One creature living in the little sacred hupullu tree that was saved by Inara (and Inanna/Ishtar), is a female tree spirit, Lillith, or Lily. In this tale, Lily, the second Lillith, speaks her understanding of the her ancestor, the Biblical Lillith, and her true relationship with Adam. In this version, one can see how the traditional story, “The Hupullu Tree,” may very well have been Hebraic in origin ( i.e. in comparison to other Mesopotamian mythic characterizations of the goddess. See Inara & the Hupullu Tree: A Retelling for the full re-envisioned poetic myth. Full story coming soon!)

Based on “The Hupullu Tree” from Diane and Samuel Noah Kramer, Inanna: Queen of the Heaven and Earth; Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer. Harper & Row, 1983. Sponsored in part through a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance and the city of Houston.

Original artwork courtesy of Tania Day Magallon. from the collection Inara & the Tree of Souls: An Anthology of Tales & Poems