Origin: Zû, also known as Anzû (from An, meaning "heaven," and Zû, meaning "far"), is a Sumerian storm god. Stories of Zu the dragon were being told from about 5000 BC when the Sumerians settled in Mesopotamia, now called Iraq.
Description: Zû is sometimes described as a huge dragon, and other times described as a griffin or storm bird. He is the son of the bird goddess Siris. Both Zû and Siris were massive birds who could breathe fire and water.
Myth: Zû was a servant of the sky god Enlil, ruler of the universe. He was also the attendent of the monstrous Tiamat. Zû stole the Tupsimati, or Tablet of Destinies, from Enlil. Whoever posessed the Tablet of Destinies would have power to rule the universe.
Zû flew high up to the top of the Sabu Mountains, and cached the tablets away like eggs in his nest. Enlil sent his son Ninurta, the sun god, to retrieve them. Ninurta killed Zû and returned the Tablet of Destinies to Enlil.
