Ancient Egyptian legends

								

Notes

EDITORIAL NOTE
The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one.
They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books
shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East
and West--the old world of Thought and the new of Action.  In this
endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the
highest example in the land.  They are confident that a deeper
knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental
thought may help to a revival of that true spirit of Charity which
neither despises nor fears the nation of another creed and colour.


L. CRANMER-BYNG,
S. A. KAPADIA.


NORTHBROOK SOCIETY,

    21 CROMWELL ROAD,

      KENSINGTON, S.W.

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LEGENDS

I
THE PRINCESS AND THE DEMON
It was in the reign of King Rameses, son of the Sun, beloved of Amon,
king of the gods.  A mighty warrior was Rameses; in the day of battle
like to Mentu, god of war; very valorous was he, like the son of the
Sky-goddess.
Now his Majesty was in Naharaina, where the great river Euphrates
rolls down to the sea.  And he received the tribute of the
vassal-princes, for he was the conqueror of the nine Archer-tribes,
and none could stand before his face when he came forth equipped with
all his weapons of war.  The princes prostrated themselves before
him, bowing their foreheads to the ground, breathing the earth which
his feet had trodden.  Great and splendid was their tribute: gold,
and precious stones of all colours, blue lapis lazuli and the green
turquoise sacred to Hathor, goddess of love and joy.  And slaves came
bearing on their backs sweet-scented woods, perfumed and aromatic,
like the trees in the land of the Gods.
The prince of Bekhten came also, and with him his eldest daughter;
and he placed her in front of the slaves, for she was the choicest
part of his tribute.  Very beautiful was she, fair in her limbs, tall
and slender as a palm-tree, and the heart of the King turned to her
with delight, and he loved her more than anything on earth.  He made
her the Great Royal Wife, and he gave her a name by which she should
be known in the land of Egypt; Neferu-Ra, "Beauty of Ra," was she
called, for her beauty was like the shining of the sun.  And the name
was written in the royal oval, as is the custom of the kings of Egypt
and their queens.
Then King Rameses returned to Egypt, and with him went the Great
Royal Wife, Queen Neferu-Ra.  And when they came to the Black Land,
the land of Egypt, she performed all the ceremonies of a queen in the
temples of Egypt.
Now it happened that King Rameses was in Thebes the Mighty on the
twenty-second of the month Payni.  And he went into the temple of
Amon, for this was the day of the beautiful festival of the god, when
the boats go up and down upon the water with torches and lights, and
the Sacred Barque, adorned with gold and painted with glorious