Final answer:
The Mesopotamian flood tale comes from the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the gods flood the Earth as punishment. Utnapishtim, warned by a god, saves his family and representatives of all living creatures by building a ship. Post-flood, they repopulate and rebuild humanity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The flood tale from ancient Mesopotamia is referred to as the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known works of literature. According to this narrative, the flood happened as a punishment from the gods who were displeased with humanity. A man named Utnapishtim was forewarned about the flood by one of the gods, and was instructed to create a vast ship, into which he would bring his family and representatives of every living creature. After surviving the flood on this ship, Utnapishtim and those aboard were considered the last remnants of the old world and began rebuilding humanity.
Learn more about Epic of Gilgamesh