Gilgamesh and the plant of immortality

“Gilgamesh, you have travelled many miles to come here. Perhaps you think that your journey has been useless. You see no chance of conquering death. But I will let you into a secret. There is a plant that grows under the sea. It has a thorn like a rose that will prick your hand if you grab hold of it, but if you succeed in taking it, this plant will restore your youth and strength.” Gilgamesh brightened at this news. “There is such a plant? I must get it! Will you help me?”
   Utnapishtim ordered the sea captain to take Gilgamesh out in his boat to the part of the sea where the plant grew on the seabed. They sailed over the waves and when they reached the place, Gilgamesh dived over the side of the boat, and swam down to the bottom of the sea. In the misty depths he found the plant with a thorn like a rose and grabbed hold of it, and although it pricked his hand, he held it fast and returned to the surface of the water and climbed into the boat. When he was seated once more on the boat, he examined the plant and said to himself:
   “What kind of seaweed is this? I am told that it contains the secret of youth. I shall return with it to glistening Uruk, and when I am outside the city, I shall feed just a little bit of this plant to the ancient shepherd who must be 100 years old. If he sheds his age and returns to his youth, I will know that it is magical indeed! Then I shall eat it too, and be young again!”
   The sea captain sailed the boat back to the shore and set Gilgamesh on his homeward journey back to Uruk. When he had walked thirty miles, he stopped for the night by a fresh pool of water. His limbs were hot and weary from the journey, and water was tempting. He waded into it and washed himself. But while he was in the water, a snake smelled the sweet plant that Gilgamesh had left on a rock. The snake came up silently and stole it away back to his hole, where he ate it. After he had eaten this magical plant, the snake felt rather strange. His old wrinkly skin began to feel loose and crumbly. Soon he slivered out of it and wriggled away wearing his new, shiny, youthful skin. And from that time on, snakes have always shed their skins.