When
Pharaoh Amen-em-het ruled Egypt in about the year 2000 BC he brought
peace and prosperity to a country that had been torn by civil war and
rebellion for nearly two hundred years. During his reign adventurers
and traders went on many expeditions to the south—either up the Nile
through Nubia and even as far as Ethiopia, or along the Red Sea and
out into the Indian Ocean to the mysterious land of Punt, whence they
brought back jewels and spices and other treasures.
The
Royal Court, whether it was in residence at Thebes or Memphis, was
thronged with ships' captains and the leaders of expeditions, each
with a tale to tell—and each anxious to win a commission from
Pharaoh to command some royal venture on the strength of his past
achievements.
One day
such a wanderer stopped the Grand Vizier in the palace courtyard at
Thebes, and said to him, "My lord, harken to me a while. I come
with costly gifts for Pharaoh, nor shall his counselors such as
yourself be forgotten. Listen, and I will tell you of such adventures
as have not been told: Pharaoh himself—life, health, strength be to
him!—will reward you for bringing to his presence a man with such
adventures to tell. I have been to a magic island in the sea far to
the south—far beyond Nubia, to the south even of Ethiopia. I beg of
you to tell Pharaoh that I am here and would tell my tale to
him."
The
Grand Vizier was accustomed to such appeals, and he looked doubtfully
at the wanderer and said, "It seems to me that you speak
foolishly and have only vain things to tell. Many men such as you
think that a tall story will win them a commission from Pharaoh—but
when they tell their tale they condemn themselves out of their own
mouths. If what you have to tell is one of these, be sure that I shall
have you thrown out of the palace. But if it is of sufficient
interest, I may bring you before Pharaoh. Therefore speak on at your
own risk, or else remain silent and trouble me no more."
"I
have such a tale to tell," answered the wanderer, 'that I will
risk your anger with an easy mind. When you have heard it, you will
beg me to come before Pharaoh and tell it to him—even to the good
god Pharaoh Amen-em-het who rules the world. Listen, then:
"I
was on my way to the mines of Pharaoh in a great ship rowed by a
hundred and fifty sailors who had seen heaven and earth and whose
hearts were stronger than lions. We rowed and sailed for many days
down the Red Sea and out into the ocean beyond.
"The
captain and the steersman swore that they knew the signs of the
weather and that the wind would not be strong but would waft us gently
on our way. Nevertheless before long a tempest arose suddenly and
drove us towards the land. As we drew near the shore the waves were
eight cubits in height and they broke over the ship and dashed it upon
the rocks. I seized a piece of wood and flung myself into the sea just
as the ship ran aground: a moment later it was smashed to pieces and
every man perished.
"But
a great wave raised the board to which I clung high over the sharp
rocks and cast me far up the shore, on level sand, and I was able to
crawl into the shelter of the trees out of reach of the cruel, angry
sea.
"When
day dawned the tempest passed away and the warm sun shone out. I rose
up to see where I was, giving thanks to the gods for my delivery when
all the rest had perished. I was on an island with no other human
being to be a companion to me. But such an island as no man has seen!
The broad leaves of the thicket where I lay formed a roof over my head
to shield me from the burning midday sun. When I grew hungry and
looked about for food, I found all ready for me within easy reach:
figs and grapes, all manner of good herbs, berries and grain, melons
of all kinds, fishes and birds for the taking.
"At
first I satisfied my hunger on the fruits around me. And on the third
day I dug a pit and kindled a fire in it on which I made first of all
a burnt offering to the gods, and then cooked meat and fish for
myself.
"As
I sat there comfortably after an excellent meal I suddenly heard a
noise like thunder. Nearly beside myself with terror, I flung myself
on the ground, thinking that it was some great tidal wave come to
engulf the island: for the trees were lashing as if at the breath of
the tempest and the earth shook beneath me.
"But
no wave came, and at last I cautiously raised my head and looked about
me. Never shall I forget the horror of that moment. Moving towards me
I saw a serpent thirty cubits long with a beard of more than two
cubits. Its body was covered with golden scales and the scales round
its eyes shaded off into blue as pure as lapis lazuli.
"The
serpent coiled up its whole length in front of where I lay with my
face on the ground, reared its head high above me, and said: 'What has
brought you, what has brought you here, little one? Say, what has
brought you to my island? If you do not tell me at once I will show
you what it is to be burnt with fire, what is it to be burnt utterly
to nothing and become a thing invisible. Speak quickly, I am waiting
to hear what I have not heard before, some new thing!'
"Then
the serpent took me in his huge jaws and carried me away to his cave,
and put me down there without hurting me. Yes, though he had held me
in his sharp teeth he had not bitten me at all; I was still whole.
"Then
he said again, 'What has, brought you, what has brought you here,
little one? Say what has brought you to this island in the midst of
the sea with the waves breaking on all sides of it?'
"At
this I managed to speak, crouching before him and bowing my face to
the ground as if before Pharaoh himself.
"
'I sailed by command of Amen-em-het, Pharaoh of Egypt, in a great ship
one hundred and fifty cubits in length to bring treasure from the
mines of the south. But a great tempest broke upon us and dashed the
ship upon the rocks so that all who sailed in her perished except for
myself. As for me, I seized a piece of wood and was lifted on it over
the rocks and cast upon this island by a mighty wave, and I have been
here for three days. So behold me, your suppliant, brought hither by a
wave of the sea.'
"Then
the serpent said to me, 'Fear not, fear not, little one, nor let your
face show sadness. Since you have come to my island in this way, when
all your companions perished, it is because some god has preserved and
sent you. For surely Amon-Re has set you thus upon this island of the
blessed where nothing is lacking, which is filled with all good
things. And now I will tell you of the future: here in this isle shall
you remain while one month adds itself to another until four months
have passed. Then a ship shall come, a ship of Egypt, and it shall
carry you home in safety, and at length you shall die in your own city
and be laid to rest in the tomb which you have prepared.
"
'And now I will tell you of this island. For it is pleasant to hear
strange things after fear has been taken away from you—and you will
indeed have a tale to tell when you return home and kneel before
Pharaoh, your lord and master. Know then that I dwell here with my
brethren and my children about me; we are seventy-five serpents in
all, children and kindred. And but one stranger has ever come amongst
us: a lovely girl who appeared strangely and on whom the fire of
heaven fell and who was turned into ashes. As for you, I do not think
that heaven holds any thunderbolts for one who has lived through such
dangers. It is revealed to me that, if you dwell here in patience, you
shall return in the fullness of time and hold your wife and children
in your arms once more.'
"Then
I bowed before him, thanking him for his words of comfort, and said,
'All that I have told you is true, and if what you have said to me
happens indeed, I shall come before Pharaoh and tell him about you,
and speak to him of your greatness. And I will bring as offerings to
you sacred oils and perfumes, and such incense as is offered to the
gods in their temples. Moreover I shall tell him of all the wonders of
this isle, and I shall sacrifice asses to you, and Pharaoh shall send
out a ship filled with the riches of Egypt as presents to your
majesty.'
"
'The king serpent laughed at my words, saying, 'Truly you are not rich
in perfumes—for here in this island I have more than in all the land
of Punt. Only the sacred oil which you promise me is scarce here—yet
you will never bring it, for when you are gone this island will vanish
away and you shall never more see it. Yet doubtless the gods will
reveal it in time to come to some other wanderer.'
"So
I dwelt happily in that enchanted island, and the four months seemed
all too short. When they drew to a close I saw a ship sailing over the
smooth sea towards me, and I climbed into a high tree to see better
what manner of men sailed in it.
"And
when I perceived that they were men of Egypt, I hastened to the home
of the serpent king and told him. But he knew already more than I did
myself, and said to me, 'Farewell, brave wanderer. Return in safety to
your home and may my blessing go with you.'
"Then
I bowed before him and thanked him, and he gave me gifts of precious
perfumes—of cassia and sweet woods, of kohl and cypress, of incense,
of ivory and of other precious things. And when I had set these upon
the ship and the sailors would have landed, the island seemed to move
away from them, floating on the sea. Then night fell suddenly, and
when the moon shone out there was no island in sight but only the open
waves.
"So
we sailed north and in the second month we came to Egypt, and I have
made haste to cross the desert from the sea to Thebes. Therefore, I
pray you, lead me before Pharaoh, for I long to tell him of my
adventures and lay at his feet the gifts of the King of the Serpents,
and beg that he will make me commander of a royal ship to sail once
more into the ocean that washes the shores of Punt."
When
the wanderer's tale was ended, the Grand Vizier laughed heartily,
crying, "Whether or not I believe your adventures, you have told
a tale such as delights the heart of Pharaoh—life, health, strength
be to him! Therefore come with me at once, and be sure of a rich
reward: to you who tell the tale, and to me who brings before him the
teller of the tale."
So the
wanderer passed into the presence of the good god Pharaoh Amen-em-het,
and Pharaoh delighted in the story of the shipwrecked sailor so much
that his chief scribe Ameni-amen-aa was set to write it down upon a
roll of papyrus where it may be read to this very day.
