Utnipishtim returned to his home in the north, under the shadow of the great mountain, and sat beside the waters of his lake. And the wisdom within him cried out to be spoken; the wisdom of the time before the flood. When they saw that he was returned, the animals of Utnipishtim came to him; the Raven and the Dove.
The Raven spoke to Utnipishtim: "Utnipishtim! Wisest of men! Are you troubled because a dog has mocked you? Are you troubled because you saw a dead dog by the side of the road? Be glad, then, that you may be alone with your wisdom. For what need have you, O wisest of men, to teach?"
Utnipishtim smiled, and he replied: "There speaks my raven, there speaks my contemplative one, whose delight is in the journey, not the return. I did not meet a dog, nor did I see a dead dog. I went to pass on my wisdom to men, for it burns within me, and must be released. And I found no one to listen. Therefore I am grieved."
Then the Dove, the active one, whose delight is in the return, hopped forward before the foot of Utnipishtim and spoke: "Utnipishtim! Wisest of men! Are you troubled because a dog has mocked you? Are you troubled because you saw a dead dog by the side of the road? Let students come to you, then, to be taught. The right sort will hear of your wisdom, and come to you for knowledge of the time before the flood!"
Utnipishtim pondered these words, and the sun sank in the sky, and his two animals pondered with him.
The Untipishtim cried out from his wisdom the second great truth: "I see now that Wisdom must be bought at a price if men are to value it."
Thus spoke Utnipishtim.
The Raven spoke to Utnipishtim: "Utnipishtim! Wisest of men! Are you troubled because a dog has mocked you? Are you troubled because you saw a dead dog by the side of the road? Be glad, then, that you may be alone with your wisdom. For what need have you, O wisest of men, to teach?"
Utnipishtim smiled, and he replied: "There speaks my raven, there speaks my contemplative one, whose delight is in the journey, not the return. I did not meet a dog, nor did I see a dead dog. I went to pass on my wisdom to men, for it burns within me, and must be released. And I found no one to listen. Therefore I am grieved."
Then the Dove, the active one, whose delight is in the return, hopped forward before the foot of Utnipishtim and spoke: "Utnipishtim! Wisest of men! Are you troubled because a dog has mocked you? Are you troubled because you saw a dead dog by the side of the road? Let students come to you, then, to be taught. The right sort will hear of your wisdom, and come to you for knowledge of the time before the flood!"
Utnipishtim pondered these words, and the sun sank in the sky, and his two animals pondered with him.
The Untipishtim cried out from his wisdom the second great truth: "I see now that Wisdom must be bought at a price if men are to value it."
Thus spoke Utnipishtim.
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