AHURA'S TALE 107
royal boat—from his rank of high scribe—he lifted him up. And they saw the book by him; and the king said, 'Let one hide this book that is with him.' And the officers of the king, the priests of Ptah, and the high priest of Ptah, said to the king, 'Our Lord, may the king live as long as the sun! Na-nefer-ka-ptah was a good scribe, and a very skilful man.' And the king had him laid in his Good House to the sixteenth day, and then had him wrapped to the thirty-fifth day, and laid him out to the seventieth day, and then had him put in his grave in his resting-place.
"I have now told you the sorrow which has come upon us because of this book for which you ask, saying, 'Let it be given to me.' You have no claim to it; and, indeed, for the sake of it, we have given up our life on earth."
And Setna said to Ahura, "Give me the
108 SETNA AND THE MAGIC BOOK
book which I see between you and Na-nefer-ka-ptah; for if you do not I will take it by force." Then Na-nefer-ka-ptah rose from his seat and said, "Are you Setna, to whom
SETNA DEMANDING THE ROLL.