to see what happened then. Kalama immediately cried out that you were her intended and slapped Namtar’s face. That’s when Namtar caught sight of his mother’s ring - the one you gave her - on one of her fingers. He grabbed her hand to pull it off and they got into a wrestling match. The chief immediately ordered his hunters to attack the Underworld messenger and they fell on him with spears.
“Of course, Namtar, being a god, couldn’t be killed, no matter how many times they ran him through. But the stabs must have hurt because, every time they speared him, he howled with pain. But, one by one, he overcame the hunters until a number had fallen and were lying about on the ground, dead. The chief, seeing that Kalama had broken free and Namtar was indestructible, fled with his daughter and the remnants of his tribe, leaving the dark immortal alone with the bodies.
“I watched Namtar after the melee ended. Shugat, he hunted for you, looking around, though he was limping and didn’t seem to have his heart in it. He found your basket with the remains of roasted goat. I don’t believe any animal had ever touched it … it still laid where you tossed it. But Namtar seemed weary and he gave up the search anyway.
“That’s when he trudged back to take care of the bodies. ‘By the gods,’ I heard him swear. ‘The fates have conspired against me! I came to retrieve one mortal and my mother’s jewelry. I’ve failed at both and find myself alone, encumbered with five bodies, a full night’s work.’ As he continued to mutter, I watched him open the ground and start carrying the bodies below. That’s when I left.”
“So, I’m free of Namtar?” Shugat asked.
“And, I think, the mountain princess as well.”
“Like I told you in the cave, Mulim, we make a great team.”
“That may be, Shugat-Nergal, but I find I’m worn out. I need rest. I’ve had nothing but problems since meeting you.”
“When we first met, you were complaining about five hundred years of loneliness and having nothing to do.”
“I know … I didn’t have you around to teach me how to appreciate tranquility.”
“Would you rather go back?”
The shade hesitated. “It’s tempting but I’m too tired to think about it now.”
“Do what you will. I can take care of myself. Look at me. The water has wrinkled my skin so I’m shriveled up like a prune. I won’t put up with this. I’m going on shore to dry out. I’m not a fish, Mulim. I’m a human and I’m going to walk out of here on my own two feet like a man.” Shugat got up and waded across the stream; but, in the dim moonlight, he stumbled on one of the rocks when he tried to climb out. SPLASH! “Help!” he hollered.
Being a shade, Mulim was unable to help physically. He did, however, levitate overhead in the moonlight offering words of support to Shugat as he cursed and scrabbled through the shallows. Finally, the mortal managed to crawl up on dry land.
“You’ve already taken one fall,” the shade said. “You’d better wait till daylight before trying to go any farther. Remember, Shugat, you haven’t achieved shade status yet; you’re still a mortal, subject to all the human frailties.”
Shugat mumbled fresh oaths at the shade before collapsing on the hard ground and going back to sleep.
45
Shugat woke at daybreak and was surprised to find Mulim visible and asleep beside him. He shook the shade to rouse him. “If you’re still with me, let’s go. I’m ready to walk out of here.”
Mulim rubbed his eyes. “Not so fast. There’s still a problem of mountain men ahead. They regard these mountains as their private hunting grounds. They’re extremely hostile to intruders like you. Meet one without a spear or sword, Shugat, and you’re a dead man.”
“If you want to help, Mulim, this is where I can use you. I’ll travel by day with you as my invisible companion. We’ll follow the watercourse till we’re out of the hills. You can make yourself invisible and scout ahead.”
“What am I supposed to do if I come across anyone?”
“Do like you did with Kalama’s hunters.”
“You mean give them the Great Shugat-Nergal bit?”
“Of course. When you’re invisible, your voice seems to come out of thin air. Tell them how great I am and that they have to make way because I’m coming. If you’re invisible, there’s no way they can harm you. I guarantee it will work.”
“It might,” Mulim said, “but what would I gain for my effort?”
“I’ve still got Ereshkigal’s jewels,” Shugat said. “Look!” He pulled out his money bag to display the glittering jewelry. “See these beautiful rings. I’ll share them with you. Half for you, half for me.”
Mulim put out his gray hand for a ring, but it slipped through his grasp. “These are material objects, Shugat. I can’t even pick one up. So, what good are they to me?”
“I guess they aren’t,” Shugat said. He put them back in his bag and pondered the shade’s question. “You know, Mulim, the only thing I have to offer is what you’ve been seeking for the past five hundred years.”
“And that’s –”
“Sharp wit and sparkling conversation.”
“There’s no question about it, Shugat, you have a big mouth and a lively tongue.”
“You have to admit, things happen when I’m around.”
“Oh, how true!”
“You’d never be lonely or bored again.”
“But you stole jewelry from the Queen on the Underworld. And I’ve heard you called a thief. There’s no telling what else you’ve done. Your life seems to contain a number of nefarious incidents.”
“Mulim, you would think better of me if you thought of me as an adventurer. From that point of view, you’ll find my exploits are exciting.”
“In my short association with you, Shugat, I have certainly encountered the unexpected.”
“It could continue, Mulim. Think, a new life for you. Every day filled with unanticipated thrills. What do you say?”
The shade was silent for a moment. Then he responded, “Why not? I dare not show my face in the Underworld again. Shugat, I will serve as your invisible companion.”
“Good. Then if I may make a suggestion –”
“Of course, anything that would help.”
“Mulim, your voice is a bit thin. Perhaps because of your lack of body. I mean, a high pitched voice doesn’t impress men, especially those in important positions, like chiefs. You need to deepen it, Mulim. Inhale before you talk and then speak from your diaphragm. Try to lower you voice.”
The shade breathed in and said, “How’s this?”
“It’s okay, but the tone needs to be down a bit more for best effect.”
Mulim tried again and deepened his voice. “This?”
“Yes, that’s better. Can you do that when you’re invisible?”
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Mulim said. He dematerialized and a bass voice boomed out of thin air, “Make way for the Great Shugat-Nergal!”
“Perfect,” Shugat said. “Let’s get going.”
* * *
Their first encounter occurred later that day when Mulim chanced upon a small band of hunters. There were three of them. The shade approached in his dematerialized state and spoke to them in his new voice, “Make way for the Great Shugat-Nergal.”
The hunters looked about apprehensively. They searched along the riverbank but found no one.
Mulim spoke again, this time more powerfully, his voice reverberating in the air. “I said, “Make way for the Great Shugat-Nergal!’”
The hunters were completely baffled and looked around frantically. Then, two started downriver. The third hesitated, then panicked, dropped his spear, and ran after them.
Mulim stayed by the spear and waited for Shugat. When he arrived, the shade materialized and pointed to the spear laying on the ground. “Here’s a spear,” Mulim said. “It was dropped by a hunter who panicked. Take it. It will provide you with a means of procuring food as well as a measure of defense.”
Shugat picked up the spear. “Ah, Mulim, as I predicted, our partnership is going to do well.” He practiced holding it, testing its balance.
“Have you ever used one before?”
“No, but I think I could learn quickly. Maybe I could try a target.”
Mulim pointed at a nearby tamarisk tree. “Try that.”
Shugat hefted the spear, aimed it, drew his arm back and threw. It struck the twisted trunk of the little tree and clattered to the ground.
“You hit it!” Mulim said. “Remarkable.”
“It’s a result of knowing magic,” Shugat answered as he recovered the weapon. He flexed his agile fingers. “And practicing sleight of hand. Actually, my best skill is making jewelry disappear.”
“Shugat, food’s more important now. You’d better use your skill for hunting.”
It was that afternoon, when the gorge was partly in shadows, that Shugat speared his first rabbit. He brought it to the riverbank to cook. “Congratulations,” Mulim said. “With practice, I think you could become a great hunter.”
Shugat grinned. “It’s time for supper now.” He collected a handful of dried reeds and found a rock to spark against the blade of his spear. “I’ll start a fire and roast the rabbit. After a good meal and a night’s rest, we’ll be ready to head out when morning comes.”
\Mulim savored the sweet aroma of the rabbit being cooked. Then, after Shugat finished eating it and went to sleep, the shade kept watch during the night. At dawn, he woke Shugat to start their homeward journey.
To Chapter 46
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