Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/49

 which point to the wisdom and civilisation of the people. Yet wilt thou not marvel when once thou seest the works raised by Egyptian  patience and skill in the desert—the mighty Pyramids, and the calm,  smiling Sphinx, who has gazed out over the wide sands for ages, with  the secret of her makers locked in her stone lips.”

“Tell me about them,” said Harry.

“It is difficult to know where to commence, for there is so much to tell. Thou knowest the two chief gods of the Egyptians?”

“No,”’ answered Harry.

“Thou hast not heard of Isis, the goddess with horns of a cow, wife of Osiris, who shared with Ra, the sun-god, chief place among the gods  of Egypt; nor of Seth, with whom Osiris perpetually strives? Osiris thou mayest consider the good, Seth the evil in the world. Nor of Horus, son of Osiris and Isis, also a sun-god? Nor of Apis, the sacred bull, the emblem of Osiris? Nor of Serapis, the dead bull? Thou wilt hear and see much of them when thou visitest the country. The Egyptians paid much heed to the ceremonies of religion, and sacrificed  to their gods—animal and vegetable sacrifices—and they burned much  incense. I cannot tell thee of all their festivals and customs, but of some I will speak. One did I witness which pleased me much—the Feast of Lamps, in honour of Isis. There is one night when all the dwellers in Sdro burn lights around their houses—floating wicks in saucers  of salt and oil—while all through Egypt every man burns a lamp.”

“How pretty it must have looked,” said Harry. “Something like the Earl’s Court Exhibition at night.”

Herodotus looked slightly puzzled, but went on—

“But other festivals were less pleasant. In one priests and worshippers engaged in combat with wooden clubs, and oftentimes grievous hurt was caused, though I was assured that none was killed.”

“What on earth did they do that for?”’ asked Harry, sitting up excitedly at the mention of a fight.

“It was a custom to oppose the entrance of the image of the god into the temple at the close of the day. It was also a custom at festivals of Osiris for men and women to beat themselves and even cut their  faces with knives.”

“How very unpleasant!” said Harry.

“The explanation of the fight,” said Herodotus, “is said to be that the god Mars, who had been brought up in the temple, wanted to  visit his mother, but her attendants, never having seen him, refused