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154 stones to his feet; they dragged him down to the abyss." And there he saw the plant. He took the plant himself though it pricked his hands. He cut the heavy stones from his feet; the second one cast him back Urshanabi, who had been summoned by Utnapishtim, was waiting for him. Triumphant and exhilarated, Gilgamesh showed him the Plant of Rejuvenation. Overcome with excite- ment, he said to the boatman: Urshanabi, This plant of all plants is unique: By it a man can regain the breath of life! I will take it to ramparted Uruk, there the plant to cut and eat. Let its name be called "Man becomes young in old age." Of this plant I shall eat and to my youthful state shall I return. With these high hopes for rejuvenation the two started on the way back. "At thirty leagues they stopped for the night. Gilgamesh saw a well whose water was cool. He went down into it to bathe in the water. A snake smelt the fragrance of the plant; it came up silently and carried off the plant. As it took it away, the snake shed its scaly skin." It was indeed a rejuvenating plant; but it was the snake, not Gilgamesh, who ended up rejuvenated ... Thereupon Gilgamesh sits down and weeps, his tears running down his face. He took the hand of Urshanabi the boatman. "For whom" (he asked) "have my hands toiled? For whom is spent the blood of my heart? For myself I have not obtained a boon; a. wale sh Le Tree ea DIVINE ENCOUNTERS to where he had come from. Fora snake the boon I affected."