Hekayat

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

And in the parchment I have found…VII

Scene VII

The council of the gods was in session as (X) pleaded his case of how Malice stole his bull, along with a detailed description of the bull, and then concluding that only the council of the gods that his case would find justice.

The gods then spoke “… but there is no bull of the size that you speak of for we have seen it not, You must be mistaken”. (X)’s turn came to speak once again saying “and is there a dagger in the size you spoke of, with a blade that is as high as the mountains of Ebel with a handle that is as thick as the trunk of a kaft tree, priced with a god’s burial ground… for that is the blade which for you judged between Malice and his elder brother Truth once before.” (X) paused as the gods whom in a startled manner looked at each other “Now once again, I ask you to do justice by judging between Truth and Malice, for I am Truth’s son, and I come to avenge him and bring back his legacy and glory to that of its formal days” (X) demanded of the council.

Malice then swore in the name of the lord “by the life of Amon, by the life of the Prince, that if Truth is alive that he would accept whatever judgment the council would announce as verdict and that the light of my eyes would fade and that I may become guardian at the gates of Truth’s house.”

(X) then swore in his turn “by the life of Amon, by the life of the Prince, that Truth is alive and that punishment may befall Malice and that he may be whipped a 1000 lashes and to bear five deadly wounds…”

From here the papyrus paper is somehow cut and shows signs of being burned along with the remaining of the story. Amazed I was at this story and so lost in its heliographic that I forgot about my Turkish cup of coffee that I had started sipping upon when I first got this papyrus out of the parchment.

I put the piece down on table, wondering who might the Prince be that whom they swore in almost equal to Amon the sun god and mightiest of the Egyptian gods.

I reach back in the bundle of the papyruses and take out a new leaflet and it reads…

To be continued…

And in the parchment I have found… VI

Scene VI

Nut (goddess of the sky) swallowed the sun disc giving a clear night sky lightened by millions of stars. (X) looked up at the stars and whispered to the night breeze that he shall have his father avenged if it was the last thing he would do in this life. After a long journey in the darkness of the after life the sun rose once again on the tenth day that marked his return to the Shepard in the grassy fields beyond the city walls.

“Where is my bull?” (X) asked the Shepard “I don’t see him amongst those who graze” the lad answered “My master came for it and told me to let you choose any of his in return for that which he has taken”. Anger came upon (X) and asked the Shepard for the staff which he used on the Shepard to force the Shepard to take him to Malice.

Arriving at Malice’s court of lies and deceit (X) asked the master of the court “your Shepard tells me that you have eaten my bull, is that true?”
“YES” was Malice’s strong answer aiming at throwing fear in the man’s heart. (X) then let go of the Shepard and drew his sword and easily overcame the guard’s futile effort to keep him from Malice, yet it was shortly that the blade now rested on Malice’s throat who laid on the ground at the foot of his throne and with (X) on top of him.

AWE stroke were the minions of Malice as their master was just about to be slew by a man that they know nothing of. Malice then spoke with a broken voice that showed only fear and humility “I wished not to rob you of your animal and I told the Shepard to give you all the animals that you wish for in return for your bull”. (X) then replied “YES, your servant has told me of your deeds and orders; Yet answer me this; why is it that none of your pathetic herds can not make up for my bull?” Malice’s broken voice spoke once again “Take the entire herds if you wish”. (X)’s answer was firm “Not even your entire herds would make up for my bull for it is larger than any bull that ever was or will be, if my bull was to stand in Balmon (a town central north of ancient delta of Egypt) it’s tail would twirl and touch the papyrus stems of the Memphis’s eastern marches (modern day Giza), its horns would take up all the country between the eastern and western mountains, while it’s male organs would be rest on the bed of the great river, every day would come with sixty of his off-springs.” With a shattered voice Malice answered “… but there is no bull of that size”. “A lair you call me even though I stand here with an eager blade to cut through your throat, Yet let us seek justice in the council of the gods and let them be our judges for their council sees and knows all” Malice was quick to agree for he was relieved to come from beneath (X) sword alive.

And thus (X) had forced Malice to stand once again before the council of the nine mighty gods…

And in the parchment I have found…V

Scene V

The silence was one day broken, when (X) went to his father brought him a chair raised his feet on a foot stole, gave him some bread and brought him wine, he asked him to eat. Truth then looked to his child although he couldn’t see him yet he knew him and how he looked like, his eyes ran with warm tears.

(X) asked his father “What blinded you?” Truth tried to smile and said “It was my little brother Malice who blinded me” his words continued to tell him everything of who he was, how things came to be what they are today, and of a legacy that Truth once had and now his son must uphold in front of the gods.

(X) was determined to take avenge his father and claim the legacy that is rightfully his. The sun rose in the east to shine on (X) as he walked down the path out of the city. For luggage he carried ten loaves of bread, his sword, a staff and as a companion he pulled behind him one of the family’s prides, a strong and graceful yellow bull, almost of golden fur the bull was, long horned and with wide shinning eyes.

It was almost midday when (X) reached the meadows where it was known that Malice (Truth’s younger brother) kept his herds and where his cattle graze. Walking over to the Shepard (X) asked him to keep his bull and watch over it as he went to the city to deal in business where the bull would greatly interfere. As a price he gave him the ten loaves that he carried as he would be gone for ten days. (X) also handed him the staff to use in watching over the beautiful bull. (X) then walked away only to fade into the city beyond the meadows.

A week had passed on (X) part with his bull when Malice came to the grassy fields where his cattle were. He saw (X)’s bull and called upon his Shepard to get him that bull so that he may slaughter it and feast upon it. The Shepard reluctantly replied “… but master this bull is not mine and I can not give it to you, it belongs to a young man who would soon be back for it…” Malice’s voice then roared at his servant demanding the beast and that he may give any of the other cattle to the man who would come to claim the bull. Malice’s teeth sank deep into the bull’s flesh it was as if poison had run through the bull, in shock and wide open eyes the bull fell to it’s side as Malice ate of it.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

And in the parchment I have found… IV

Scene IV

The heliographic read “The birth of the child came in a stillness night, marked only by the shooting stars that flashed through the night sky.” A nameless boy, for the boy’s name like his mother’s was stroke out, I would be referring to his name as (X). I continued reading “Days upon days came on to the child’s life he grew into a wonderful lad. Reaching an age of schooling he was sent to study how to read and write as well as the various sports and arts of war, all are fields which he excelled in over his peers. His mentors would describe him with strength & beauty that could only be compared to a young god with a flaming brilliance.

As the boy that he was, (X) came one day crying to his mother, pleading with her to tell him of his father for in school he was mocked for he was with out father. That evening (??) called upon (X), she pointed her finger to the old man who sits at their gate and told (X) ‘Do you see that blind man? That is your father’. Angered the boy was at his mother’s answer, shocked he was at the figure of his father. (X) left his mother whilst shouting at her ‘Then you should have gathered your family and were judged by an alligator’.
So, was the ancient Egyptian belief in the alligator to be a god of vengeance of wrong doers. I thought to myself.

Silence came between the lad and his mother for a long time.