apa's father,--the god Ea,--Adapa succeeds in mastering the south
wind, and, as we learn from the course of the narrative, in breaking the
wings of the storm-bird. When the tablet becomes intelligible we find
Adapa engaged in this contest with the south wind.[1093]

The south wind blew and drove him[1094] under the water. Into
the dwelling-place[1095] [of the fish] it engulfs him. 'O south
wind, thou hast overwhelmed me with thy cruelty (?). Thy wings I
will break.'

Adapa's threat is carried out.

Even as he spoke the wings of the south wind were broken. For
seven days the south wind did not blow across the land.

Seven is to be interpreted as a round number, as in the Deluge story,
and indicates a rather long, though indefinite, period. Anu, the god of
heaven, is astonished at this long-continued disappearance of the south
wind, and asks a messenger of his, who is called the god Ilabrat, for
the cause. Anu inquires:

"Why has the south wind not blown for seven days across the
land?" His messenger Ilabrat answered him: "My lord! Adapa, the
son of Ea, has broken the wings of the south wind."

Of this god Ilabrat nothing is known. The interpretation of his name is
doubtful.[1096] He probably is one of the numerous local gods who was
absorbed by some more powerful one and who thus came to have a position
of inferior rank in the pantheon.

Anu, upon hearing the news, is enraged, and cries for 'help' against an
interference in his domain. He denounces Adapa in solemn assembly, and
demands his presence of Ea, in whose domain Adapa has taken refuge. The
text at this point is defective, but one can gather that Ea, who
constitutes himself Adapa's protector, warns the latter, as he warned
Parnapishtim. He advises him to present himself at the throne of Anu for
trial, and to secure the intervention of two gods, Tammuz and Gishzida,
who are stationed at the gate of heaven, Anu's dwelling-place. To
accomplish this, Adapa is to clothe himself in garments of mourning, and
when the doorkeepers ask him the reason for his mourning, he is to
answer:

... Two gods have disappeared from our earth, therefore do I
appear thus.

And when he is asked:

"Who are the two gods who have disappeared from the earth?"

Tammuz and Gishzida will look at one another; they will sigh and
speak a favorable word before Anu, and the glorious countenance
of Anu they will show thee.

T