if this chapter be known by [the deceased] he shall come forth by day, he shall rise up to walk upon the earth among the living, and he shall never fail and come to an end, never, never, never.
Beating Back The Crocodile
[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bll. 16 and 17.]
The Chapter of beating back the Crocodile that cometh to carry away the magical words from the Khu in the underworld. Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, saith:
“The Mighty One fell down upon the place where he is, or (as others say), upon his belly, but the company of the gods caught him and set him up again. [My] soul cometh and it speaketh with its father, and the Mighty One delivereth it from these eight[31] crocodiles. I know them by their names and [what] they live upon, and I am he who hath delivered his father from them.”
“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the West, thou that livest upon the stars which never rest, for that which is an abomination unto thee is in my belly, O thou that hast eaten the forehead of Osiris. I am Set.”
“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the West, for the serpent-fiend Nāau is in my belly, and I will give him unto thee; let not thy flame be against me.”
“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the East, who feedest upon those who eat their own filth, for that which is an abomination unto thee is in my belly; I advance, I am Osiris.”
“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the East, the serpent-fiend Nāau is in my belly, and I will give [him] unto thee; let not thy flame be against me.”