The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-12-14
- Egyptian Romance.

-,.r,----r1- which the Berlin MUSEUM
-sesea,r-lv ACQUIRED from the heirs OF
Richmond Lepsius. and the reading
"a which has only just been completed
To nanvrus. which was written III
sbe vulgar tongue. IS not only OF arch
Biological Importance, but Of much
.l7-arsrv interest; being neither more
less than an historical novel, left
FL an unfinished state. The papyrus
dates from the sixteenth century B. G.,
and from the eighteenth dynasty; but
the story related IN it goes back nearly
2 thousand wears to the reign OF hing
Cheops. the tabled builder OF the pyr-
amids. When the story opens, King
Cheops is seated among his sons, and
listening to their tales OF the miracles
said to have been wrought at the
Conf OF his predecessors. Prince
ChepLren. who afterwards built the
second pyramid, related that magl
clan ID the reign Of King Nebka, had
made waxen crocodile, which II
rlacel il the chamber of wife I'M
true to to her husband. would seize
her and her paramCur and deliver
them over to her husband. Another
prince related that King Seufru, the
father of Cheops, feeling oppressed,
and not knowing how to relieve his
heart. took counsel Of a wise man,
who advised him to 60 to the banks
Of the lake near the palace, and Ieta
the maidens Of the Court row up and
down the water. This was done, and
the monarch's heart was relieved. But
all OF q sudden one Of the maldens
began to make lamentations; for she
had dropped jewel into the water,
which was forty feet deep. A magi-
clan was sent for, and reciting an in
cantation. he coaxed the jewel up
nom the bottom of the lake and re-
tarned it TO the maiden. King Cheops
was So struck with wonder at these
stories. that he ordered sacrifices to
be offered to the names Of this sage
and u the magicians, but Prince
Hardalaf informed him that they
were not al dead. and that one Of them
named Dedi. dwelt in the city Of Ded-
snerii. Prince Hardadaf described
him Is being 100 years old, but was
still able to eat daily 500 loayes Of
bread and the quarter Of an OK, and
To drink 100 fagons Of beer. He was
able to re-unite a head to the trunk
from which it mad been decapitated;
70 make lions follow him like dogs:
and lie also knew the place where
would be found certain precious ma
terisils Of the house Of the god Thoth,
which King Cheops was very anxious
to have for building his pyramid. The
king sent Prince Dardadaf to fetch
the sage Dedi. whom he found
stretched upon his bed. Dedi con
scented to accompany him into the
Kings presence, and upon being
asked by his Majesty whether it was
true that he could re-Unite decapit
ated head to the trunk replied in the
affirmative; whereupon the king or
deued a prisoner to be brought out
for experiment. But the sage Dedi,
asked that an animal be supplied him,
andO1ot a man: whereupon a goose
was brought Its head was cut off
4Hiplaced IN the eastern corner Of the
t~s.mber. with the body in the west
ern corner. and Dedi then pronounced
& form Of words. Immediately after
which the body got up and walked,
the head wriggling along the pave
ment until the two met and rejoined,
the goose wadding away Dedi re-
paated the same miracle with a duck
and bull. and the king then ques-
toned him as to the house of 10th.
Dedi said that the materials which
the King wished for We're IN a house
at Hel0Dolis. but that he had no
power to make them over to him, the
only one who could do so being the
eldest Of the three sons whom Red
Dedt should bear. Red Dedt, he ad
6ed. was the wife Of TIE Priest of the
the Sun at Sachebu; and she would
bear three sons to a god, and these
three sons would be all kings, the
eldest being high priest at Heliopolis
When the king heard these words he
was troubled. There is a hiatus in
the papyrus at this point, and with
out being told what course King
ALElta1 LIDS AtltILl4nto u pun We Ci4
rive at the main incidents of the story
namely. the birth of the children of
the sun When Red Dedt felt first
the pangs Of childbirth. the Sun sent
for the goddesses Of Isis, Nepthys,
Meschent and Hekt, as well as to the
god Chuum. and said to them. DE
lAr Red Dedt Of the three children
VI VIII one day be kings in this
lakd= they VIII build your temples,
they VIII feed your affairs, they viii
make your ibatons, and Will enrich
your sanctuaries-n The gods and
goddasses assumed the shape Of NOR
tai women. and went to the house Of
the priest ana offered to deliver his
wife. The priest accepted, and Red
De5t accordingly gave birth to three
boys an eli long. and with lusty arms.
Neschent predicted that they would
all reign. and they We're, il fact, the
three first kings Of the fifth dynasty
Cserkaf, Sahure and kakar The