The final section of the Westcar Papyrus continues where the story of Khufu and Djedi, the magician ends, telling of the birth of the first three pharaohs of the fifth dynasty, Userkaf, Sahure and Neferirkara Kakai, to Reddjedet wife of the Priest of Ra.
“It was a day when Reddjedet was suffering as her labor was difficult. Then Ra (Re) said to Isis, Nephthys, Meskhenet, Heqet and Khnum: “You may go and deliver Reddjedet of the three children that are in her womb who will become the kings of this whole land for they will build your temples, provision your altars, make your libation vessels abundant and increase your divine offerings.” Then the goddesses changed their appearance into that of musicians, Khnum disguised himself as their servant, and they traveled to the house of Rewosre. He said to them “My ladies, look, there is a woman who is suffering for her labor is difficult” and they said “let us see her for we are knowledgeable about childbirth” and he asked them to come in.
They entered the room of Reddjedet and locked themselves in with her. Isis placed herself before her, Nephthys was behind her, and Heqet was hastening the birth. Isis said “may you not be powerful in her womb in this name of yours Userkaf” and this baby rushed into her arms, a child of one cubit. His bones were strong and his limbs destined to be of gold and his head cloth of real lapis lazuli. And they washed him after his umbilical cord had been cut and they placed him on a couch of brick. Then Meskhenet approached him and said “your are a king who will perform kinship in this entire land” and Khnum made his body healthy.
Then Isis placed herself before her, Nephthys was behind her, and Heqet was hastening the birth. Isis said “may you not kick in her womb in this name of yours Sahure” and this baby rushed into her arms, a child of one cubit. His bones were strong and his limbs destined to be of gold and his head cloth of real lapis lazuli. And they washed him after his umbilical cord had been cut and they placed him on a couch of brick. Then Meskhenet approached him and said “you are a king who will perform kinship in this entire land” and Khnum made his body healthy.
Isis placed herself before her, Nephthys was behind her and Heqet was hastening the birth. Isis said “may you not stay dark in her womb in this name of yours Neferirkara Kakai” and this baby rushed into her arms, a child of one cubit. His bones were strong and his limbs destined to be of gold and his head cloth of real lapis lazuli. And they washed him after his umbilical cord had been cut and placed him on a couch of brick. Meskhenet approached him and said “you are a king who will perform kinship in this entire land” and Khnum made his body healthy.
These gods then went out after having delivered Reddjedet of the three children and they said “Rejoice Rewosre, for three children have been born to you.”
He said to them “My ladies what can I do for you? Please give this barley to your bearer and accept it as a gift.” Then Khnum loaded himself with the barley and they proceeded to where they had come from. Isis then said to the goddesses “What is it that we have come for if not to perform a wonder for these children that we may report to their father who let us come.” Then they created three golden crowns and they put them in the barley. They made the sky turn into storm and rain and returned to the house. Isis said, “Please put the barley here in a sealed room until we return from making music in the north” and the barley was placed in a sealed room.
Reddjedet endured a purification of fourteen days and became pure. Then she said to her maid “Has the house been prepared? ” and the maid replied “the house has been prepared with every good thing except the jars which have not been brought.” Reddjedet said “Why have the jars not been brought?” and the maid said “there is nothing to fill them here except the barley of the musicians which is in a room under their seal.” Then Reddjedet said “go down and fetch it from there and Rewosre will give them compensation for it when he returns.”
The maid went and opened the room and she heard singing, music, dancing, cheering and everything that is done for a king in the room. She went and told of everything that she had heard to Reddjedet and she went to the place but couldn’t find where it was coming from. Then she put her ear to the sack and found it was being done in it. Then she put the sack in a box which was put in another chest bound with leather. She put it in a room with her belongings and locked it up.
Rewosre returned, coming from the land, and she told him what had happened and he was very happy. Then they sat down for a day of celebration.
Now when some days had passed after this Reddjedet had a quarrel with the maid and had her punished with a beating. Then the maid said to the people in the household “why is this done to me? I will go and tell this to his majesty King of Upper and Lower Egypt Khufu, justified,” and she went and found her uncle. He said to her “Where are you making off to little girl” and she recounted the matter to him and her uncle said to her “and what is to be done? Is what you do to come to me so that I may join in the betrayal?” He took a bundle of flax and delivered a nasty blow to her.
Then the maid went to get a cup of water for herself and was snatched by a crocodile. Her uncle went to tell this to Reddjedet and found her sitting in grief and her mood was very bad and he said to her “my lady why are you in this mood?” and she said “it is the girl who has grown up in this house. Look she has gone saying “I will go and betray”” and then he bent his head down and said “My lady, in fact she came to me asking if I might go with her and I delivered a nasty blow to her. Then she went to draw some water for herself and a crocodile snatched her.”
This is the point where the Westcar Papyrus breaks off so we do not get to hear what happens next. Scholars believe that this story is an ancient example of propaganda, written to legitimize the three boys who will grow up to become rulers of Egypt, ending Khufu’s line, and the 5th Dynasty will continue the glory of Egypt.
One would hope that the story ends with the Pharaoh Khufu giving his blessing to the three children and so preserving Ma’at.
Bibliography
- Lichtheim, M (1975) Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I
- Nederhof, Marc Jan (2008) St Andrews University
- Mackenzie, D (1907) Egyptian Myth and Legend
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