<P> "By the Waters of Babylon" is a post-apocalyptic short story by American writer Stephen Vincent Benét, first published July 31, 1937, in The Saturday Evening Post as "The Place of the Gods". It was republished in 1943 in The Pocket Book of Science Fiction, and was adapted in 1971 into a one - act play by Brainerd Duffield . </P> <P> Set in a future following the destruction of industrial civilization, the story is narrated by a young man who is the son of a priest . The priests of John's people (the hill people) are inquisitive people associated with the divine . They are the only ones who can handle metal collected from the homes (called the "Dead Places") of long - dead people whom they believe to be gods . The plot follows John's self - assigned mission to get to the Place of the Gods . His father allows him to go on a spiritual journey, but does not know he is going to this forbidden place . </P>

When was by the waters of babylon written