Post 9

The Story of Isis and Osiris

When Osiris had grown up he married me. Osiris and I became the sole rulers of Egypt and ruled over the earth. while ruling the earth and taking care of my people I discovered the grains; wheat and barley, which grew over the land with the other plants that were undiscovered by man; and Osiris then taught the people how to plant their seeds. He taught them how to tend and water the crops; how to cut the corn when it was ripe, and how to thresh the grain on the threshing floors, dry it and grind it to flour and make it into bread. He also showed them how to plant vines and make the grapes into wine.
 Osiris, then,went on to teach them laws, and how to live peacefully together. As soon as Egypt was filled with peace, my husband set out  to bring his blessings to other nations. While he was away he left me to rule over Egypt.
But Seth, my brother, envied our power and desired to kill Osiris for he was the true ruler of the Earth. I, however, was so wise and watchful that Seth made no attempt to seize the throne while I was watching over the land. But in a strange act, when Osiris returned Seth was among the first to welcome him back.
Seth had already made his plans, and him, along with seventy-two of his wicked friends secretly  gathered the exact measurements of Osiris's body, and created chest that would only fit him.  Seth then, held a feast to honor Osiris. When Osiris was done feasting  the chest was brought in, and all were amazed at its beauty.
"I will give this chest to whosoever fits it most exactly!" cried Seth. Everyone then began in to see if they would fit.
"Let me see if I will fit," said Osiris, and he got into the chest.
It fit him exactly and my husband cried with joy.
"It is yours indeed, and shall be so forever!" hissed Seth and he banged down the lid. Seth and his companions took the chest and through it into the Nile. It went to the Great Green Sea where it was sailed for many days until it came to the shore of Phoenicia. Here the waves cast it into a tamarisk tree that grew on the shore; and the tree's branches  encircled it with leaves and flowers to make a fit resting place for the body of the good god Osiris.
 Meanwhile in Egypt I was terrified. I had  known that Seth was filled with evil and jealousy. But I knew as soon as my husband was dead, and my son and I fled to the delta. I found shelter on a little island, and entrusted my child into the goddess's, that lived there, care.
After that I went to find Osiris's body.     
I wandered back and forth over the land of Egypt , but never found a trace of the chest. I asked everyone I met, but no one had seen it.
Then I asked the children who were playing by the riverside, and  they told me that  a chest had floated past them on a stream and out into the Great Green Sea.
Then I continued walking on the shore, and again it was the children who had seen the chest floating by and told me which way it had gone.
 I then arrived at Byblos and sat down by the seashore. At the time the maidens who tended to Queen Astarte came down to bathe; and when they came out of the water I taught them how to plait their hair. When they returned to the palace a  wonderful perfume seemed to surround them; and Queen Astarte loved it, and at their plaited hair, and asked them how it came to be so.
The maidens told her of the wonderful woman who sat by the seashore, and Queen Astarte sent for me, and asked me to serve in the palace and take care of her child, for she did not know that the strange woman was I: the greatest goddess in all of Egypt. I agreed, and helped the child become healthy and strong. But I became fond of the child, and wanted to make him immortal, which I did by burning away his mortal parts. Astarte, however, was watching me; and when she saw that her baby looked to be on fire she rushed into the room with a loud cry, and broke the magic.
I then took on my normal form, and Astarte crouched down in terror when she saw me and learned who I really was.
Malcander and Astarte offered me many gifts, but I only asked for the great tamarisk pillar which held up the roof (and for what it contained). When they gave it to me,  I opened it and took out the chest. Then I gave it back to Malcander and Astarte.
 I had the chest placed on a ship which then set out for Egypt.
When I got back to Egypt, and hid the chest in the marshes of the delta.
But Seth came hunting that night, and by the moon's light he saw the chest and recognized it.
At the sight of it hatred and anger surrounded him. He tore open the chest, took my husband's body, and ripped it into fourteen pieces which, he then scattered up and down the Nile.
Now, devastated, I had to begin my search once more. This time though, I had helpers, Nephthys (she left my wicked brother Seth and came to join me), and Anubis, the son of my husband and my sister,  both assisted me in my search. When I traveled over the land I was accompanied (and guarded) by seven scorpions.
Slowly, piece by piece, I finally found the pieces of my husband.
Though I found many pieces  I never could recover one of them, for it had been eaten. I, however, did not bury any of the pieces. I gathered the pieces together, rejoined them by magic, and by magic made a likeness of the missing member so that Osiris was complete. Then I hid the body away in a secret place.
 As my son grew older my husband's spirit visited him and taught him all that a great warrior should know.
Encouraged by his father Horus built up an army and declared war on Seth. Ra was helping my son in his struggle but accidentally distracted him and Seth ( transformed in too a flying pig) swooped in for the kill. Seth aimed a blow of fire at Horus's eyes; and Horus shouted with the pain and got incredibly angry. He knew now, that it was Seth; but Seth had gone could not be trapped.
There were many battles in the war, but the last and greatest was at Edfu. The forces of Seth and Horus drew near to one another among the islands and the rapids of the Nile. Seth, in the form of a huge red hippo, jumped up on the island and uttered a great curse against Horus and against I. This curse caused a great flood. Though their was a terrible storm looming over Horus he held on his way, his own boat shining through the darkness.
Opposite Edfu, Seth turned and stood at bay, straddling the whole stream of the Nile. But Horus transformed himself into a handsome young man. He held a harpoon thirty feet long with a blade six feet wide at its point of greatest width.
Seth opened his mighty jaws to destroy Horus, but Horus cast his harpoon, and it struck into Seth's head. And that one blow Seth the great wicked one, sank beneath the Nile at Edfu; dead. The storm passed away, the flood sank and the sky was clear and blue once more.
But when Horus passed from earth, he appeared before the assembly of the gods, with Seth who came in spirit, and contended for the rule of the world. But not even Thoth could give judgment. And so  Horus and Seth still contend for the power to rule the world.
There were no more battles on the Nile or in the land of Egypt; and my husband rested in his grave, And I lived on the island of Philae, the most sacred place of all, in the Nile.