Tombstone eyes never cry

perhaps 3,000 years ago | Babylonian text, unknown

[Brian_Baldwin]

Bush mentioned the Valley of Death in his address to the nation.

It is imperative that we understand ourselves, where we came from. All lives are different, and there are good and bad everywhere. In every place, there are women, and children. But when the day of tragedy comes, it is time to say to those who harbor the enemy, let them listen to the drone of planes at night.

The ancestors of men put to record in old Babylonian the following scattered text:

Before the day of tragedy, the old King had put many of our angry gods into prison. Then the enemy came from the land of locust. They struck the city wall along the hill of skulls, and the wall fell down. They threw the skulls of our ancestors at our soldiers, they desecrated the stones of our tombs. And then the next day, the priests said a day of tragedy has come. An evil wind has come from the East. They told Harran, the new King, that he must now act. Harran put on a fine robe, the new King he was. He remembered that his father had put our angry gods into prison. Harran put on white linen, and oils, and jewels, and then went to the deep dungeon. There, before the door of this dungeon, he offered lambs, and incense. He opened the door. The imprisoned gods came forth from the graves and to the very door of the dungeon. Harran looked into the darkness of that place, and said to the gods, "The evil winds have come but now you have been let lose by me. Eat these offerings, and gain strength. Then go forth, towards the evil winds. Do what you may to our enemies". The gods partook the food, and then they took to the sky towards the evil winds. "Look at the wall of our city, see what our enemies have done!" cried out Harran. The angry gods looked down at the fallen wall, which lay in rubble. They flew towards the evil winds. "Look what they have done to the stones of our tombs!" cried out Harran. The angry gods looked down at the stones of the tombs, which were desecrated. The angry gods asked Harran, "Will you cry for them when we do our bidding to your enemies? Many will die." It is said that one should not let the angry gods look directly into ones eyes. But this King was brave. Harran told the angry gods to look at his eyes. Tomb stone eyes never cry, Harran told the angry gods. The angry gods flew forth at great speed. They went forth and cast down fire upon the enemy. The angry gods returned to the King, and told him, "We are finished, but now you must go to that place and walk into the Valley of Death, and look upon your enemies which we have destroyed with fire". The King tied his loin cloth, and then went to the Valley of Death. He walked through the fearful place. About him the enemy was burned with fire, their ghosts lurked about. But the King had no fear. He walked through the Valley of Death, he feared no evil, nor did he cry. He told the dead, "Tomb stone eyes never cry. I have let lose the angry gods. But I shall fear no evil. For the thundering is my companion. For this great one is of a distant place. And I have become a distant man."