Ninurta and Agag

   A Sumerian myth and minor epic poem about one of the martial exploits of the war god, Ninurta. The poem now exists only in fragments. The story begins when Agag, a nature spirit, leads an army of trees, vines, stones, and other natural objects in an invasion of Ninurta's territory. Rising to the challenge, the war god uses rain - reflecting his roots as an early god of irrigation - to neutralize a great dust cloud raised by the intruders. After defeating them, the god assigns each stone a specific function as an inert, harmless mineral on Earth. Finally Enlil, leader of the gods, sings a hymn praising Ninurta, and Nidaba, goddess of writing, records the details of Ninurta's victory for posterity.

   See also: Enlil; literature; Ninurta