ENLIL The Sumerian god of the earth and the air, who was created at the beginning out of the primeval chaos, born of An and Ki, uniting with Ki to beget mankind. Enlil's chief gift to man was the pickaxe, which assisted them in their building of cities and temples. After having raped the goddess Ninlil, the earth god was banished to the nether world, but Ninlil decided to follow him in order to give birth in his presence. The banished god somehow managed the escape of their child, Nanna, who became the moon. Enlil it was also who sent the great flood that drowned the Earth, and which only pious King Ziusudra escaped in a boat. As Ellil, in Babylonian mythos, he became annoyed at the noise of mankind, and sent a great plague, then a drought, and finally a deluge. But Ea warned Atrahasis, who like Ziusudra escaped in a boat. Ellil also created the monster Labbu, to wreak havoc on Earth.