Ancient Egyptian legends

								

divine afflatus and rushed forth crying, "Osiris the King is born."
Now Egypt was a barbarous country where men fought together and ate
human flesh; naught did they know of the gods, lawless were they and
savage.  But Osiris became the King of Egypt, and he showed his
people how to till the land and to plant corn and the vine, and he
taught them the honour due to the Gods, and made laws, and abolished
their barbarous and savage customs.  Wherever he went, the people
bowed at his feet, for they loved the very ground he trod on; and
whatever he commanded, that they did.  Thus did Osiris rule over the
Egyptians till, with music playing and banners flying, he passed out
of Egypt to bring all nations beneath his gracious sway.
But Set hated his brother Osiris, and he gathered to himself
seventy-two conspirators, and with them was Aso, queen of Ethiopia.
And they made a plan that when Osiris returned they should kill him
and place Set on the throne; but they hid their plans, and with
smiling faces went out to meet Osiris when he re-entered Egypt in
triumph.
In secret they met again and again, in secret also they prepared a
coffer made of costly wood painted and decorated with rich designs
and glowing colours, an interweaving of tints and a wealth of cunning
workmanship, so that all who saw it longed to have it for their own.
Set, that Wicked One, had in secret measured the body of Osiris, and
the coffer was made to fit the body of the King, for this was part of
the plan.
When all was ready, Set bade his brother and the seventy-two
conspirators to a feast in his great banqueting-hall.  When the feast
was over, they sang the chant of Maneros, as was the custom, and
slaves carried round cups of wine and threw garlands of flowers round
the necks of the guests, and poured perfume upon them, till the hall
was filled with sweet odours.  And while their hearts were glad,
slaves entered bearing the coffer, and all the guests cried out at
the sight of its beauty.
Then Set stood up in his place and said, "He who lies down in this
coffer and whom it fits, to that man I will give it."  His words were
sweet as honey, but in his heart was the bitterness of evil.
One after one, the conspirators lay down in the coffer with jests and
laughter; for one it was too long, and for another it was too short,
and for a third it was too wide, and for a fourth too narrow.  Then
came Osiris to take his turn, and he, all unsuspecting, lay down in
it.  At once the conspirators seized the lid and clapped it on; some
nailed it firmly in its place, while others poured molten lead into
all the openings lest he should breathe and live.  Thus died the
great Osiris, he who is called Unnefer the Triumphant, and by his
death he entered into the Duat, and became King of the Dead and Ruler
of those who are in the West.
The conspirators lifted the chest, which was now a coffin, and
carried it to the river-bank.  They flung it far into the water, and