The Tales of Anzu the Great Eagle

Anzu, the hero, is a legendary creature- half eagle, half lion. Sometimes he is a helper and friend, as in the story of Lugalbanda, a young soldier, who used his wits to become a great king. But at other times he is a monster, as in his fight with the god of war Ninurta. Then, Anzu`s pride causes destruction, chaos and ruin. The poet Shin Shifra has adapted three ancient legends written in Mesopotamia (today, Iraq) about 3,500 years ago. Using her imagination, she enables young children to identify with these fascinating tales from a time when gods, animals and humans lived side by side.