Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/552

472 thought; it occurs persistently in the texts; spells to conjure the reptiles make up the greater part of Egyptian magic formulæ; in the descriptions of the hereafter, it occurs constantly. Manifestly, in ancient times the animals were even more common than to-day, and therefore so dangerous that popular fancy was continually engaged by them.

The god Shu and his sister Tefnut play a considerable part in the Egyptian texts. In the dynasty of the gods at Memphis, they stand after Ptah and Ra; in that of Thebes, after Amon-Ea and Turn. They are pictured sometimes in the form of two lions, or a double lion, and in later times represent the sign of Gemini. They are spoken of especially at Heliopolis. Together with Turn, they form his great lords ("Book of the Dead," 18, 4); with Ra, his spirits (Ib. 115, 7). They carried fresh breath to the dead, particularly the breath of the north wind. Mythologically they are generally looked upon as solar deities. In the myth of the destruction of the human race, for instance, Ra when abdicating government makes Shu the new sun for mankind (Wiedemann, "Rel. d. Alt. Aeg.," p. 36). The god is therefore often shown with the sun-disk on his head. His form of incorporation, the lion, also shows his connection with the great light of day. The "Book of the Dead" mentions his creative activity: he raised the sun (17, 50), the pillars of heaven (109, 3), etc. In worship, Shu and Tefnut possess but little importance; they always appear in second or third place after the local deities, who are superior in influence.

For shadow, which is a part of the soul of the Egyptian, see the data collected by Birch, ''Transact. Soc. Bibl. Arch''. 8, p. 386 a. f. For the parts of the soul in general, see