The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-23
AN OLD STORY.

Truly an old story, the oldest story Of
the oldest literature of the race, a story
told one to another by brown men in
the shadow of roCk-hewn temples CEN
turtles before the patriarch babe his sons
get them down to Egypt to buy corn.
For thousands of wears the mystic fig
ures of the papyri which preserved it
were unread and anreadable Patient
antiquaries have at length deeiphered
them, and we can now relate again this
first recorded work of fiction OF our
race.
Students of such ancient lore call it
''The Tale of the Two Brothers" and
in the learned volumes of Maspero and
Brugsch those who wish an exact rem
dering can find it; for our purpose Il
free abridgmcnt is enough The form
is old and odd, but tie plot is not out
worn, and in many names and nations
has it been repeated. The faithiessness
of woman and the weakness of man
still make up the leading articles in
many novelist's stock in trade and in
many an over true tale. But to tie
story.
Anubu and Bitau (Bi-ta-u). were sons
of one father and mother, and loved
each other as brothers should. Anubu
was the elder He was married and
owned fields which Bitau plowed, barns
which Bitau filled, cows which Bitau
MIXED. In all the land there was no
more industrious nor more cheerful la
borer than Bitau.
One day the brothers were sowing q
field, and Bitau went to the house for
seven measures, of wheat and three
measures of barley. The wife of Anu
bu melted ont the grain and saw that
Bitau was strong-limbed and well-fa-
vored. Therefore she said to him:
Come, let us take our pleasure"
But Bitau answered:
art thou not to me as n mother, and
is. not my brother to me as a fatherp
But of this thou hast said never shall
speak word"
But the woman did not trust Bitau.
and therefore at even when her lord
came home she cast herself on the
ground and cried:
MY husband, l can no longer stand
in honor before thee because of Bitau.n
Deep anger filled the soul of Anubu,
and he took a kecn-edoed knife and
went to the barn where Bitau was milk
ing, and stood behind the door, minded
to slay him when he should come forth.
But the cow said to Bitau:
. THY brother stands BY the door with
a keen-edged knife minded to Stay
thee
Then Bitan sprang forth suddenly
and ran swiftly to escape Anubu pur
sued, and was gaining fast in the race
when Bitau called to the god Phra, say
ing:
.sOh. Phra! Thou who knowest truth
from falsehood, protect the truth"
Straightway Phra caused rapid riv-
er to flow between the two brothers,
and they stood one on either bank of it.
Then Bitau called out:
My brother, my brother. why lie il
wait to kill me? Why seek to stab nit
in my innocence" And he declared 70
Anubu all his wife's rcrlidy, and to
prove his words he took sharp knife
and cut flesh from his body and east 1t
into the river. Then he added:
Not any more may l live with thee,
my brother. / go hence to the Vale OF
Cedars, and / shall by magic power
place my heart on the top of a cedar
and until that cedar falls i shall live.
When a servant brings thee pot of
beer and it boils in thy hand, then know
that am dead, and come and seek my
heart and cast it into vase of fresh
water, and | shall live again"
When Anubu heard This he fell into
great grief, and east dust upon his
head, and returning to his house he Kill
ed his wife, and ciit her into pieces and
cast them to the dogs.
Bitau lived alone in the Vale of Ce-
dars until the god Phra pitied his lone
Illness and made for him woman pass
ing all women in lovelincss. perfect in
her members. holding III herself the es-
sence OF the gols. But the seven Hath
ors came to look upon her, and said:
'.She shall die n violent death.
To her Hitau opened all his mind and
told her of I'LL things, even Of his heart
upon the cedar tree; and he said to her:
'.(io not nigh the great river 6the Niie)
est it carry thee away from me.
One tiay she walked by the river and
4 lock of her hair fell into its waters.
they carried it far down until it reach
ID the land of Egypt, where the chief of
he wasIier-men of Pharaoh picked 1t
rom the stream. As he held it, 1t spread
/ sweet fragrance through the air, and
it as some wonderful thing
he clIief of the washer-men took it to |
he great king. When Pharaoh SCENT
ii the sweet odor his heart longed, and
ne summoned the magicians to declare
Whence came the lock. Then sp:tke the
naoici:lus:
ooh Pharaoh, greatest of kings, to |
whom the world pays homage, this lock |
If hair comes from Il daughter OF Phra, |
perfect in her members, filled with the |
.ssenee of the gods. who dwelis in the |
Yale OF Ged.srs. Let many strong men !
&c sent to bring her.
Thus did Pharaoh, but Bitau slew all /
he host. one only escaping to tell the ;.
lews Then Pharaol. took counsel and /
emf other arehers. hut wih them wo-
nan bei.rin.. costly jewels and such line
les rs women love. When the daugh- |
err of Phra saw these she sent no word
o her husband. hut came with the mes
enoer to the house of Pharaoh. One I
Law she said to him:
-..Do this for me: Send and cut down
he cedar | shall name"
II was that which bore her husband
eart. and Pharaoh sent his =hewers ana
ut il down.
At that time u servant brought Anuou
pot of beer, and it boiled in kis hand.
he left the house and jour
eyed to the Vale of Cedars in search OF
is brother heart. For three years he
earched. and at length he found the
cart and placed ii II > vase q water.
through divine fore, Lit II returned to
fe and said ~ is.4 :: =, e.
Il will i:s!st a:ps.H my sed the form OF
bull. and do thou mount upon my
aek and LET us 90 to where the great
dweEls. He viii receive rs
.;th hant,rs and with gifts of gold and