Editing Ninurta (section)

=== ''Lugal-e'' ===
Second only to the goddess [[Inanna]], Ninurta probably appears in more myths than any other Mesopotamian deity.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=42–43}} In the Sumerian poem ''[[Lugal-e]]'', also known as ''Ninurta's Exploits'', a demon known as [[Asag]] has been causing sickness and poisoning the rivers.{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta confronts Asag, who is protected by an army of stone warriors.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=68}} Ninurta slays Asag and his armies.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=68}} Then Ninurta organizes the world,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} using the stones from the warriors he has defeated to build the mountains, which he designs so that the streams, lakes and rivers all flow into the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers, making them useful for [[irrigation]] and agriculture.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta's mother [[Ninmah]] descends from Heaven to congratulate her son on his victory.{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta dedicates the mountain of stone to her and renames her [[Ninhursag]], meaning "Lady of the Mountain".{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Finally, Ninurta returns home to Nippur, where he is celebrated as a hero.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} This myth combines Ninurta's role as a warrior deity with his role as an agricultural deity.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} The title ''Lugal-e'' means "O king!" and comes from the poem opening phrase in the original Sumerian.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} ''Ninurta's Exploits'' is a modern title assigned to it by scholars.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The poem was eventually translated into Akkadian after Sumerian became regarded as too difficult to understand.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

A companion work to the ''Lugal-e'' is ''Angim dimma'', or ''Ninurta's Return to Nippur'',{{sfn|Robson|2015}} which describes Ninurta's return to Nippur after slaying Asag.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} It contains little narrative and is mostly a praise piece, describing Ninurta in larger-than-life terms and comparing him to the god [[Anu|An]].{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=56}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} ''Angim dimma'' is believed to have originally been written in Sumerian during the [[Third Dynasty of Ur]] ({{circa}} 2112 – {{circa}} 2004 BC) or the early [[First Babylonian dynasty|Old Babylonian Period]] ({{circa}} 1830 – {{circa}} 1531 BC),{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} but the oldest surviving texts of it date to Old Babylonian Period.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} Numerous later versions of the text have also survived.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} It was translated into Akkadian during the [[Kassites|Middle Babylonian Period]] ({{circa}} 1600 — {{circa}} 1155 BC).{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}}