Inanna is ruling in Uruk. One day, she decides she ought to be ruling over a much greater realm. She decides to go to the Underworld and take it from Ereshkigal and add it to her realm. She has an idea. She dresses herself up in all of her greatest finery. She is unbelievably beautiful. She plans to stun everyone into submission. Ninshubur is worried about this plot. Inanna tells Ninshubur that if she does not return in 3 days, he should get help and rescue her.
Inanna goes to Ereshkigal's gate, pounding imperiously. The gate slowly opens and Neti is there, looking a little confused. He sees Inanna and asks what she wants. She is caught off guard. Remembering her success in Eridu, she doesn't expect to be challenged. She says that she is very concerned for Ereshkigal. Neti is not deceived. He says, "Wait here, I'll ask my mistress," and closes the gate in her face. He reports to Ereshkigal, who is not pleased but decides to give Inanna a chance to tell the truth. Inanna is brought in "in the usual way." Neti opens the gate, and Inanna enters. Neti removes her tiara saying it is the law. She goes through 6 more gates and finally enters the throne room completely naked. Ereshkigal asks why she has come. Inanna holds to her lie. Ereshkigal becomes very angry. She nods to the Anunaki and they turn the eyes of death upon Inanna, turning her into a corpse. A servant comes and takes her body and hangs it up on a meathook on the wall.
Meanwhile, Ninshubur is frantic. He goes to An for help. An says that he would like to help but he cannot command Ereshkigal. Ninshubur goes to Enlil, who says the same thing. He then goes to Enki, who says he'll think of something. He comes up with a fascinating plot:
First, Enki creates two sexless beings out of the dirt from under his fingernails. He gives them instructions and sends them on their way. They go to the Underworld, carrying with them the Water of Life. Neti opens the gate and asks what they want. They say they are ambassadors of Enki with a message for Ereshkigal. He brings them in. Ereshkigal tells Neti to give them whatever they want and then bring them before her. They bathe, eat, and rest, then go to Ereshkigal. They say that she must release Inanna. She asks why. They say if she does not, they will hold her to the Universal Laws (a prominent archetype). One of the laws is the Law of the Host and Guest -- the guest must arrive home as safely as they arrived at the host's door. Another law: Anyone who eats and/or drinks in the Underworld may never leave (a worldwide archetype). Ereshkigal can not obey both laws unless she releases Inanna which she ends up doing. The sexless beings sprinkle the Water of Life on Inanna's body and she comes to life.
Ereshkigal is not happy. She wants more than the two sexless beings, which are meaningless and expendable. She makes a demand: Inanna is to choose a real being to come down and take her place. She agrees. Ereshkigal sends two creatures with Inanna (they are sometimes called the Hounds of Hell -- they have long claws & fingers to drag their victims to the Underworld). They arrive in Uruk and Ninshubur come out to greet them. His robes are torn, his face tearstreaked. He is overjoyed to see Inanna. The Hounds want to take him, but Inanna refuses. Dumuzi comes out wearing his finest robes, assumedly in honor of Inanna's return. She says she is pleased to see how anxious he has been for her return. Dumuzi replies, "Oh, were you gone?" She gives him to the Hounds of Hell. The world turns brown because the God of Animal & Vegetable Fertility is gone. The gods get together and agree that they must get Dumuzi back. They plead with Ereshkigal, but she has fallen in love with him and doesn't want to give him up. She makes a deal to give him back every other six months, thus explaining the portion of the year when the world is fertile.
Archetype: The Dying God Theme