The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-31
Some Egyptian Folk Legends
Of Tho First Caniuy.
THE ORIGINAL NOW IN LONDON.
Valuable Manuscript Of Earliest Christian
Ags Has Been Translated and Published
At 0yfsTd University

In the year 1895 the trustees OF the Brit
ish Museum, London. purchased fine
papyrus roll written on both sides, the
diverse bearing a series OF revenue re-
turns, da ted In the '7' year OF the En-
peror Claudius, Is. C.. 46-47. and the re-
verse a series or magic tales written in
Demotic.
The latter, with fine fac simle. have
been published by the Clarendon Press,
oxford. accompanied with a translation
and commentary from the pen OF Mr.. r.
L.. Griffith. the Egyptolosist.
The stories are part OF "a series which
center In hero named Khamuss, high
priest OF Memphis, the historical original
being the Prince Regent, Khs- -muas, the
son OF Rameses IT.
The writer OF these stories has collect
ed a great quantity OF folk legends, which
were current In Egypt at the time when
this manuscript was written. about A. -.
1880 and the papyrus may certainly be
described as one OF the richest collections
OF first century tales ever discovered.
The stories relate TO Khamuas under
the name of Setme, derived from his title
OF Sem, priest of Memphis. and HIS son
S-Osiris. The story Of the birth OF this
youth IL given.
lie is the miraculous child of his moth
er. and his name Is revealed TO his father
I'm "A dream. His name shall be Si-Osiris
(son OF Osiris). for he shall do many mar
vels In Egypt
LIKE STORY OF CHRIST.
We are told that he grew big. he srew
strong. and went 10 school, and that
he rivaled the scribe who taught him.
1. a lei sl..
the House OF Life (the library OF Mem
phls), in the Temple of Ptah, and ''ali
the land wondered at him."
The resemblance between this extract
and the story OF the birth of Christ is
most astonishing. and IL is stll more so
when We read again. Behold the boy
Si-osiris reached u years of age, and
there was no scribe In Memphis that
could equal him I'm reading or writing
magic"
II in these passages we have an adapta-
tion Of the story OF the birth OF Christ,
AS told by the disciples: IL is certainly
the earliest record known, being less than
20 years after the Introduction of Christi
ianity into Egypt by St. Mark CA. ID. s0.
The wonder-working youth takes his
father To the regions OF Amenu.C 80 Hades.
and the cycles of the land of death are
says: II would cast my spell upon Egypt,
and / will ca use the people of Egypt TO
pass three days and three nights without
seeing light"--words which certainly re-
semble those OF the plague Of darkness.
lex. X, H
are not exhausted. for here we have also
the story OF Moses and the bulrushes, for
one ma gicisn rebukes the other with the
words, Art thou not the son OF the Ne
gress whom 1 saved I'm the reeds of RAJ"
One OF the magicians, who is in prison,
described. Here we have mass OF valua-
BILE legendary matter derived from Egypt
ian. Christian and Jewish sources.
The Judgment scene differs much from
that described I'm the 125th chapter OF the
Book of the Dead, and there is woven i'm
to this portion curious story very like
that of the parable OF THE Rich Man and
Lazarus"
The doctrine OF future punishment not
found I'm the Egyptian rituals. is clearly
stated In the words. 'he that is good up
or earth they are good To him I'm Amenti
he that IL evil upon earth they are evil
tn him."
The latter part OF the papyrus contains
the account OF the magic contest between
si-Osiris and the magicians Of Ethiopia
resembling the traditional contest be-
tween Msses and James and Jambres.
EcHoES OF EGYrTs PLAGUE.
Here we have two curious echoes of The
plaques Of Egypt. The magician said TO
his mother. the negress. as a sign, when
thou shalt eat and drink thy water shall
be the color of blood. and the floods shall
turn TO the color OF blood. and the heav-
EN- shall be the color of blood"
Here we have certainly the echo OF the
first plague. (Ex., vii. 49, So also i'm an
other passage is the plague of darkness
preserved.
The manuscript contains many more
valuable gleanings from the traditions
current In Egypt In the first century OF
our era, "a period when Alexandria was
the emporium OF the literary wares OF all
the known world.
This valuable papyrus is but an earnest
of what We may expect as the rubbish
heaps OF the Fayoum and Lower Egypt
are explored.