The Myth of Ishkur and the Fox

The Myth of Ishkur and the Fox is an ancient Sumerian myth that is unfortunately unfinished — we do not know how it ends. Only one tablet discovered in Nippur over a century ago has so-far been found to contain this unique story.

From what we can read, we know that the Sumerian storm-god Ishkur was trapped in the underworld. None of the gods would come to his aid, even after Ishkur’s father, Enlil, convened a council. None but a humble fox agreed to help. However, beyond that, the tale is lost.

The tablet that records the Myth of Ishkur and the Fox dates to about 2,400 BCE (known as Ni 123501) and originally discovered in the libraries of the ancient city of Nippur during the 19th century. [1]

Myth Summary

At one time, the Sumerian storm god Ishkur was trapped in the netherworld. This caused a great disturbance on the Earth due to a lack of rain. The situation was so dire that Enlil, the father of Ishkur, gathered a council of gods to solve this matter (hoping that one would volunteer to retrieve Ishkur from the Netherworld).

However, not one single god would risk their life.

Not one god in attendance stepped forwards. None but a lone fox.

The fox alone entered slyly into the curving pathways of the netherworld, in search of Ishkur.

(Unfortunately, what happens is not known because the clay tablet that this myth is inscribed on is broken, and the remained of the story is literally gone.)

Background

The tablet that records the myth of Ishkur and the Fox (also known as Ni 12501) is a 4,400-year-old object, a clay relic with inscribed language upon it. [1] It was originally discovered in the 1800s in excavations of the city of Nippur. However, because it was fragmentary in nature, it lay largely forgotten until recently. [1]

The tablet was mentioned in a publication by Samuel Noah Kramer in the 1950s, however, it was not fully studied until its rediscovery and translation by Sumerologist Jana Matuszak. [I]

The tablet (Ni 12501) currently resides in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums collection.

Notes

• [I] Sumerologist Jana Matuszak from the University of Chicago recently translated the tablet Ni 12501, rediscovering this ancient story. [1]