Vocabulary for The Epic of Gilgamesh: Part One
Gilgamesh the King

cruel

Sniffy Says: I had an Uncle we called Cruel Drool. Now you may not know this but hamsters drool almost as well as some big dogs. So Uncle Cruel Drool used to make us watch him drool and it used to make me feel sick, but he enjoyed making me feel sick because—well—he was cruel. We called his wife Hurtin' Merton because she was sadistic. She liked to make us unhappy and afraid. Once she made all of us watch Animal Planet—the show about—about—about snakes eating hamsters. She was cruel too! I had nightmares for years. I hate snakes—and cats—and birds of prey—and speedy black dogs too . . .

mercy

Sniffy Says: "Mercy, mercy, mercy," my Momma used to say when I did something really stupid, like the time I tried to stuff two tangerines in my cheek pockets and then I talked liked this: heidieii diei kdkhhi hdudiek dkdjeidj jfdiils. But that really doesn't have anything do with the "mercy" in your book. That "mercy" is when people are kind to you when they don't have to be. I remember one time I stuffed my cheeks with sunflower seeds (after my Momma told me not to) until I looked like a teddy bear with two watermelons in his mouth. Then my nose started to itch and then it twitched and then it itched some more and finally—ahhh, ahhh, ahhh—AHHHH CHOOOOO!!! Seeds exploded out of my mouth and scattered everywhere. My Momma could have just made me clean them up by myself—but she didn't. You know what she did? She helped me. I love my Momma.

despair

Sniffy Says: That's it. It's hopeless. I'm not even going to think about it anymore. I thought for sure it would happen, but now I know it won't. My despair is complete, I know there is no chance, I have lost all hope. What's this about you ask? It was there last night and I was going to get it tonight—I have figured out how to get out of my cage and open the freezer side of the refrigerator—but it doesn't matter anymore because I saw Mr. Draeger eat the last of that chocolate chip ice cream. It's gone. Nothing left. Not even an empty carton to lick. I'm so depressed. Next time he puts his hand in my cage I'm going to chomp his little pinky until he screams like a wild baboon. I will show no mercy.

©2005-2012 Glen Draeger (all rights reserved)
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