DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6442#0013
( io )
translation of the whole story is that given in
Prof. Petrie's Egyptian Tales (1st Series), p.
97. The Story of the Peasant has only been
partially translated, and some account of it
may be found in the same volume of Egyptian
Tales, p. 61. It may be of interest to give here
an outline of the two stories, the beginnings of
which are preserved in the Amherst fragments.
The Tale of Sanehat tells of an Egyptian's
wanderings in neighbouring lands about 2500
years before the Christian era. The Prince i
Usertsen, returning to Egypt from an expedi-
tion against the Libyans, is met on the road
by a messenger with the news of the death
of his father, the kino- Amenemhat I. The
message is overheard by Sanehat, an officer
of high position at the Egyptian court, and
he is straightway driven involuntarily to
take to flight. He deserts the army and
travelling southwards arrives at a town called
Negaii: then, journeying in a north-easterly
direction, he arrives at the frontier, which he
crosses at nightfall. Overcome by hunger,
thirst and fatigue, he is given food by a
friendly Bedavvi, who introduces him to his
camp. He wanders on till he reaches Kedem,
where he spends '' half a year ; " but the prince
of a neighbouring land invites Sanehat to
settle in his dominions. He accepts ; soon gains
honours and fortune and marries the prince's
daughter. Sanehat, however, still retains the
Egyptian's love of the land of his birth, and
when advanced in years obtains permission
from Usertsen, the king then reigning, to
return to Egypt. He returns and is received
at the Pharaoh's court with honour and pre-
sented to the queen. Sanehat concludes his j
life in great prosperity and is, moreover,
granted the supreme blessing of a splendid
sepulchre.
The Story or the Peasant, recounting a
quarrel between a countryman and a towns-
man, is said to have been enacted at or near
Henenseten or Herakleopolis, the modern !
Almas. The period must have been the IXth
or Xth dynasty, when Henenseten was the seat
of government. A peasant coming to market
from a remote part of the country is robbed of
his asses and goods by an artisan or towns-
man. He complains of the injustice done him
before the Chief Steward Merui-tensa, and
shows such courage and perseverance in his
complaints that he charms the Litter. The
Chief Steward, indeed, is so delighted with the
originality of his pleading, that, with the assent
of the monarch under whom he serves, he
prolongs the peasant's affair in order thus to
prompt him to further discourse. In the end
the peasant wins his case, his goods are given
back to him together with those of the towns-
man, which the king has confiscated. The
tale is very Egyjitian in character and is most
realistically and simply told.
II.
The Vth papyrus of the Collection refers to a
great harem conspiracy against the life of
Ramses III, of which two other documents, one
in Turin and one in Paris, give us information.
It appears that certain persons belonging to
the royal household had conspired against the
king and planned an open rebellion. As in
similar cases at the present day, the harem
formed the centre of the conspiracy. One of
the oldest inmates Ti, had a son named
Pentaur, and she with another lady of the
harem conspired together with the object of
placing him upon the throne. Many of the
officials of the women's apartments appear
also to have been inculpated in the con-
spiracy. Among them was the Chief Steward
Pai-bak-kamen, a man of great importance
to the consjfirators in the harem, for
through him they were enabled to correspond
with the outside world. " He carried their
words," runs the account, :< to their mothers
translation of the whole story is that given in
Prof. Petrie's Egyptian Tales (1st Series), p.
97. The Story of the Peasant has only been
partially translated, and some account of it
may be found in the same volume of Egyptian
Tales, p. 61. It may be of interest to give here
an outline of the two stories, the beginnings of
which are preserved in the Amherst fragments.
The Tale of Sanehat tells of an Egyptian's
wanderings in neighbouring lands about 2500
years before the Christian era. The Prince i
Usertsen, returning to Egypt from an expedi-
tion against the Libyans, is met on the road
by a messenger with the news of the death
of his father, the kino- Amenemhat I. The
message is overheard by Sanehat, an officer
of high position at the Egyptian court, and
he is straightway driven involuntarily to
take to flight. He deserts the army and
travelling southwards arrives at a town called
Negaii: then, journeying in a north-easterly
direction, he arrives at the frontier, which he
crosses at nightfall. Overcome by hunger,
thirst and fatigue, he is given food by a
friendly Bedavvi, who introduces him to his
camp. He wanders on till he reaches Kedem,
where he spends '' half a year ; " but the prince
of a neighbouring land invites Sanehat to
settle in his dominions. He accepts ; soon gains
honours and fortune and marries the prince's
daughter. Sanehat, however, still retains the
Egyptian's love of the land of his birth, and
when advanced in years obtains permission
from Usertsen, the king then reigning, to
return to Egypt. He returns and is received
at the Pharaoh's court with honour and pre-
sented to the queen. Sanehat concludes his j
life in great prosperity and is, moreover,
granted the supreme blessing of a splendid
sepulchre.
The Story or the Peasant, recounting a
quarrel between a countryman and a towns-
man, is said to have been enacted at or near
Henenseten or Herakleopolis, the modern !
Almas. The period must have been the IXth
or Xth dynasty, when Henenseten was the seat
of government. A peasant coming to market
from a remote part of the country is robbed of
his asses and goods by an artisan or towns-
man. He complains of the injustice done him
before the Chief Steward Merui-tensa, and
shows such courage and perseverance in his
complaints that he charms the Litter. The
Chief Steward, indeed, is so delighted with the
originality of his pleading, that, with the assent
of the monarch under whom he serves, he
prolongs the peasant's affair in order thus to
prompt him to further discourse. In the end
the peasant wins his case, his goods are given
back to him together with those of the towns-
man, which the king has confiscated. The
tale is very Egyjitian in character and is most
realistically and simply told.
II.
The Vth papyrus of the Collection refers to a
great harem conspiracy against the life of
Ramses III, of which two other documents, one
in Turin and one in Paris, give us information.
It appears that certain persons belonging to
the royal household had conspired against the
king and planned an open rebellion. As in
similar cases at the present day, the harem
formed the centre of the conspiracy. One of
the oldest inmates Ti, had a son named
Pentaur, and she with another lady of the
harem conspired together with the object of
placing him upon the throne. Many of the
officials of the women's apartments appear
also to have been inculpated in the con-
spiracy. Among them was the Chief Steward
Pai-bak-kamen, a man of great importance
to the consjfirators in the harem, for
through him they were enabled to correspond
with the outside world. " He carried their
words," runs the account, :< to their mothers