The Taming of Enkidu

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest surviving works of literature in human history, inscribed as a poem in the Akkadian language on clay tablets c. 2100 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the ruthless god-king of the city of Uruk. As a check on his power, the goddess Aruru shapes a wild man out of water and clay and releases him in the woods where he lives as a beast among the animals. On hearing this, the sun-god sends a priestess of the sun temple to educate this beast and bring him into civilization. This is the story of the taming of the beast who would eventually take the name Enkidu and go on to befriend Gilgamesh.

--

Shamhat stepped cautiously around the boulders to slowly approach the watering hole, her bare feet pressing through the pebbles with every step. She left the tools of her trade neatly wrapped in a satchel by her feet, waiting to be used on her return. Behind her lay the hiding spot, high above the water where she and the hunter had laid waiting three nights, watching every wild beast and creature that gathered at the watering hole. The hunter, now terrified, did not waste a breath to witness her as he turned around and fled in the other direction as fast as his feet would carry him. Shamhat's gaze was fixed straight in front of her as she stepped into the morning mist rising over the water. A herd of gazelle had appeared around one end of the watering hole, their heads bent down to the stream, occasionally rising up with their foot long antlers, looking for disturbances. Marking the middle of the herd was the beast.

He was stooped over his shoulder with his face in the stream, drinking from it like he was one with the herd, and yet his back and large shoulders were nearly bare, that of a man. Shamhat watched as he raised himself out of the water to sit high on his knees. His long hair reached down to his waist dripping with water. She watched him let out a yawn, his broad chest stretching, covered in matted hair all the way down to his belly and his groin, his sex hanging down beneath him. Shamhat carried herself tall, her face devoid of any expression and clear eyes mirroring the stream as she stepped into ankle-deep water, and yet she could feel her heart pounding against her chest. Her deep breaths matched a slow rhythm honed over long years of training in the arts of pleasure and control. She was still on one side of the water when the herd, as one, noticed her presence and looked up at her.

Shamhat now stood still with her goatskin robe wrapped around her in the morning breeze. The beast looked upon her and felt the same fear and disquiet as he had felt when he was near the hunter in earlier days, but he also sensed something different. The being in front of him was tall, yet not as tall as him. She had sharp features, and her hair, long to the waist like his own, was flowing free with the air. The world around them stood still as Shamhat and the beast looked at each other for many moments. And then, Shamhat's face lit up with a faint hint of a smile.

The gazelle herd turned around to dispersing, sensing impending danger. The beast, standing up to his full height, sensed it too, but a different urge was making him unable to move entirely. Shamhat maintained her distance, staying far out of reach of any sudden leap, and yet she allowed her fragrance to surround him. She raised her right hand to her chest and felt the cold metal of her brooch - bronze spiral encrusted with an agate gem - the heft of the spiral indicating her order in the temple of the sun, and the gem a recognition of her skill. The cold touch instantly filled her with strength as her body remembered the years of learning that fueled her abilities, and she felt assured of her task. Her eyes held his gaze as he gradually became oblivious to everything around him but her. A nimble flick of her finger pushed the brooch open. She raised her left hand to part her robe down the middle, and gently raised her shoulders. Lacking any support, the heavy cloth of the robe slid down her bare arms, back, and legs, till it lay puddled in the water by her feet.

The beast's eyes lowered from the intense expression on Shamhat's face, as he took in a long neck and sinewy shoulders. Her shapely arms were loose by her side ending in long fingers resting by her hips. She held her chest high - her clear, rounded breasts topped with light circles that pointed a shade sideways. Faint lines marked the shape of her taut belly and a smooth abdomen. Shamhat stood with one foot slightly ahead of the other, the tone of the muscles in her long calves and thighs hinting at her strength. Her legs were parted just enough to give the beast a glimpse of her bare loins. The beast felt his mouth run dry, and his palms sweat, and a beat in his sex with his member swelling outwards.

Seizing on her power in this silent fight, Shamhat raised her long arms to her sides and stepped forward so the beast would see that she was strong and formidable. She then stepped up to his body, where her flowery scents mixed with his earthy notes. Shamhat gently raised one hand and laid it on the side of his face, her lips letting out a soothing hum and words, but she knew speech was unknown to him. Her eyes locked with his, she used one finger of her other hand to trace a line from his shoulders, down his arm, until she held his large fingers in her own. She lifted his hand to her chest and pressed it there so he may feel her pulsing heart through her soft flesh. Shamhat felt a light twitch near her belly, and without breaking her gaze, knew of his arousal. She then withdrew her hands, and took slow steps backwards as she saw confusion form in his eyes. In one quick motion she twisted around started walking so the beast would now see her behind, her back, waist, and shapely bottom tensing with every step. She curved her long back and bent down to pick up her now wet robes, then raised herself in a sprint towards the boulders above the water.

As she reached the dry shore, she looked back to confirm that the bait had worked - indeed it had. The beast had nearly caught with her and approached with a growl. He raised his fist to strike, but Shamhat landed a hit first, her quick fist outmatching his brute strength. He lost his balance and collapsed in the mud on his back, as Shamhat pinned his arms down. But before anger could take him, Shamhat stepped over his body and lowered herself to rest on his stomach, cooing softly with her mouth. She slowly bent forward, the folds of her sex pressing into his belly, her strong abdomen and then her breasts laid on his chest, until her face was inches over his and she could feel him relax his struggle. She took a deep breath in and lowered her lips to gently suck on his. She felt his breath stop as she nibbled on his lips and slipped the tip of her tongue in to feel for his. The tips of her own breasts were heightened with arousal as she pushed herself forward. She knew that the immediate danger to her self had passed, and slowly released his lips. A low groan escaped from his through, but Shamhat placed her hand over his mouth forcing him to hold it in. His frustration was short-lived however, as Shamhat's lips dove on to his once again and he felt warmth coursing through him.

Their mouths locked in a forceful kiss, she let her hand wander over his shoulders, and her sex moistened with stimulation from being rubbed against his body. Shamhat released her kiss and lifted herself off his body, and carefully reached for her satchel. She retrieved a pouch with the ash of temple herbs and spread it over her wet rag. She then walked back to the beast, and grabbing his shoulders lifted him back to his feet. She firmly pressed the rag to his temple and dragged it down his face. With long strokes, she proceeded to rub down his arms, back and his leg. Turning to his front, she gently spread the ash downwards from his chest. As her hands reached down his abdomen, his shaft now pointed to the sky, pulsing upwards in tune with every beat from his heart. She dragged her cloth across his groin and up his shaft pulling of grime with it, and finally let it fall to the ground. The beast stood mesmerized, his hands shaking, toes digging into the earth, unable to move. He now sensed that the wild scents from the herd, the water, and the wild were leaving him.

He let out a grunt as he watched the priestess lower herself to her knees in front of him. She placed her fingers lightly on the inside of his thighs and allowed them to trace a line up. Gazing up at him, Shamhat used her tongue to make several clicking sounds. The beast was struck with fear as her face moved in closer, until he could feel her warm breath over his sex. With one smooth move, Shamhat raised her fingers to hold him firmly, while she laid her lips on the tip of his shaft. She felt him shake violently as she pushed on his tip with her tongue, reaching until she tasted some salt. At that instant, she once again released him to stand on her feet, and stepped back leaving the beast in a daze.

This time as she returned, she rolled out a rug between them and approached him with a little jar of nut oil in one hand. With her other hand she firmly moved the beast towards the rug until he once again lay flat on his back. With oil of almond on her hands, she massaged his temples and ran her fingers through the length of his long hair and beard. She then pressed with all the strength of her fingers down the length of each of his arms, and unto his legs, and then his chest and belly. Shamhat raised the jar over her head and let the beast watch as a trickles of oil rushed down her chest and her abdomen as she lowered her body upon him again. This time though, she pushed with her chest until her pointed breasts were squeezed firmly into his chest. With slow methodical motion, she used her breasts as soft cushions to massage oil over his body. She was aware of her heart beat hastening as the tips of her breasts brushed against the hard shape of his chest muscles. With one hand she reached between her legs to find his stiff member. With her eyes fixed on his, she watched his bewilderment as her hand deftly guided him to her opening, and used the back of her legs to push herself on him slowly taking him inside her.

The beast stared at the priestess' face now framed by her long hair, as he felt heat and wetness envelop his shaft. Shamhat held their bodies together and rocked forward and backwards, while her insides squeezed him in pulses timed expertly to her rhythm. Shamhat poised now wanting the beast to gain back control over his body. She leaned forward to gently bite his lip as she reached behind and pulled on his shoulders so he was upright. She then lifted herself off him and rolled to her side, so the beast may use her for his release. The beast looked down on the priestess as she too breathed as heavily as him, the sheen of oil still on her breasts as they rose and fell in rapid succession. He gazed lower to see her tightly pulled belly and her sex now glistening from both the oil and her own juices. The beast knew now what he needed to do. He looked at her as he lowered himself on his arms and drove his member towards her sex. He felt the wrapping of heat and wetness return as she fiercely pulled him inside her once again. The beast felt a part of his former rage as he became rougher driving into her. With sharp breaths and piercing cries, Shamhat started releasing the tension that had built up inside her. Her hands clasped his burly arms as her insides clamped harder then ever on the base of his shaft.

That was enough for the beast to arrive at his own release. With pulse after violent pulse, he felt his member empty in her depths, as all feeling vanished from his mind. All that was in his world was her arousal gripping him and her fragrance surrounding him. He knew as he took in a deep breath that he was now no longer one of the herd. The gazelle would flee from him with the same fear that he would now feel for the wolf. Hi arms gave way as his body fell on hers. "You are no beast" he heard her whisper, "and the world outside shall know you as Enkidu."

#####

Thank you for reading! As before, I welcome any comments, suggestions, criticism: constructive or otherwise :) A note on the story category: I feel that this story could have gone with several choices, I chose this one because it best captures how I feel about it.