Marduk

This is a story about a hero named Marduk. Long, long ago, there were no sunny days. There were no starry nights. The world was just a big, big puddle of water. Splash! Splash! The water went everywhere. It was a very noisy world. It was a very messy world. A brave hero named Marduk saw the big, splashy, noisy puddle. Marduk knew he had a special job to do. A very big job! He was going to change everything and make it wonderful. This is the story of how Marduk brought order to the world. People in a land called Babylon loved to tell this tale, the Enuma Elish.

The biggest noise came from a grumpy water dragon. Her name was Tiamat. Roar! She loved all the splashing and crashing. But Marduk was brave. He was very, very brave. He gathered all his power. It was like a big thunderstorm in his hands! Whoosh! Marduk went to make the noisy water quiet. He used a big, strong wind. The wind pushed the grumpy dragon away. Shhhh. The world was quiet now. The world was still. Then, Marduk's big job began. He took the big watery world. He split it right in two, like a big apple. One half he pushed up high, high, high. It became the bright blue sky. The other half he laid down low, low, low. It became the firm, brown earth we walk on.

Now there was a sky and land. Marduk's job was almost done. He looked at the big, dark sky. He sprinkled shiny stars all over it. Twinkle, twinkle, little stars! He put the big, bright sun in the sky. The sun makes the world warm and happy during the day. Marduk made rivers run to the big blue sea. Splash, splash! He helped little green plants grow from the brown earth. He made a beautiful home for everyone. It was a neat and tidy home. The people of Babylon told this story to their children. It helps us see that even from a messy puddle, something very beautiful can grow.