Tale of Two Brothers - Anpu and Bata

The Story of Sinuhe
Story of Wenamun

Egypt, End of the 19th Dynasty, around 1185 BC

The Papyrus D'Orbiney contains a style of story that became popular in the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC). Similar to a folk tale, the story is less formal in style than those of the Middle Kingdom (2040-1750 BC). It has very human characters whose relationships are very realistic, though many of the events that take place in the story are pure fantasy.

The story begins by presenting an idyllic household, consisting of Anubis, his wife, and his brother, Bata. Their pleasant lifestyle is destroyed when the wife of Anubis tries unsuccessfully to seduce her brother-in-law. She then claims that Bata had attacked her. Believing his wife, Anubis turns against his brother and forces him to leave the family. However, Anubis later discovers his wife's disloyalty and kills her. The brothers are reconciled.

Meanwhile, the gods have fashioned a wife for Bata. Unfortunately, she spurns him in favour of the king. To regain her, Bata assumes a succession of different forms, the last being a persea tree. Bata's wife orders the tree to be cut down. A splinter from the tree flies into her mouth, 'she swallowed it and in a moment she became pregnant'. Bata is reborn, now as her son, and becomes king of Egypt. He elevates his brother, Anubis, to succeed him, overcoming the catastrophes that had beset the pair.

M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian literature: a, 3 vols. (University of California Press, 1973-1980)

W.M. Flinders Petrie, ed. Egyptian Tales, Translated from the Papyri, Second Series, 18th to 19th dynasty

Once there were two brethren, of one mother and one father; Anpu was the name of the elder, and Bata was the name of the younger. Now, as for Anpu he had a house, and he had a wife. But his little brother was to him as if he were a son; he it was who made for him his clothes; he it was who followed behind his oxen to the fields; he it was who did the ploughing; he it was who harvested the corn; he it was who did for him all the matters that were in the field. Behold, his younger brother grew to be an excellent worker, there was not his equal in the whole land; behold, the spirit of a god was in him.

Now after this the younger brother followed his oxen in his daily manner; and every evening he turned again to the house, laden with all the herbs of the field, with milk and with wood, and with all things of the field. And he put them down before his elder brother, who was sitting with his wife; and he drank and ate, and he lay down in his stable with the cattle. And at the dawn of day he took bread which he had baked, and laid it before his elder brother; and he took with him his bread to the field, and he drove his cattle to pasture in the fields. And as he walked behind his cattle, they said to him, “Good is the herbage which is in that place;” and he listened to all that they said, and he took them to the good place which they desired. And the cattle which were before him became exceeding excellent, and they multiplied greatly.

Now at the time of ploughing his elder brother said unto him, “Let us make ready for ourselves a goodly yoke of oxen for ploughing, for the land has come out from the water, it is fit for ploughing. Moreover, do thou come to the field with corn, for we will begin the ploughing in the morrow morning.”

Thus said he to him; and his younger brother did all things as his elder brother had spoken unto him to do them.

And when the morn was come, they went to the fields with their things; and their hearts were pleased exceedingly with their task in the beginning of their work. And it came to pass after this that as they were in the field they stopped for corn, and he sent his younger brother, saying, “Haste thou, bring to us corn from the farm.”

And the younger brother found the wife of his elder brother, as she was sitting tiring her hair. He said to her, “Get up, and give to me corn, that I may run to the field, for my elder brother hastened me; do not delay.”

She said to him, “Go, open the bin, and thou shalt take to thyself according to thy will, that I may not drop my locks of hair while I dress them.”

The youth went into the stable; he took a large measure, for he desired to take much corn; he loaded it with wheat and barley; and he went out carrying it. She said to him, “How much of the corn that is wanted, is that which is on thy shoulder?”

He said to her, “Three bushels of barley, and two of wheat, in all five; these are what are upon my shoulder:” thus said he to her.

And she conversed with him, saying, “There is great strength in thee, for I see thy might every day.” And her heart knew him with the knowledge of youth. And she arose and came to him, and conversed with him, saying, “Come, stay with me, and it shall be well for thee, and I will make for thee beautiful garments.”

Then the youth became like a panther of the south with fury at the evil speech which she had made to him; and she feared greatly. And he spake unto her, saying, “Behold thou art to me as a mother, thy husband is to me as a father, for he who is elder than I has brought me up. What is this wickedness that thou hast said to me? Say it not to me again. For I will not tell it to any man, for I will not let it be uttered by the mouth of any man.”

He lifted up his burden, and he went to the field and came to his elder brother; and they took up their work, to labour at their task.

Now afterward, at eventime, his elder brother was returning to his house; and the younger brother was following after his oxen, and he loaded himself with all the things of the field; and he brought his oxen before him, to make them lie down in their stable which was in the farm. And behold the wife of the elder brother was afraid for the words which she had said. She took a parcel of fat, she became like one who is evilly beaten, desiring to say to her husband, “It is thy younger brother who has done this wrong.”

Her husband returned in the even, as was his wont of every day; he came unto his house; he found his wife ill of violence; she did not give him water upon his hands as he used to have, she did not make a light before him, his house was in darkness, and she was lying very sick. Her husband said to her, “Who has spoken with thee?”

Behold she said, “No one has spoken with me except thy younger brother. When he came to take for thee corn he found me sitting alone; he said to me, 'Come, let us stay together, tie up thy hair;' thus spake he to me. I did not listen to him, but thus spake I to him: 'Behold, am I not thy mother, is not thy elder brother to thee as a father?' And he feared, and he beat me to stop me from making report to thee, and if thou lettest him live I shall die. Now behold he is coming in the evening; and I complain of these wicked words, for he would have done this even in daylight.”

And the elder brother became as a panther of the south; he sharpened his knife; he took it in his hand; he stood behind the door of his stable to slay his younger brother as he came in the evening to bring his cattle into the stable.

Now the sun went down, and he loaded himself with herbs in his daily manner. He came, and his foremost cow entered the stable, and she said to her keeper, “Behold thou thy elder brother standing before thee with his knife to slay thee; flee from before him.”

He heard what his first cow had said; and the next entering, she also said likewise. He looked beneath the door of the stable; he saw the feet of his elder brother; he was standing behind the door, and his knife was in his hand. He cast down his load to the ground, and betook himself to flee swiftly; and his elder brother pursued after him with his knife. Then the younger brother cried out unto Ra Harakhti, saying, “My good Lord! Thou art he who divides the evil from the good.”

And Ra stood and heard all his cry; and Ra made a wide water between him and his elder brother, and it was full of crocodiles; and the one brother was on one bank, and the other on the other bank; and the elder brother smote twice on his hands at not slaying him. Thus did he. And the younger brother called to the elder on the bank, saying, “Stand still until the dawn of day; and when Ra ariseth, I shall judge with thee before Him, and He discerneth between the good and the evil. For I shall not be with thee any more for ever; I shall not be in the place in which thou art; I shall go to the valley of the acacia.”

Now when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Ra Harakhti arose, and one looked unto the other. And the youth spake with his elder brother, saying, “Wherefore earnest thou after me to slay me in craftiness, when thou didst not hear the words of my mouth? For I am thy brother in truth, and thou art to me as a father, and thy wife even as a mother: is it not so? Verily, when I was sent to bring for us corn, thy wife said to me, 'Come, stay with me;' for behold this has been turned over unto thee into another wise.”

And he caused him to understand of all that happened with him and his wife. And he swore an oath by Ra Har-akhti, saying, “Thy coming to slay me by deceit with thy knife was an abomination.”

Then the youth took a knife, and cut off of his flesh, and cast it into the water, and the fish swallowed it.

He failed; he became faint; and his elder brother cursed his own heart greatly; he stood weeping for him afar off; he knew not how to pass over to where his younger brother was, because of the crocodiles. And the younger brother called unto him, saying, “Whereas thou hast devised an evil thing, wilt thou not also devise a good thing, even like that which I would do unto thee? When thou goest to thy house thou must look to thy cattle, for I shall not stay in the place where thou art; I am going to the valley of the acacia. And now as to what thou shalt do for me; it is even that thou shalt come to seek after me, if thou perceivest a matter, namely, that there are things happening unto me. And this is what shall come to pass, that I shall draw out my soul, and I shall put it upon the top of the flowers of the acacia, and when the acacia is cut down, and it falls to the ground, and thou comest to seek for it, if thou searchest for it seven years do not let thy heart be wearied. For thou wilt find it, and thou must put it in a cup of cold water, and expect that I shall live again, that I may make answer to what has been done wrong. And thou shalt know of this, that is to say, that things are happening to me, when one shall give to thee a cup of beer in thy hand, and it shall be troubled; stay not then, for verily it shall come to pass with thee.”

And the youth went to the valley of the acacia; and his elder brother went unto his house; his hand was laid on his head, and he cast dust on his head; he came to his house, and he slew his wife, he cast her to the dogs, and he sat in mourning for his younger brother.

Now many days after these things, the younger brother was in the valley of the acacia; there was none with him; he spent his time in hunting the beasts of the desert, and he came back in the even to lie down under the acacia, which bore his soul upon the topmost flower. And after this he built himself a tower with his own hands, in the valley of the acacia; it was full of all good things, that he might provide for himself a home.

And he went out from his tower, and he met the Nine Gods, who were walking forth to look upon the whole land. The Nine Gods talked one with another, and they said unto him, “Ho! Bata, bull of the Nine Gods, art thou remaining alone? Thou hast left thy village for the wife of Anpu, thy elder brother. Behold his wife is slain. Thou hast given him an answer to all that was transgressed against thee.”

And their hearts were vexed for him exceedingly. And Ra Harakhti said to Khnumu, “Behold, frame thou a woman for Bata, that he may not remain alive alone.”

And Khnumu made for him a mate to dwell with him.

She was more beautiful in her limbs than any woman who is in the whole land. The essence of every god was in her. The seven Hathors came to see her: they said with one mouth, “She will die a sharp death.”

And Bata loved her very exceedingly, and she dwelt in his house; he passed his time in hunting the beasts of the desert, and brought and laid them before her. He said, “Go not outside, lest the sea seize thee; for I cannot rescue thee from it, for I am a woman like thee; my soul is placed on the head of the flower of the acacia; and if another find it, I must fight with him.”

And he opened unto her his heart in all its nature.

Now after these things Bata went to hunt in his daily manner. And the young girl went to walk under the acacia which was by the side of her house. Then the sea saw her, and cast its waves up after her. She betook herself to flee from before it. She entered her house. And the sea called unto the acacia, saying, “Oh, would that I could seize her!”

And the acacia brought a lock from her hair, and the sea carried it to Egypt, and dropped it in the place of the fullers of Pharaoh's linen. The smell of the lock of hair entered into the clothes of Pharaoh; and they were wroth with the fullers of Pharaoh, saying, “The smell of ointment is in the clothes of Pharaoh.”

And the people were rebuked every day, they knew not what they should do. And the chief fuller of Pharaoh walked by the bank, and his heart was very evil within him after the daily quarrel with him. He stood still, he stood upon the sand opposite to the lock of hair, which was in the water, and he made one enter into the water and bring it to him; and there was found in it a smell, exceeding sweet. He took it to Pharaoh; and they brought the scribes and the wise men, and they said unto Pharaoh, “This lock of hair belongs to a daughter of Ra Harakhti: the essence of every god is in her, and it is a tribute to thee from another land. Let messengers go to every strange land to seek her: and as for the messenger who shall go to the valley of the acacia, let many men go with him to bring her.”

Then said his majesty, “Excellent exceedingly is what has been said to us;” and they sent them. And many days after these things the people who were sent to strange lands came to give report unto the king: but there came not those who went to the valley of the acacia, for Bata had slain them, but let one of them return to give a report to the king. His majesty sent many men and soldiers, as well as horsemen, to bring her back. And there was a woman amongst them, and to her had been given in her hand beautiful ornaments of a woman. And the girl came back with her, and they rejoiced over her in the whole land.

And his majesty loved her exceedingly, and raised her to high estate; and he spake unto her that she should tell him concerning her husband. And she said, “Let the acacia be cut down, and let one chop it up.” And they sent men and soldiers with their weapons to cut down the acacia; and they came to the acacia, and they cut the flower upon which was the soul of Bata, and he fell dead suddenly.

And when the next day came, and the earth was lightened, the acacia was cut down. And Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house, and washed his hands; and one gave him a cup of beer, and it became troubled; and one gave him another of wine, and the smell of it was evil. Then he took his staff, and his sandals, and likewise his clothes, with his weapons of war; and he betook himself forth to the valley of the acacia. He entered the tower of his younger brother, and he found him lying upon his mat; he was dead. And he wept when he saw his younger brother verily lying dead. And he went out to seek the soul of his younger brother under the acacia tree, under which his younger brother lay in the evening.

He spent three years in seeking for it, but found it not. And when he began the fourth year, he desired in his heart to return into Egypt; he said “I will go to-morrow morn;” thus spake he in his heart.

Now when the land lightened, and the next day appeared, he was walking under the acacia; he was spending his time in seeking it. And he returned in the evening, and laboured at seeking it again. He found a seed. He returned with it. Behold this was the soul of his younger brother. He brought a cup of cold water, and he cast the seed into it; and he sat down, as he was wont. Now when the night came his soul sucked up the water; Bata shuddered in all his limbs, and he looked on his elder brother; his soul was in the cup. Then Anpu took the cup of cold water, in which the soul of his younger brother was; Bata drank it, his soul stood again in its place, and he became as he had been. They embraced each other, and they conversed together.

And Bata said to his elder brother, “Behold I am to become as a great bull, which bears every good mark; no one knoweth its history, and thou must sit upon my back. When the sun arises I shall be in the place where my wife is, that I may return answer to her; and thou must take me to the place where the king is. For all good things shall be done for thee; for one shall lade thee with silver and gold, because thou bringest me to Pharaoh, for I become a great marvel, and they shall rejoice for me in all the land. And thou shalt go to thy village.”

And when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Bata became in the form which he had told to his elder brother. And Anpu sat upon his back until the dawn. He came to the place where the king was, and they made his majesty to know of him; he saw him, and he was exceeding joyful with him. He made for him great offerings, saying, “This is a great wonder which has come to pass.”

There were rejoicings over him in the whole land. They presented unto him silver and gold for his elder brother, who went and stayed in his village. They gave to the bull many men and many things, and Pharaoh loved him exceedingly above all that is in this land.

And after many days after these things, the bull entered the purified place; he stood in the place where the princess was; he began to speak with her, saying, “Behold, I am alive indeed.”

And she said to him, “And, pray, who art thou?”

He said to her, “I am Bata. I perceived when thou causedst that they should destroy the acacia of Pharaoh, which was my abode, that I might not be suffered to live. Behold, I am alive indeed, I am as an ox.”

Then the princess feared exceedingly for the words that her husband had spoken to her. And he went out from the purified place.

And his majesty was sitting, making a good day with her: she was at the table of his majesty, and the king was exceeding pleased with her. And she said to his majesty, “Swear to me by God, saying, 'What thou shalt say, I will obey it for thy sake.'”

He hearkened unto all that she said, even this. “Let me eat of the liver of the ox, because he is fit for nought!” thus spake she to him. And the king was exceeding sad at her words, the heart of Pharaoh grieved him greatly. And after the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, they proclaimed a great feast with offerings to the ox. And the king sent one of the chief butchers of his majesty, to cause the ox to be sacrificed. And when he was sacrificed, as he was upon the shoulders of the people, he shook his neck, and he threw two drops of blood over against the two doors of his majesty. The one fell upon the one side, on the great door of Pharaoh, and the other upon the other door. They grew as two great Persea trees, and each of them was excellent.

And one went to tell unto his majesty, “Two great Persea trees have grown, as a great marvel of his majesty, in the night by the side of the great gate of his majesty.”

And there was rejoicing for them in all the land, and there were offerings made to them.

And when the days were multiplied after these things, his majesty was adorned with the blue crown, with garlands of flowers on his neck, and he was upon the chariot of pale gold, and he went out from the palace to behold the Persea trees: the princess also was going out with horses behind his majesty. And his majesty sat beneath one of the Persea trees, and it spake thus with his wife: “Oh thou deceitful one, I am Bata, I am alive, though I have been evilly entreated. I knew who caused the acacia to be cut down by Pharaoh at my dwelling. I then became an ox, and thou causedst that I should be killed.”

And many days after these things the princess stood at the table of Pharaoh, and the king was pleased with her. And she said to his majesty, “Swear to me by God, saying, 'That which the princess shall say to me I will obey it for her.'”

And he hearkened unto all she said. And he commanded, “Let these two Persea trees be cut down, and let them be made into goodly planks.”

And he hearkened unto all she said. And after this his majesty sent skilful craftsmen, and they cut down the Persea trees of Pharaoh; and the princess, the royal wife, was standing looking on, and they did all that was in her heart unto the trees. But a chip flew up, and it entered into the mouth of the princess; she swallowed it, and after many days she bore a son. And one went to tell his majesty, “There is born to thee a son.”

And they brought him, and gave to him a nurse and servants; and there were rejoicings in the whole land. And the king sat making a merry day, as they were about the naming of him, and his majesty loved him exceedingly at that moment, and the king raised him to be the royal son of Kush.

Now after the days had multiplied after these things, his majesty made him heir of all the land. And many days after that, when he had fulfilled many years as heir, his majesty flew up to heaven. And the heir said, “Let my great nobles of his majesty be brought before me, that I may make them to know all that has happened to me.” And they brought also before him his wife, and he judged with her before him, and they agreed with him. They brought to him his elder brother; he made him hereditary prince in all his land. He was thirty years king of Egypt, and he died, and his elder brother stood in his place on the day of burial.

Excellently finished in peace, for the ka of the scribe of the treasury Kagabu, of the treasury of Pharaoh, and for the scribe Hora, and the scribe Meremapt. Written by the scribe Anena, the owner of this roll. He who speaks against this roll, may Tahuti smite him.

Once, there were two brothers. Anpu was the name of the elder and Bata was was the name of the younger. When their parents died, Anpu was already married and had a house of his own, but his little brother was to him, as it were, a son; so he took his little brother to live with him. When the little brother grew into a young man, he was an excellent worker. He it was who made for him his clothes; he it was who followed behind his oxen to the fields; he it was who did the plowing; he it was who harvested the corn; he it was who did for him all the matters which were in the field. There was not an equal in the land. Behold the spirit of a god was with him.

Every morning, the younger brother followed his oxen and worked all day in the fields and every evening he returned to the house with vegetables, milk, and wood. And he put them down before his elder brother who was sitting with his wife; and he drank and ate, and after he lay down in his stable with the cattle. And at the dawn of the next day he took bread which he had baked, and laid it before his elder brother; and he took with him his bread to the field, and he drave his cattle to pasture in the fields.

And as he walked behind his cattle, they said to him, “Good is the herbage which is in that place”; and he listened to all that they said, and he took them to the good place which they desired. And the cattle which were before him became exceedingly excellent, and they greatly multiplied in number.

Now at the time of plowing his elder brother said to him, “Let ourselves make a good yoke of oxen ready for plowing, for the land has come out from the water; it is ready for plowing. Furthermore, come to the field with corn, and we will begin the plowing tomorrow morning.” this the elder brother said; and his younger brother did all things as his elder brother had told him to do.

And when the morning came, they went to the fields with all of their things; and their hearts were greatly pleased with their tasks they had to do for the beginning of their daily work.

After this, as they were in the field, they stopped for corn, and the elder brother sent his younger brother, saying, “Hurry, bring us the corn from the for planting.

And the younger brother returned home to find the wife of his elder brother, as she was sitting brushing her hair. He said to her, “Get up, and give me corn, so that I may run back to the field, for my elder brother is in a hurry, to not delay. She said to him, “Go open the bin, and take as much as you wish, so that I may not let my braids of hair fall while I am brushing them.”

The youth went into the stable; carrying a large measure, for he wished to take much corn; he loaded the measure with wheat and barley; and he left carrying it on his shoulders. She said to him, “How much of the corn that is wanted, is that which is on thy shoulder ?” He replied to her, “Three bushels of barley, and two of wheat, in all five; these are what I carry upon my shoulders”. And she seductively spoke with him, saying, “There is great strength in you, for I see your strength every day.” And her heart knew him with the knowledge of the passion of youth. And she arose and came close to him, and spoke with him, saying, “Come, stay and play with me, and it shall be well for you, and I will make beautiful clothes for you.”

Then the youth became like a panther of the south with fury at the seductive evil of her words to him; and she greatly feared for the consequences. And then he spoke angrily to her, saying, “Look, you are like a mother to me, your husband is like a father to me, for he who is older than I has raised me. What is this wickedness that you have said to me? Never say it to me again. But, meanwhile, I won't tell anyone of it, for I will not let it be said by the mouth of any man” He lifted up his burden, and he went to the field and came to his elder brother; and they took up their work, to labour together at their task.

Rebuked, and because Anpu loved his brother very much, his wife became jealous and wanted to destroy Bata.

Now afterward, at evening, his elder brother was returning to his house; and the younger brother was following behind with his oxen, loading himself with all the things of the field, Driving the oxen before him, he took them to lie down in their stable which was in the farm.

Meanwhile the wife of the elder brother was afraid of what she had said. So she took a parcel of fat, and used it to make it look as though she was one who is evilly beaten, intending to say to her husband, “It is your younger brother who has done this wrong.” Her husband returned in the evening as was his normally did each day: and as he came into his house, he found his wife ill from the violence: she did not give him water to wash his hands as she normally did, she did not make a light for him, and his house was in darkness, as she was lying down seemingly very sick.

Her husband said to her, “Who has done this to you?” She said, “No one has spoken with me today except your younger brother. When he came to take the corn for you he found me sitting alone; he said to me, 'Come, let us stay and play together, tie up your hair': This he said to me. I did not listen to him, but I said to him: 'Look, am I not your mother, is not your elder brother like a father to you?' And he was afraid, and he beat me to stop me from telling you, and if you should let him live I shall die. Now look, he is coming in the evening; and I complain of these wicked words, for he did this even in the daylight.”

And now the elder brother became like a panther in the south; he sharpened his knife; he took it in his hand; he stood behind the door of the stable to kill his younger brother as he came in the evening to return his cattle to the stable.

Now the sun went down, and he loaded himself with vegetables in his usual manner. He came in, and the first cow entered the stable, and she said to her keeper, “Look your elder brother is standing in the dark before you with his knife to kill you; run from him.” He heard what his first cow had said and didn't enter. The next entering, the cow said it again. He looked beneath the door of the stable; he saw the feet of his elder brother as he was standing behind the door, with his knife in his hand. He threw down his load to the ground, and fled swiftly as his elder brother chased after him with his knife.

The the younger brother cried out to Ra Harakhti (the Sun-god), saying, “My good lord! you are the one who divides the evil from the good.” And Ra, the sun, about to rise heard his cry; and so Ra made a wide canal of water between him and his elder brother, and it was full of crocodiles; with the one brother on one bank, whilst the other was on the other bank; and the elder brother hit his hands together at being unable to kill him. And the younger brother called to his elder brother on other bank, saying, “Stand still until sun rises for the day; and when Ra rises, I shall swear my innocence to you before him, and as he can distinguish between the good and the evil. And has not your wife been as a mother to me? And I shall leave you forever; Now, since you want to kill me I shall avoid every place where you are; I shall go to the valley of the Acacia.

Now when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Ra Harakhti rose, and one brother looked at the other. And the youth spoke with his elder brother, saying, “Why have you come after me to kill me secretly, when you have not heard the words of innocence from my mouth? For I am truly your brother, and you are to me as a father, and your wife even as a mother: is this not true? Anpu answered, “Why did you beat up my wife and almost kill her?” Bata answered, “I did no such thing. Have I not told you that I have always looked upon her as my mother?”

“Truly, when I was sent to bring corn for us, your wife said to me, 'Come, stay and play with me;' for see this truth has been turned over for you into its opposite.” And he made him understand of all that happened with him and his wife. And he swore an oath by Ra Harakhti, saying, “Your coming to kill me secretly with your knife was an abomination.” Then the youth took a knife, and cut off of his flesh, and cast it into the water, and the fish swallowed it. He fell and fainted; and his elder brother cursed his own heart greatly; he stood weeping for him from far off; as he knew he could not pass over to where his younger brother lay, because of the crocodiles. And the younger brother called unto him, saying, “Whilst you have dreamed an evil thing, wilt you not also dream a good thing, just like that which I would do for you? When you go to your house you must look after your cattle properly, And now as to what you shall do for me; I know you shall come to seek after me, if you see it enough. And this is what shall happen; I shall draw out my soul, and I shall put it upon the top of the flowers of the acacia, and when the acacia is cut down, and it falls to the ground, and you come to look for it, if you search for it even for seven years do not let your heart grow wearied. For thou will find find it, and then you must put it in a cup of cold water, and know then that I shall live again, that I will make better that which has been done wrong. And you shall know of this, that is to say, that good things are happening to me, for when one person shall give a cup of beer to you in your hand, and it shall tremble; do not stop then, for truly it shall come to pass with you.”

So Anpu went home. He found his wife near the river washing off the black and blue dye with which she had painted herself. Filled with great anger, Anpu killed his wife and cast her to the dogs. Then he sat down, poured ashes on his head, and mourned for his younger brother. Bata reached the Valley of the Acacia. There was no one with him; he slew wild animals of the desert for his food and built himself a house under the sacred acacia tree, the tree sacred to the gods, which bore his soul upon the topmost flower. And after this he built himself a tower with his own hands, in the valley of the acacia; it was full of all good things, that he might provide for himself a home.

One day as he walked out of his house, he met the Nine Gods who knew of his innocence and goodness. Ra said to the god Khunumu, “Look, make a woman for Bata that he may not remain alone. And Khunumu made for Bata a wife to dwell with him. She was indeed more beautiful than any other woman in the whole land. She was like a goddess as the essence of every god was in her and Bata loved her very much. The seven Hathors came to see her: they said with one mouth, ” She will die a sharp death.”

And Bata loved her very exceedingly, and she dwelt in his house; he passed his time in hunting the beasts of the desert, and brought and laid them before her. He said, “Go not outside, lest the sea seize you; for I cannot rescue you from it, for I am a person like you; my soul is placed on the head of the flower of the acacia; and if another find it, I must fight with him.” And he opened unto her his heart in all its nature.

Now after saying these things Bata went to hunt in his daily manner. And the young girl went to walk under the acacia which was by the side of her house. Then the sea saw her, and cast its waves up after her. She ran from before it. She entered her house. And the sea called unto the acacia, saying, “Oh, would that I could seize her!” And the acacia brought a lock from her hair, and the sea carried it to Egypt, and dropped it in the place of the fullers, the makers of Pharaoh's linen. The smell of the lock of hair entered into the clothes of Pharaoh; and they were angry with the fullers of Pharaoh, saying, “The smell of ointment is in the clothes of Pharaoh.” And the people were rebuked every day, they knew not what they should do. And the chief fuller of Pharaoh walked by the bank, and his heart was very evil within him after the daily quarrel with him. He stood still, he stood upon the sand opposite to the lock of hair, which was in the water, and he made a servant go into the water and bring it to him; and there was found in it a smell, exceedingly sweet. He took it to Pharaoh; and they brought the scribes and the wise men, and they said unto Pharaoh, “This lock of hair belongs to a daughter of Ra Harakhti: the essence of every god is in her, and it is a tribute to thee from another land. Let messengers go to every strange land to seek her: and as for the messenger who shall go to the valley of the acacia, let many men go with him to bring her.” Then said his majesty, “Excellent, this is exceeding is what has been said to us;” and they sent them. And many days after these things the people who were sent to strange lands came to report to the king: but those that went to the valley of the Acacia did not return, for Bata had killed them, but he let one of them return to give a report to the king. His majesty sent many men and soldiers, as well as horsemen to hold Bata, and to bring her back. And there was a woman amongst them, and to her had been given in her hand beautiful ornaments of a woman. And this time the girl came back with her, and they rejoiced over her in the whole land.

And his majesty loved her exceedingly, and raised her to high estate; and he spoke to her saying that she should tell him concerning her husband. And she said, “Let the acacia be cut down, and let one chop it up.” And they sent men and soldiers with their weapons to cut down the acacia; and they came to the acacia, and they cut the flower upon which was the soul of Bata, and he fell dead suddenly.

And when the next day came, and the earth was lightened, the acacia was cut down. And Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house, and washed his hands; and a person gave him a cup of beer, and it became troubled; and another one gave him another of wine, and the smell of it was evil. Then he took his staff, and his sandals, and likewise his clothes, with his weapons of war; and he went forth to the valley of the acacia. He entered the tower of his younger brother, and he found him lying upon his mat; he was dead. And he wept when he saw his younger brother truly was lying dead. And he went out to seek the soul of his younger brother under the acacia tree, under which his younger brother lay in the evening.

He spent three years in seeking for it, but found it not. And when he began looking in the fourth year, he desired in his heart to return into Egypt; he said in his heart, “I will go tomorrow morning”. Now when the land lightened, and the next day appeared, he was walking under the acacia; he was spending his time in seeking the flower. And he returned in the evening, and laboured at seeking it again. Then he at last found a seed. He returned with it. Look, this was the soul of his younger brother. He brought a cup of cold water, and he threw the seed into it: and he sat down, as he usually did. Now when the night came his soul of his brother sucked up the water; Bata then shuddered in all his limbs, and he looked on his elder brother; his soul was in the cup. Then Anpu took the cup of cold water, in which the soul of his younger brother was; Bata drank it, his soul stood again in its proper place, and he became as he had been. They embraced each other, and they spoke together.

And Bata said to his elder brother, “Behold I am to become as a great bull, which bears every good mark; no one knows its history, and you must sit upon my back. When the sun arises I shall be in the place where my wife is, that I may return answer to her; and you must take me to the place where the king is. For all good things shall be done for you; for one shall load you with silver and gold, because you bring me to Pharaoh, for I become a great marvel, and they shall rejoice for me in all the land. And you shalt go to your village.”

And when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Bata took the form of the bull, like he had told his elder brother. And Anpu sat upon his back until the dawn. Together they came to the place where the king was, and they made his majesty to know of him; he saw him, and he was exceeding joyful with him. The king made for him great offerings, saying, “This is a great wonder which has come to pass.” There were rejoicings over him in the whole land. They presented unto him silver and gold for his elder brother, who went and stayed in his village. They gave to the bull many men and many things, and Pharaoh loved him exceedingly above all that is in this land.

And after many days after these things, the bull entered the purlfied place; he stood in the place where the princess was; he began to speak with her, saying, “Behold, I am alive again.” And she said to him, “And, pray, who are you?” He said to her, “I am Bata. I perceived when you told them that they should destroy the acacia of Pharaoh, which was my abode, that I would die. Look! I am alive again, I am as an ox.” Then the princess feared exceedingly for the words that her husband had spoken to her. And he went out from the purlfied place.

And his majesty was sitting, making a good day with her: she was at the table of his majesty, and the king was exceeding pleased with her. And she said to his majesty, ” Swear to me bv God, saying, 'What ever you shalt say, I will obey it for your sake.'” He listened carefully to all that she said, even this. “Let me eat of the liver of the ox, because he is fit for nothing:” said the woman to him. And the king was exceeding sad at her words, the heart of Pharaoh grieved greatly. And after the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, they proclaimed a great feast with offerings to the ox. And the king sent one of the chief butchers of his majesty, to cause the ox to be sacrificed. And when he was sacrificed, as he was upon the shoulders of the people, he shook his neck, and he threw two drops of blood over against the two doors of his majesty. The one fell upon the one side, on the great door of Pharaoh, and the other upon the other door. They grew as two great Persea trees, and each of them was excellent.

And one went to tell unto his majesty, ” Two great Persea trees have grown, as a great marvel of his majesty, in the night by the side of the great gate of his majesty.“ And there was rejoicing for them in all the land, and there were offerings made to them

And when the days were multiplied after these things, his majesty was adorned with the blue crown, with garlands of flowers on his neck, and he was upon the chariot of pale gold, and he went out from the palace to behold the Persea trees: the princess also was going out with horses behind his majesty. And as his majesty sat beneath one of the Persea trees, it spoke to his wife: “Oh thou deceitful one, I am Bata, I am alive, though I have been evilly entreated. I knew who caused the acacia to be cut down by Pharaoh at my dwelling. I then became an ox, and you caused me to be killed.”

And many days after these things the princess stood at the table of Pharaoh, and the king was pleased with her. And she said to his majesty, “Swear to me by God, saying, 'That which the princess shall say to me I will obey it for her.'” And he listened carefully o all she said. And she commanded, ” Let these two Persea trees be cut down, and let them be made into goodly planks.“ And after this his majesty sent skilful craftsmen, and they cut down the Persea trees of Pharaoh; and the princess, the royal wife, was standing looking on, and they did all that was in her heart unto the trees. But a chip flew up, and it entered into the mouth of the princess; she swallowed it, and after many days she bore a son. And one went to tell his majesty, “There is born to you a son.” And they brought him, and gave to him a nurse and servants; and there were rejoicings in the whole land. And the king sat making a merry day, as they were about the naming of him, and his majesty loved him exceedingly at that moment, and the king raised him to be the royal son of Kush.

Now after the days had multiplied after these things, his majesty made him heir of all the land. And many days after that, when he had furfilled many years as heir, his majesty flew up to heaven. And the heir said, “Let my great nobles of his majesty be brought before me, that I may make them to know all that has happened to me.” And they brought also before him his wife, and he judged with her before him, and they agreed with him. They brought to him his elder brother; he made him hereditary prince in all his land. He was thirty years king of Egypt, and he died, and his elder brother stood in his place on the day of burial.

Excellently finished in peace, for the ka of the scribe of the treasury Kagalu, of the treasury of Pharaoh, and for the scribe Hora, and the scribe Meremapt. Written by the scribe Nena, the owner of this roll. He who speaks against this roll, may the god Djehuti smite him.

Once upon a time there were two brothers, so the story goes, having the same mother and the same father. Anubis was the name of the elder, and Bata was the name of the younger. Now as for Anubis, he [possessed] a house and had a wife, [and] his younger brother was (associated) with him after the manner of a son, so that it was he (that is, the elder brother) who made clothes for him while he (that is, the younger brother) followed behind his cattle to the fields, since it was he who had to plow. It was he who reaped for him, and it was [he] who did for him every chore that was in the fields. Indeed, his younger brother [was] a perfect man: there was none like him in entire land, for a god's virility was in him.

After many days following this, his younger brother / [was tending] his cattle according to his daily habit,and he would [leave work] for his house every evening laden [with] every vegetable of the field, [with] milk, with wood, and [with] every [good produce of] the field; he would place them before his [elder brother] while he was sitting with his wife, and he would drink and eat, and [he would leave to spend the night in] his stabel among his cattle [daily].

After dawn and the next day had come about, [he prepared foods] which were cooked, and he would place them before his elder brother, [and he would] give him bread for the fields, and he would drive his cattle to let them graze in the fields while he followed behind his cattle. [And th]ey [would] tell him: The herbage of such and such a place is good. And he would listen to all that they said and take them to the place / with good herbage which they were desiring. The cattle that were in his charge became so exceedingly fine that they multiplied their offspring exceedingly.

At plowing time his [elder] brother told him: have a team [of oxen] made ready for us for plowing, for the soil has emerged so that it is just right for tilling.Also, you are to come to the field with seed because we shall begin to cultivate tomorrow. So he said to him. Then his / younger brother made all preparations that his elder brother had told him to [make]. And after dawn [and the next] day had come about, they went to the field carrying their [seed] and began [to] plow with [their hearts] exceedingly pleased about their project as [they] began to work.

After many [days] following this, while they were in the field, they needed seed. He sent his younger brother, saying: You shall go and fetch us seed from town. His younger brother found the wife of his elder brother seated plaiting her (hair). he told her: Get up and give me seed / so that may hurry off to the field, because it is for me that my elder brother is waiting. don't cause a delay. Then she told him: Go, open the magazine and fetch for yourself what you want. Don't make leave my hairdressing unfinished.

then the youth entered his stable and fetched a large vessel, since it was his desire to take out a lot of seed. he loaded himself with barley and emmer and came out carrying it. Then she said to him: how much is it that is on your shoulder? And he told her: It is / three sacks of emmer and two sacks of barley, totaling five, that are on my shoulder. So he said to her. Then she [spoke with] him, saying: There is [great] virility in you, for I have been observing your exertions daily. For it was her desire to know him through sexual intimacy. she got up, seized hold of him, and told him: Come, let's spend for ourselves an hour sleeping (together). Such will be to your advantage, for I will make you fine clothes.

Then the youth became like an Upper Egyptian panther in harsh rage over the wicked proposition that she had made to him, and she become exceedingly fearful. he argued with her, saying: Now look, you are (associated) with me after the manner of a mother, and your husband is (associated) with me after the manner of a father, for the one who is older than I it is who has brought me up. What means / this great offense which have said to me? Don't say it to me again. but I shall tell it to no one, for I will not let it escape my mouth to anybody. he picked up his load and went off to the field. Then he reached his elder brother, and they began to work their project.

Afterward, at evening time, his elder brother left work for his house, while his younger brother was (still) tending his cattle and [would] load himself with all produce of the field and bring back his cattle / before him to let them spend the night their stable, which was in town. The wife of his elder brother was fearful the proposition which she had made. She then fetched grease and fat and feigningly became like one who has been assaulted with the intention of telling her husband: it's your younger brother who has assaulted . Her husband left work in the evening according to his daily habit.He reached his house and found his wife lying (down), feigning (to be) sick, so that she did not pour water upon his hand(s) according to his custom, nor had she prepared lighting for his arrival, so that his house was in darkness as she lay vomiting. her husband said to her: Who has quarreled with you? She said to him: No one has quarreled with me except your / younger brother. When he returned to take out seed for you, he found me sitting alone and said to me, “Come, let's spend an hour sleeping (together). You shall put on your wig.” So he said to me, but I refused to obey him. “Isn't it so that I am your mother, and that your brother is (associated) with you after the manner of a father?” So I said to him. And he became afraid and assaulted to prevent me from making a disclosure to you. Now if you let him live, I'll take my life. See, as soon as he returns, don't,,,him, because I denounce this wicked proposition which he would have carried out yesterday.

then his elder brother became / like an Upper Egyptian panther, and he had his spear sharpened and placed in his hand. His elder stood behind the door his stable in order to kill his younger brother upon his return in the evening to let his cattle enter the stable. Now when the sun set, he loaded himself all (sorts of) vegetables of the fields, according to his daily habit, and returned. the lead cow entered the stable and said to its herdsman: Look, your elder brother is standing in wait for you bearing his spear to kill you. You shall depart from his presence. He understood what his lead cow had said, and / the next one entered and said it also. He looked under the door of his stable and observed his elder brother's feet as he was standing behind the door with his spear in his hand. he set his load onto the ground and hastened to run off flight, and his elder brother went in pursuit of him, carrying his spear.

Then his younger brother prayed to Pre-Harakhti, / saying: My good lord, it is you who distinguishes wrong from right. Thereupon Pre heard all his petitions, and Pre caused a great (gulf of) water to come between him and his elder , infested with crocodiles, so that one of them came to be on one side and the other on the other (side). His elder brother struck twice upon (the back of) his hand because he had failed to kill him. Then his younger brother called to him on the (other) side, saying: Wait there until dawn. As soon as the sun rises, I shall / be judged with you in his presence, and he shall deliver the culprit to the just, for I will never again be present in your company nor will I be present in a place where you are. I shall go to the Valley of the Pine.

Now after dawn and the next day had come about, Pre-Harakhti arose, and they observed each other. Then the youth argued with his elder brother, saying: What's the meaning of your coming in pursuit of me in order to kill unjustly without having heard what I have to say? for I am still your younger brother, and / you are (associated) with me after the manner of a father, and your wife is (associated0 with me after the manner of a mother, isn't it so? When you sent to fetch us seed, your wife said to me, “Come, let's spend an hour sleeping (together).” But see, it has been distorted for you as something otherwise. Then he informed him about all that had transpired between him and his wife. he swore by Pre-Harakhti saying: As for your in order to kill me unjustly, carrying your spear, it was on account of a sexually exhausted slut. he fetched a reed knife, cut off his phallus, and threw it into the water. The catfish swallowed , and he / grew weak and became feeble. his elder brother became exceedingly grieved and stood weeping for him aloud. He could not cross over to where his younger brother was because of the crocodiles.

then his younger brother called to him, saying: If you have recalled a grievance, can't you recall a kindness or something that I have done on your behalf? Please depart to your home and take care of your cattle, for I shall not stay in a place where you are. I shall go off to the Valley of the Pine. now what you shall do on my behalf is to come and care for me if find out that something has happened to me I extract my heart and put it on top of the flower of the pine tree. and if the pine tree is cut down and falls to the ground, / you are to come to search for it. If you shall have spent seven years in searching for it, don't let your heart become discouraged, for if you do find it and put it into a bowl of cool water, then I will become alive in order that may avenge the wrong done to me. Now you shall ascertain whether something to me if a beaker of beer is delivered to you in your hand and produces froth. Don't delay upon seeing that this comes to pass with you. then he went off to the Valley of the Pine, and his elder brother went off to his home with his hand(s) placed upon his head and his (body) smeared with dirt. Presently he reached his home, and he killed his wife, cast her the dogs, and sat down in morning over his younger brother. After many days following this, his younger brother was in the Valley of the Pine with no one with him while he spent all day hunting desert game. He returned in the evening to spend the night under the pine tree on top of whose flower his heart was. And after / many days followed this, he built for himself a country villa with his (own) hands the Valley of the Pine, filled with all (sorts of) good things with the intention of establishing a home for himself.

Presently he went out form his country villa and encountered the Ennead as they were walking (along) governing the entire land. The Ennead spoke in unison, saying to him: Oh, Bata, Bull of the Ennead, are you alone here having abandoned your town before the face of the wife of Anubis, your elder brother? / See, has killed his wife, and thus you will be avenged upon him every wrong done against you. For they were exceedingly sorry for him. Pre-Harakhti told Khnum: Please fashion a marriageable woman for Beta so that he does not (have to) live alone. thereupon Khnum made for him a house-companion who was more beautiful in her body than any woman in the entire land, for every god was in her. then the seven Hathors came see her and said all together: It is by an execution knife that she shall die.

Then he proceeded to covet her exceedingly while she was dwelling in his house and while he spent all day / hunting desert game, bringing (it) back, and putting (it) down before her. he told her: Don't go outside lest the sea carry you away, for I will be unable to rescue you from it, because I am a female like you and my heart lies on top of the flower of the pone tree. but if another finds it, I will fight with him. Then he revealed to her all his inmost thoughts.

After many days following this, while Bata went to hunt according to his daily habit,/ the maiden went out to stroll under the pine tree which was next to her house. thereupon she beheld the sea surging up behind her, and she hastened to flee from it and entered her house. then the sea called to the pine tree, saying: Seize hold of her for me. And the pine tree removed a curl form her hair. The sea brought it to Egypt and deposited it in the place of the launderers of Pharaoh, l.p.h. then the scent of the curl of hair appeared in the clothes of Pharaoh, l.p.h., and the king wrangled with the launderer of Pha. oh, l.p.h., saying: Scent of ointment is in the clothes of Pharaoh, l.p.h. The king came to wrangling with them daily, but / they didn't know what to do. the chief launderer of Pharaoh, l.p.h., went to the bank with his mind exceedingly vexed as a consequence of the wranglings with him daily. then stopped still and stood by the seashore opposite the curl of hair that was in the water. he had someone go down, and it was brought to him. scent was found exceedingly fragrant, and he took it away to Pharaoh, l.p.h.

then the learned scribes of Pharaoh, l.p.h., were brought. They told Pharaoh, l.p.h.: As for this braid of hair, / it belongs to a daughter of Pre-Harakhti in whom there is the seed of every god. Now it is a tribute to you another country. Send envoys forth to every foreign country in order to search for her. As for the envoy who will go to the Valley of the Pine, have many men go with in order to fetch her. Then His Majesty, l.p.h., said: what you have said is very good, very good. and (they) were sent off. After many days following this, the men who had gone to a foreign country returned to render report to His Majesty, l.p.h., whereas those who had gone to the Valley of the Pine failed to return, for Bata had killed them leaving (only) one of them to render report to His Majesty, l.p.h. then His Majesty, l.p.h., again sent forth many soldiers as well as chariotry in order to fetch her, there being / a woman among them through whom all (sorts of) beautiful feminine adornment were presented to her.

The woman returned to Egypt with her, and there was jubilation for her in the entire land. Then His Majesty, l.p.h., proceeded to love her exceedingly, and the king appointed her to be Chief Lady. the king spoke with her in order to have her describe the nature of her husband and she said to His Majesty, l.p.h.: have the pine tree cut down and hacked up. the king sent / soldiers bearing their copper (implements) in order to cut down the pine tree, and they reached the pine tree. they cut off the flower upon which was Bata's heart, and he fell dead at the very same moment.

After dawn and the next day had come about and after the pine tree had been cut down, Anubis, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house and sat down and washed his hand(s). he was handed a beaker of beer, and it produced froth. Another of wine was handed him, and it turned bad. then he took his / staff and his sandals as well as his clothes and his weapons, and he hastened to journey to the Valley of the Pine. He entered the country villa of his younger brother and found his younger brother lying dead upon his bed. He wept when saw younger brother lying in a state of death, and he went to search for his younger brother's heart beneath the pine tree under which his younger brother slept in the evening. / he spent three years in searching for it without finding it. Now when he had commenced the fourth year, his heart desired to return to Egypt, and he said: I shall depart tomorrow.So he said in his heart.

After dawn and the next day had come about, he began walking under the pine tree and spent all day searching for it. he gave up in the evening. Again he spent time in order to search for it, and he found a (pine) cone. he left for home with it. It was really his younger brother's heart. And he fetched a bowl of cool water, dropped it into it, and sat down according to his daily . After darkness had fallen, / his heart absorbed the water, and Bata shuddered over all his body and began looking at his elder brother while his heart was (still) in the bowl. Anubis, his elder brother, took the bowl of cool water in which was his younger brother's heart and him drink it. His heart assumed its (proper) position so that he became as he used to be. Then each embraced the other, and they conversed with one another. Then Beta said to his / elder brother: Look, I shall become a large bull that has every beautiful color and whose sort is unparalleled, and you shall sit upon back. As soon as the sun rises, we shall be where my wife is that may avenge myself, and you shall take me to where the king is, for every sort of good thing shall be done for you and you shall be rewarded with silver and gold for taking me to Pharaoh, l.p.h., because I shall become a great marvel, and there shall be jubilation for me in the entire land, and (then) you shall depart to your (home) town.

After dawn / and the next day had come about, Bata changed into the form which he had mentioned to his elder brother. Then Anubis, his elder brother, sat down upon his back until dawn, and he reached the place where the king was, and His Majesty, l.p.h., was informed about him. He saw him and became exceedingly joyful over him. He served him a grand oblation, saying: It is a great marvel that has come to pass. And there was jubilation for him in the entire land. then / his weight was made up in silver and gold for his elder brother, who (again) took up his abode in his (home) town. the king gave him much personnel and a lot of goods, for Pharaoh, l.p.h., preferred him exceedingly over anybody (else) in the entire land.

Now after many days following this, he entered the kitchen and stood in the place where the Lady was. he began speaking with her, saying: See, I'm still alive! She said to him: Who are you, I ask? And he told her: I am Bata. I realize that when you caused the pine tree to be hacked up for Pharaoh, l.p.h., it was on account of me, to keep me from staying alive. See, / I'm still alive, but as a bull.

The Lady became exceedingly fearful because of the revelation which her husband had made to her. then he left the kitchen, and His Majesty, l.p.h., sat down and made holiday with her. She poured (drinks) for His Majesty, l.p.h., so that the king was exceedingly happy in her company. then she said to His Majesty, l.p.h.: Swear to me by god as follows, “As for what will say, I shall grant it to her.” And he heard all that she said: Let me eat of the liver of this bull, / for he never will amount to anything. So she said speaking to him. The king became exceedingly vexed over what she had said, and Pharaoh, l.p.h., was exceedingly sorry for him.

After dawn the next day had come about, the king proclaimed a grand oblation as an offering to the bull, and the king sent a first royal cupbearer of His Majesty, l.p.h., to sacrifice the bull. And subsequently he was sacrificed. While he was upon the shoulders of the men, he trembled in his neck and caused two drops of blood to be shed beside the two doorposts of His Majesty, l.p.h., one landing on one side of the great portal of Pharaoh, l.p.h., and the other on the other side. they grew into / two large Persea trees, each one of which was choice. Then someone went to tell His Majesty, l.p.h.: Two large Persea trees have grown this night as a great marvel for His Majesty, l.p.h., beside the great portal of His Majesty, l.p.h. And there was jubilation for them in the entire land, and the king presented an offering to them.

After many days followoing this, His Majesty, l.p.h., appeared at the audience window of lapis lazuli with a wreath of every sort of flower on neck, and he a chariot of electrum / and came out from the palace, l.p.h., in order to inspect the Persea trees. Then the Lady came out in a chariot following Pharaoh, l.p.h. His Majesty, l.p.h., sat down under one Persea tree, spoke with his wife: Ha, you liar! I am Bata. I'm alive in spite of you. I realize that as for your having had cut down for Pharaoh, l.p.h., it was on account of me. And I became a bull, and you had me killed.

After many days following this, the Lady stood pouring (drinks) for His Majesty, l.p.h., so that the king was happy in her company. She told His Majesty, l.p.h.: Swear to me by god as follows, “As for what the Lady will tell me, I shall grant it to her.” So you shall say. and he heard / all that she said, and she said: have these two Persea trees cut down and made into fine furniture. Then the king heard all that she had said, and after a brief moment His Majesty, l.p.h., sent skilled craftsmen, and the Persea trees were cut down for Pharaoh, l.p.h. the queen, the Lady, observed it (being done), and a splinter flew up and entered the Lady's mouth. / She swallowed and became pregnant in the space of a split second, and the king made out of them whatever was her desire.

After many days following this, she bore a son, and someone went in order to tell His Majesty, l.p.h.: A son has been born to you. then he was brought, and nurse and maids were assigned to him. There was jubilation in the entire land, and the king sat down and made holiday and proceeded to hold him on his lap. His Majesty, l.p.h., cherished him exceedingly immediately, and the king appointed him / Viceroy of Kush.

After many days following this, His Majesty, l.p.h., made him crown prince of the entire land. and after many days following this, when he had completed many [years] as crown prince in entire land, His Majesty, l.p.h., flew up to the sky. Then the (new) king said: Have my great officials of His Majesty, l.p.h., brought to me that I may inform them regarding every situation / that I have been involved in. His wife [was] brought to him, and he was judged with her in their presence. A consensus was reached among them. His elder brother was brought to him, and he appointed him crown prince in the entire land. he thirty years as King of Egypt. he departed from life, and his elder brother acceded to his throne on the day of death.

Thus it concludes happily and successful.

by Charles E. Moldenke

Cornell University Copy of work by Charles E. Moldenke