The Literature of the Ancient EgyptiansBudge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
History
The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
Egyptian literature -- History and criticism; Egyptian literature -- Translations into English
became as he had been aforetime, and the two brothers embraced each
other, and each spake to the other.
And Bata said to Anpu, "Behold, I am about to take the form of a great
bull, with beautiful hair, and a disposition (?) which is unknown. When
the sun riseth, do thou mount on my back, and we will go to the place
where my wife is, and I will make answer [for myself]. Then shalt thou
take me to the place where the King is, for he will bestow great favours
upon thee, and he will heap gold and silver upon thee because thou wilt
have brought me to him. For I am going to become a great and wonderful
thing, and men and women shall rejoice because of me throughout the
country." And on the following day Bata changed himself into the form of
which he had spoken to his brother. Then Anpu seated himself on his back
early in the morning, and when he had come to the place where the King
was, and His Majesty had been informed concerning him, he looked at him,
and he had very great joy in him. And he made a great festival, saying,
"This is a very great wonder which hath happened"; and the people
rejoiced everywhere throughout the whole country. And Pharaoh loaded
Anpu with silver and gold, and he dwelt in his native town, and the King
gave him large numbers of slaves, and very many possessions, for Pharaoh
loved him very much, far more than any other person in the whole land.
And when many days had passed by the bull went into the house of
purification, and he stood up in the place where the August Lady was,
and said unto her, "Look upon me, I am alive in very truth." And she
said unto him, "Who art thou?" And he said unto her, "I am Bata. When
thou didst cause the Acacia which held my heart to be destroyed by
Pharaoh, well didst thou know that thou wouldst kill me. Nevertheless, I
am alive indeed, in the form of a bull. Look at me!" And the August Lady
was greatly afraid because of what she had said concerning her husband
[to the King]; and the bull departed from the place of purification. And
His Majesty went to tarry in her house and to rejoice with her, and she
ate and drank with him; and the King was exceedingly happy. And the
August Lady said to His Majesty, "Say these words: 'Whatsoever she saith
I will hearken unto for her sake,' and swear an oath by God that thou
wilt do them." And the King hearkened unto everything which she spake,
saying, "I beseech thee to give me the liver of this bull to eat, for he
is wholly useless for any kind of work." And the King cursed many, many
times the request which she had uttered, and Pharaoh's heart was
exceedingly sore thereat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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