Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
Literature -- Collections
"The pleasure-boat of Pharaoh went down-stream, without any one on earth
knowing where Naneferkaptah was. They reached Memphis, they made report
of it before Pharaoh. Pharaoh came down to meet the pleasure-boat of
Pharaoh in mourning, the army of Memphis took mourning--all, together
with the priests of Ptah, the chief prophet of Ptah, with the officials
and household of Pharaoh--all. They saw Naneferkaptah clinging to the
rudders of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, by virtue of his art of a good
scribe. They drew him up, they saw the roll on his stomach. Said
Pharaoh, 'Let this roll that is on his stomach be hidden away.'
"Said the officers of Pharaoh, with the priests of Ptah, and the chief
prophet of Ptah, before Pharaoh: 'O our great lord the King, may he
accomplish the duration of Ra![97] Naneferkaptah was a good scribe, a
learned man exceedingly.'
"Pharaoh caused to be given to him entrance to the Good House for
sixteen days, wrapping for thirty-five and coffining for seventy; he was
caused to rest in his tomb, in his places of rest."
[Having finished her story, Ahura proceeds to point out the
moral to Setna.]
"I am suffering the ills which have come upon us because of this roll of
which thou sayest, 'Let it be given to me!' Thou hast no claim to it:
our life on earth has been taken for it."
Said Setna, "Ahura, let this roll be given me which I see between thee
and Naneferkaptah, else will I take it by force."
Rose Naneferkaptah on the couch; he said: "Art thou Setna, before whom
this woman has told these misfortunes which thou hast not suffered--all?
The book named, canst thou take it only by strength of a good scribe? It
were sufficient to play draughts with me. Let us play for it at the game
of fifty-two points."
And Setna said, "I am ready."
The board and its pieces were put before them. They played at the
fifty-two, and Naneferkaptah won a game from Setna. He [Naneferkaptah]
read a spell over him; he [Setna] defended himself with the game-board
that was before him. He [Naneferkaptah] made him [Setna] go into the
ground as far as his feet. He did its like in the second game; he won it
from Setna, he made him go into the ground as far as his middle. He did
its like in the third game; he made him go into the ground as far as his
ears. After these things Setna made a great blow on the hand of
Naneferkaptah. Setna called to Anheru, his brother by Anherart,[98]
saying: "Make haste and go up upon the earth, do thou relate of
everything that has happened to me before Pharaoh, and do thou bring the
amulets of Ptah my father,[99] and my rolls of magic."
He hastened up upon earth, he related before Pharaoh of everything that
had happened to Setna. Said Pharaoh, "Take to him the amulets of Ptah
his father, and his rolls of magic."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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