Page:Egyptian Literature (1901).djvu/176

 my funeral, and provide that they shall bury me as a rich priest.’ So Na.nefer.ka.ptah called his lad and told him to give the priest 100 pieces of silver; and he made them do as he wished, even everything that he asked for. Then the priest said to Na.nefer.ka.ptah: ‘This book is in the middle of the river at Koptos, in an iron box; in the iron box is a bronze box; in the bronze box is a sycamore box; in the sycamore box is an ivory and ebony box; in the ivory and ebony box is a silver box; in the silver box is a golden box, and in that is the book. It is twisted all round with snakes and scorpions and all the other crawling things around the box in which the book is; and there is a deathless snake by the box.’ And when the priest told Na.nefer.ka.ptah, he did not know where on earth he was, he was so much delighted.

“And when he came from the temple he told me all that had happened to him. And he said: ‘I shall go to Koptos, for I must fetch this book; I will not stay any longer in the north.’ And I said, ‘Let me dissuade you, for you prepare sorrow and you will bring me into trouble in the Thebaid.’ And I laid my hand on Na.nefer.ka.ptah, to keep him from going to Koptos, but he would not listen to me; and he went to the King, and told the King all that the priest had said. The King asked him, ‘What is it that you want?‘ and he replied, ‘Let them give me the royal boat with its belongings, for I will go to the south with Ahura and her little boy Mer-ab, and fetch this book without delay.’ So they gave him the royal boat with its belongings, and we went with him to the haven, and sailed from there up to Koptos.

“Then the priests of Isis of Koptos, and the high-priest of Isis, came down to us without waiting, to meet Na.nefer.ka.ptah, and their wives also came to me. We went into the temple of Isis and Harpokrates; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah brought an ox, a goose, and some wine, and made a burnt-offering and a drink-offering before Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. They brought us to a very fine house, with all good things; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah spent four days there and feasted with the priests of Isis of Koptos, and the wives of the priests of Isis also made holiday with me.

“And the morning of the fifth day came; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah called a priest to him, and made a magic cabin that was