THE mighty King User-maat-ra (Ra-meses the Great) had a son named Setna Kha-em-uast who was a great scribe, and very learned in all the ancient writings. And he heard that the magic book of Thoth, by which a man may enchant heaven and earth, and know the language of all birds and beasts, was buried in the cemetery of Memphis. And he went to search for it with his brother An-he-hor-eru; and when they found the tomb of the king's son, Na-nefer-ka-ptah, son of the king of Upper
88 SETNA AND THE MAGIC BOOK
and Lower Egypt, Mer-neb-ptah, Setna opened it and went in.
Now in the tomb was Na-nefer-ka-ptah, and with him was the ka of his wife Ahura;
AHURA'S APPEAL.
for though she was buried at Koptos, her ka dwelt at Memphis with her husband, whom she loved. And Setna saw them seated before their offerings, and the book lay
AHURA'S TALE 89