The Legend of Selket

The Tale of the Egyptian

The River flowed gently between its muddy banks, and through the land called Earth. Peace was broken suddenly by the vibrating of the Earth and the bubbling of the water. The River became chaotic and restless. Peace soon calmed the Earth and the River, lulling them to a tranquil slumber.

From the womb of the gentle River rose a glorious lotus flower. The flower rested on the surface of its mother, and its petals began to slowly bloom and open, revealing a majestic warm glow. From the lotus, the Child Sun was born. River and Earth named him Ra, the God of the Sun. Ra was lifted by the Sky up to his throne in the heavens.

Again, the Earth and River trembled and shook. Ra stood from his golden throne.

"Be still," he said gently. The River and Earth became silent, and another lotus blossom emerged from the water's womb. This lotus also bloomed and the individuals within lifted their eyes and hands to Ra, who shined his life giving hands upon them, filling his brothers and sisters with immortality.

The God Ra held out his arms for his equals to take, and he lifted them up to heaven, where they sat in thrones of silver, decorated with jewels, and each bearing the cartouche, or name, of the God.

Ra's cup bearer brought jeweled goblets to each God and Goddess, filled to the rim with sweet wine. Each took their goblet happily, with no hint of complaint. Ra was last to be served. "This cup bears the Blood of Life." Each god received their gift from Ra with much gratitude and honor.

"Geb, my brother, I give you land, and give the fertile land to your name. Geb, God of Earth." Geb smiled kindly and accepted his gift from Ra.

"I thank you my brother, God of Gods," Geb replied.

"Nut, my sister, I give you space, and the stars, and the moon. Nut, Goddess of the Sky."

"I thank you, kind brother, Ra of Gods," Nut smiled.

And so this naming of the Gods and their possessions continued: Thoth, the God of scribes, of wisdom, the creator of writing, arithmetic, and the calendar. Anubis, God of the dead and watcher of the embalming ritual. Osiris, God of the afterlife, father of Horus, and husband of Isis. Isis, Wife of Osiris, mother of Horus, the symbolization of the perfect mother, and protector of mothers and children. Horus, God of war and defeater of evil, son to Osiris and Isis. Bes, God of cheer, defender of children from evil spirits. Hathor, Goddess of love, beauty, music, and joy. Bastet, Goddess of plenty and Mistress of pleasure. Tefnut, Goddess of moisture. Shu, Goddess of air and clouds. Sobek, God of the sacred crocodile. Taweret, Goddess of childbirth. Protector of both mother and baby. Ptah, God of craftsmen.

"Hapy, my father, I wish to give you the sacred waters that bore me. I name you Hapy, God of the sacred Nile. Drink!" Ra said joyously, encouraging his equals. "Drink the blood of immortality!" Each raised their glass and drank merrily.

"Lord Ra?" a small goddess called quietly. She was barely a woman, small in size, with no shape to her body. The others looked at her curiously.

"Selket," Ra proclaimed. "Yes, what is it?"

"Lord Ra, you've given everyone a gift, but me..."

"Greedy child," Shu whispered to her brothers.

"You are young. Why should you be blessed with a gift from Ra?" Horus challenged.

"Well..." Selket hesitated. "Why shouldn't I?"

"You're right, young sister..." Ra mused. "What would you like to possess?" Ra's falcon eyes flashed in her direction.

"Whatever my Lord chooses to bestow upon me..." Selket bowed, lowering her eyes.

"Whatever I choose to bestow upon you?" Ra questioned cautiously. "You seem unsure of yourself, sister. For that, I name you Selket, Goddess of the scorpions and the sands of the deserts."

'"Your Lordship!" Selket protested in vain. "...the sands and the desert scorpions! But, Sire...!"

"Quiet, sister!" Ra bellowed. "This is a time of celebration; not protest. Drink. Drink from your goblet! Drink to immortality!" Ra sang gaily.

Young Selket's heart sank into despair. The youth, without protest, drank sadly from her cup with no words otherwise.

"Thoth." The ibis headed God of Scribes looked at his falcon headed master. He bowed his head.

"Yes, Master Ra?" he inquired.

"Let this blessed morning be recorded in detail by your students," Ra ordered. Thoth smiled kindly.

"Yes, my Lord," he said with excitement.

Ra beckoned his equals to follow him, and as the others followed their Master like nomads, Ra spoke his wise words. Selket remained and sat in her silver throne, which now brought no comfort or warmth.

"Must I be a ruler of things the Gods already despise. They hate me and worship him," Selket mourned. "Ra, you've been foolish to scorn me. One morning, you'll regret hurting my pride..."

The Sun Child, the God Ra, slipped into the horizon, with his golden sheep following him into the night.

"This dulls me," Ra complained, one morning, many years after his birth, the Dawn of the Lotus.

"May I inquire why my Lord is weary?" Hathor questioned, sitting at Ra's feet.

"It has been many revolutions since our day of birth. I grow bored of this! I need to do something!" Ra expressed tiredly.

Selket looked up from her harp. Her fingers glided gracefully across the golden strings. Heavenly music flowed from the lyre. Hathor looked over at Selket.

"Selket, dear, would you mind playing something... more charming?" Hathor asked sweetly.

Selket nodded and played a beautiful song upon her instrument. Hathor smiled and turned back to her Lord.

"What will my Master Ra do to cure his unhappiness?" Hathor questioned, resting her head upon his knee.

"I will..." Ra paused becoming unsure of himself. Suddenly, his falcon eyes flashed. "I will create the most wondrous of all things!"

"What might that be, Ra?" Hathor questioned. Ra's eyes, again, became empty and blank.

"Master..." Selket interrupted, discontinuing her lovely chords.

"Selket!" Hathor boomed. "Why do you stop!"

"Speak, sister," Ra motioned. "What is so important that you must interrupt? Speak up!"

"Master, may I suggest you make a god of lower descent. A lower royalty-- a... Man!"

"Man?" Ra pondered. "Man? Selket, that's wonderful! I shall start now! But how?"

"Make them of the Nile!" Hathor exclaimed.

"No, they will be immortal if they were purely water. No, I must combine elements to make man. That is so they will be mortal- they cannot over rule us. It is so perfect!" Ra exclaimed. "We start now!" Ra called to his equals: "Brothers! Sisters! Come to the throne room! Quickly!"

"Ra," Hathor said, "how will you make Man?"

"You'll see!" Ra exclaimed. The Gods and Goddesses entered the throne room. "Hapy, prepare the Nile! Shu, gather you finest air. Geb, find me your softest Earth. And... and," Ra eyed Selket. She was hopeful that her Master would ask a favor of her.

"Isis, fetch me the loveliest papyrus along the banks of the Nile," Ra said, turning away from Selket. Selket lowered her head and closed her eyes sadly.

"Selket," Ra said. She raised her eyes. "Please play the beautiful music of Hathor while I construct Man."

Selket nodded solemnly and sat on her small, gilt stool. Her fingers strummed the strings gracefully and the palace filled with her music. The Gods and Goddesses prepared their gifts for the God Ra's special creation.

"Your tools wait for you by the shores of the Nile, my brother," Isis informed.

"Wonderful!" Ra expressed. He dashed out of the palace, paying no mind to his mournful sister, Selket.

All the immortals met at the banks of the Nile. Selket sat close to the land with her golden harp. The others sat in their thrones along the banks of the Nile, while Ra waded through the waters.

Ra made a small pattern with his hands through the air. The water rose up with the motion of his powerful hand. And with his powerful hand, the first Man rose from the heart of the Nile's waters. The Gods and Goddesses applauded with enthusiasm. The watery form stood there, connected to the water.

"Shu, Goddess of Air," Ra said. Ra stepped through the waters to the banks, where he held his hand out for Shu to take. She gathered her skirts, took her Master's hand and stepped into the chilling waters. Shu made her way to the Man of liquid. She took the Man's face in her delicate hands and blew the first breath of life into the Man's face. Man came to life and moved his limbs.

"Be still, Man," Ra said. Shu placed the Man's arms to his side and motioned for Ra to continue, and she headed back to the shore.

"Geb, your softest earth?" Ra inquired.

A clay jar held the softest earth. Geb stepped into the Nile and brought the jar of mud to his brother. Geb held the jar as Ra removed the brown paste. With his fingers, he smeared the mud across the face and body of man. Once Man was covered in his brown blanket, Ra sent Geb back to solid ground.

"Now, Isis," Ra smiled in happiness of his creation, "bring me the papyrus."

Isis gathered the reeds and stepped into the waters. But as soon as Ra touched the reeds, they caught aflame and withered.

"My Lord...?" Isis questioned.

Ra was confused and troubled. Selket looked up from her harp.

"Fetch me more papyrus!" Ra ordered.

Isis waded to the edge of the Nile. Bastet ran to help her. Isis drew her sickle and cut the reeds. Bastet gathered the reeds and bunched them neatly. When finished, Isis replaced her sickle and took the reeds from Bastet's arms.

"Here, my Lord," Isis said, giving the reeds to Ra.

He touched the reeds and they burned. Ra became furious. He threw the smoldering reeds into the Nile, where they drowned.

"If you will allow me, Sire," Selket said, "I will fetch the sand of the desert to continue your construction."

"How could sand help?" Ra questioned irritably.

"Sand is strong and lasts forever," Selket said.

"If it pleases my sister to see her sand and time wasted, then go ahead and bring me your curse," Ra said wearily.

Selket bounded for the deserts. Within moments she returned with a clay jar in her hands. She then stepped into the water and made her way to Ra. He stepped back and let her have her space. He watched with a sneer on his face, as his sister of less drew a small amount of sand, pinched between her forefinger and thumb. Selket then sprinkled the sand over the man's eyes and over his body.

"Does this Dust of Earth hurt you, Son of Ra?" Selket asked. The Man shook his head no. "Good," she smiled.

Her hand reached into the jar and removed a fistful of sand. The winds scattered the sand across the body of Man. Before long, man was covered with the desert.

"There, Master," Selket said. "You're Man is almost completed. And yet, Master Ra, I sense Man is lonely..."

"Lonely!" Ra boomed. "How could my creation be lonely!"

"You have friends to keep you company, Great One. Must Man have no friends?" Selket questioned.

"A friend?" Ra pondered. "Very well. Isis, bring me your sickle."

Isis stepped to Ra and turned over her sickle to him. Ra took the mighty sickle and split Man down the center, and there Ra created Woman, Man's companion.

Now, Ra touched Man. His warm hands scorched Man's hair to black and tanned his body. Man opened his eyes and took his first glance upon his God, Ra. Ra then touched Woman. His warm hands scorched her hair to black and tanned her body. She looked upon her God, Ra.

Ra led Man and Woman to the shores of the Nile, where they were cleaned and dressed in fine linens. A lotus blossom perfumed Woman, and great oils perfumed Man.

"I name you, Man, Mada. You will take care of Woman and your children. And you will honor them. I name you Woman, Reh. You will take care of Man and your children. You will honor them. May you live and be eternally blessed by the Sun Child, Ra," the God said, "for you are my children;
Children of Ra and Children of the Nile.

Many, many centuries after the creation of Mada and Reh, Ra watched Earth and the thousands of children that lived on the land with a great disappointment.

"Why the solemn face, Ra?" Hathor asked that morning.

"The people are in search of a leader. A mortal leader," Ra sighed. "They ask me to find a wise ruler, but where am I to find one?"

"My Lord," Selket said, looking up from her weaving loom, "there is a man in a village along the Nile. The village is Memphis. His name is Pepii, and the people in the village come to him with their troubles. He is very wise."

"Wise? I will pay a visit to this man, Pepii. If he is as wise as you say, Selket, he may become leader of the children of Mada and Reh. Hathor, fetch my cloak," Ra said. Hathor brought his golden cloak to him. She placed the cloak over his shoulders. "Horus," Ra called, "are my horses and chariot ready?"

"Yes, my Lord," Horus said.

"Horus, you shall drive my chariot," Ra said. Horus bowed his head. "Selket, stay here and finish your weaving," Ra spoke.

Selket turned back to her loom, as Ra stepped into his Sun Chariot. Horus took the reins and the chariot started off to Earth.

The fields were green and fertile that season. Lush grass covered the lands of the Nile, far as the eye could see. And so it was a good day for Pepii to let his flock of sheep graze. Pepii stood atop the hill and watched his flock at peace. The cool Nile breezed blew calmly past him, but he felt a warm glow around him. Pepii's eyes left the flock and turned in back of him. Pepii saw the most beautiful, golden chariot pulled by a handsome pair of gold stallions. The chariot came from the sky, like the sun, and stopped on the peak of the hill. Pepii felt that this must be the presence of a nobleman. He kneeled and bowed his head to this man, who stepped from the chariot.

"Pepii?" the nobleman spoke. "You are Pepii, descendent of Mada and Reh, true?"

"That I am, Lord," Pepii said.

"Rise. I am Ra, creator of Mada and Reh, and God of the Sun. I have heard you are a wise man. Is this true?" Ra questioned.

"Not as wise as you, God Ra," Pepii spoke. "The people come to me with questions. I only give them logical answers, my Lord. If this make me wise, then..."

"You must prove to me, God Ra, that you are indeed a wise man. I shall give you three tasks. Let me inform you now that they will not be simple. When you have completed my three tasks, I will make you a leader over men," Ra spoke. Pepii didn't know how to respond to this honor.

"What must I do, Lord?" Pepii shook.

"Dam the waters of the Nile. Then show the farmers how to farm with the dammed water. And then show the villagers to move it easily. That shall be your first task," Ra informed. "When you are finished, I shall return."

"I am but a common shepherd, my lord," Pepii spoke. "How many men may I have work for me?" Ra appeared insulted.

"None! If you are a wise man, you can do it alone," Ra sneered.

"A wise man, or a strong man, Sire?" Pepii questioned. Ra glared at Pepii long and hard.

"Set to work, mortal. I shall return at the end of your first task," Ra commanded.

He stepped into his fine chariot and rode off. Pepii watched Ra's chariot soar back into the heaven's. Pepii ran into the village and ran to the door of a small cottage.

"Namow! Namow!" Pepii called. An aged woman opened the door.

"Malar, where is Namow?" Pepii asked, taking the woman's worn hands in his.

"My daughter is in the garden," Malar answered. Pepii ran quickly around the side of the cottage,

"Namow!" Pepii called. A young, beautiful woman turned to him. She smiled pleasantly.

"Pepii!" she called, as he ran to her in the garden. Ivy ran along the stone arches and beautiful flowers grew all around. "Pepii," she said, "you look weary. What is ailing you?"

"Namow, I was visited by the Sun God!" Pepii exclaimed.

"Ra?" Namow inquired. "Why would he seek a common shepherd?"

"He believes me to be a wise man. If I perform three tasks of his will, I may become leader of this land!" Pepii said. "I must first dam the Nile water. Then teach farmers how to farm with the dammed water, and villagers how to move large quantities of it without hard labor."

"By yourself? Pepii!" Namow fretted.

"I must... to prove I am a wise man to Ra," he said.

"You don't have to prove to me that you are a wise man, Pepii," Namow said. "You'd better get started, then. Good luck. I will visit you tomorrow. You are a wise man, and you will make a fine husband."

Pepii kissed her soft cheek and left for his first task.

The next day, Pepii started. It took many hours to collect all the stones and mud needed for a successful, strong dam. Mid-day, Namow came with a basket of bread, grapes, and wine for him. It took Pepii two days to build twenty feet of the fifteen mile wide River. After many months of working everyday, of laying stone after stone, and using mud as mortar, and many months of sweat and blood; the dam was completed. After the completion, Pepii took no rest and started on his next phase.

With permission of a well-known farmer, Pepii began to dig trenches through the rows of plants. He dug and dug through the soil of the crops. It took him several days and nights to complete this. The dammed water flowed through the trenches and to the crops. The local farmers saw this and questioned Pepii about it.

"I call it irrigation," Pepii told them.

Pepii journeyed to the other half of the Nile. He chopped down a palm tree, the sturdiest, and started hatching the wood into a "Y" shape. He took another palm tree and made a huge ball of mud and placed it on one end of the tree to act as a weight. While the mud dried, he carved a hole on the other side of the tree. Pepii took a strong rope and threw it over the limb of a tree. He tied the end of the rope to the "Y" shaped palm. With the other end, Pepii lifted the "Y" shaped palm and placed the end in a hole he dug earlier. With the same rope and limb, he lifted the other palm into the V of the one in the ground. The end with the ball of mud weighed itself to the land. Pepeii tied the two palms together, but gave it enough slack to move up and down when needed. With another rope, he slipped one end through the carved hole and tied it into a strong knot. Finally, Pepii tied a large, clay jar to the other end of the rope. Villagers gathered around and watched Pepii and his odd invention. Namow came to watch, but Pepii pulled her aside.

"Namow, venture into the waters below my creation and wait for my instructions," he said.

Namow walked down into the waters and stood below Pepii. The water came above her waist and was quite chilling, but she waited for her love's orders. Pepii lowered the jar into the water. Namow filled the jar with water. When filled, Pepii pushed down on the muddied end of the one beam and the jar rose from the water. All the villagers applauded and were awed by this simple machine.

"What do you call this invention, Pepii?" a villager asked.

"I call it a shaduf!" Pepii exclaimed.

"He truly is a wise man!" another villager shouted.

"He has completed his first task, Sire," Hathor said gently, looking over the clouds of heaven down to Earth.

"I know, I know," Ra muttered. "It took him long enough!"

"My Lord, Pepii's worked night and day for months with hardly any rest! I believe him to be a good, responsible man for carrying a task of that strength," Selket said.

"Yes, yes, he has finished and is in need of another task. I have not yet thought of one," Ra blurted.

"Have him kill the White Crocodile!" Hathor suggested.

"No, no. Sobek would be furious. It needs to be almost impossible, and with a time limit," Ra pondered.

"Have him make 1,000 pounds of jewelry, Ra," Hathor commented.

"Jewelry! Hathor, be creative!" Ra laughed.

"Its perfectly creative, my Lord. All he has to do is make 1,000 pounds of jewelry... from sand," she smiled. Selket eyes became wide and alert.

"Jewelry? From sand! It's impossible! I shall let him start at tomorrow's sunrise and finish by the next dawn. Perfect, Hathor! Perfect! Fetch my cloak! Horus! Hitch the stallions!" Ra called, as he left the room.

"Jewelry from sand? Not quite impossible... Nothing is impossible," Selket thought. "This is finally the morning I've longed for! Ra will be humiliated at long last by me!"

As Pepii sheered his flock, the Sun Chariot came again. Pepii kneeled to Ra and stood again.

"You've done well in your first task, Pepii," Ra said.

"I'm glad I've pleased my Master," Pepii said proudly.

"But I've another task for you. I want you to make 1,000 pounds of jewelry..." Ra started.

"It sounds simple enough, Master," Pepii said.

"But remember, I said these would not be simple tasks. I want you to make 1,000 pounds of jewelry... from sand," Ra smiled. Pepii shook his head in disbelief.

"Jewelry? From sand! Master Ra!" Pepii exclaimed in shock.

"Only a wise man knows how to do the impossible." Pepii paused and sighed deep.

"Very well, God Ra. I will do this task," he said solemnly. "How many men may I have work for me?"

"None. You must work alone. Except you must have the 1,000 pounds done by a day's sunrise. Tomorrow, at dawn, you'll go into the desert and collect the sand. You will have by the next dawn to have it finished. You, then, will take it to my temple at Heliopolis," Ra said.

"Be at Heliopolis by sunrise?" Pepii shook.

"Until then, Pepii," Ra said, as the chariot raced back to the sky, leaving the dumb-struck Pepii behind.

"That should keep him busy," Ra said, taking off his cloak and handing it to Hathor.

"What will, Lord?" Bastet asked. She played Senet with Sobek and Selket.

"Pepii's new task. I will utterly enjoy watching this! He won't have it done by dawn. He couldn't possibly! Oh, this is fun: tormenting humans!" Ra chortled. "Yet, I am tired. I leave you now, so that I may rest." Ra left the three to their game.

"Selket," Bastet said, "I believe you know something about the mortal's new task. You never wear that look upon your face."

"If it is something, sister, you are free to tell us and still keep it secret," Sobek offered.

"Very well, but it is to not leave this room," Selket warned. The two nodded their heads. "I am going to help Pepii in his task."

"What?" Bastet shrieked.

"Shhh!" Selket scolded.

"Sister, how do you intend to do this?" Sobek asked.

"I know how to make jewelry from sand... The mortal is wise, but even the wise need answers," Selket said.

"What if Ra find's out?" Bastet asked.

"He won't because you won't tell him. I am Goddess of the Desert Sand. He will be treading my grounds, and therefore, I have a right to aide him," Selket nodded. Bastet and Sobek smiled.

"This is your revenge on Ra from what he did to you on the Dawn of the Lotus, isn't it?" Sobek asked.

"Yes."

"I believe it to be perfect!" Bastet and Sobek both said happily.

"Malar? Where is Namow?" Pepii asked sadly.

"My daughter is at the banks of the Nile, washing linens," the old woman answered. Pepii walked to the Nile, where he saw his future bride amongst other women, talking and washing linens.

"Namow," Pepii called from the shores. Namow ran to him with an embrace of greeting and a wet cloth.

"Pepii," Namow said. "You are upset. What is ailing you?" Pepii motioned for her to walk with him.

"Ra returned to me, while I was sheering the flock," Pepii said. "He wants me to venture off into the desert tomorrow at sunrise, gather sand, make 1,000 pounds of jewelry from the sand, and take it to his temple at Heliopolis by dawn."

"That's impossible, Pepii!" Namow raged. "Why does he make a shepherd do the work of Gods! Must you do this task alone?"

"I wish I didn't, but I must. I will leave at dawn tomorrow for the Libyan Desert," Pepii informed.

"What if you do not complete this task?" Namow questioned.

"I'm afraid of what might happen..." Pepii said.

"If you must go, I will not stop you. Good luck. I still do not see why you have to prove to the Gods that you are a wise man, for I already know you are," Namow said, kissing his cheek.

She left his side and went back into the waters.

The sands of the Libyan Desert cut through Pepii's feet. It burned him, even in the first hours of dawn. After many hours of searching for good sand - sand to make jewelry from - he collapsed in anger and frustration. Tears of worry and hate fell from his eyes. He picked up a fistful of sand and threw it into the wind. He beat his hands against the sands mercilessly and wept.

"Pepii," the winds called. He looked about him, there was no one. "Pepii," the winds called again.

"I am delusional. The desert heat is playing games with me," Pepii said.

He looked up and saw huge amounts of sand fly up with the wind and spun around in a circular pattern, like a hurricane. The sand then dropped to the ground and a beautiful figure, made of sand rose from the desert. The sand then dropped down from the figure to reveal a beautiful woman dressed in lovely, white linens and sleek, ebony hair. Her skin as tan and smooth as the sand itself. Her eyes like black glass. She stepped towards the fallen Pepii.

"I am Selket, Goddess of the Desert. You seek my help, young shepherd?" she questioned.

"Yes, Goddess, I do. I was asked by the God Ra to..." Pepii started.

"Yes, Pepii, I know about your tasks. That is why I am here. The God Ra scorned me and hurt my pride on the Dawn of the Lotus, many years ago. I swore to have my vengeance. This is my chance. I will help you make jewelry from the sand, and see that it is delivered safely to Heliopolis. Come, we begin," Selket said, offering her hand for him to take.

He lifted himself up and she took a jar from the sand and gave him important instructions.

"Take this jar and fill it with sand. When you have finished call for me," she said, falling through the sand into nothingness.

Pepii took the jar and started placing the sand into it hurriedly. When he had finished, he called for Selket, and she came.

"I've asked my brother, Ptah, if we could use his smith's shop. Come with me," she ordered.

She led Pepii to the blacksmith shop of her brother, Ptah, the Craftsmen God. Pepii started withdrawing the sand from the jar and placed it into the molds he saw, while Selket started a fire.

As Pepii drew the last handful of sand, he was stung. A sharp pain spread through his hand and up his arm. He withdrew his hand and found that a scorpion had stung him. In shock, he dropped the jar, which shattered, startling Selket. She turned and saw him drop, and she rushed to his side, as the scorpion slinked away into a dark corner.

"Pepii?" she called. "Pepii, keep awake. I will heal you... but do not close your eyes until I tell you to. Do not close your eyes!"

Pepii fought a hard war to keep his eyes open. Selket touched the sting and ran her hand up his arm. When finished she turned to him.

"Pepii, you now may sleep."

Not a moment more, he was sleeping peacefully.

He awoke suddenly to finish his work and aide Selket, but he was not in the blacksmith shop. He was not even in Memphis. Pepii, startled, climbed to his feet to see the sun dawning. He was surrounded by stone arches and beautiful offerings. Ra's Sun Chariot stopped in front of the stone structure.

"Welcome to Heliopolis, Pepii, and good morning," Ra chortled.

"Good morning, Master," Pepii yawned.

"Do you have my task completed?" he asked, entering the temple.

"Well, Master, a scorpion stung me, and I..." Pepii started, but he saw the surprised look on Ra's face.

Two hundred clay jars filled the room. Ra silenced him and opened a lid to one. Jewels, five pounds worth, filled every jar. Ra's mouth hung open.

"You did it?" Ra questioned. "How?"

"I... uh... took the sand and fired it into glass," Pepii stuttered.

"I have, then, one final task for you. Build a temple to the Gods," Ra muttered.

"How many men may I have work for me?" Pepii asked.

"None."

And with no more words, Ra left in his chariot. Pepii turned and looked at the jars in awe. Selket entered the temple. Pepii started to speak, but she hushed him.

"My brothers and sisters have temples named for them," she sighed. "Heliopolis for Ra, Dendera for Hathor, Abydos for Osiris, Edfu for Horus, Kom Ombo for Sobek, Aswan for Isis... I helped you in your second task and saved your life..."

"You need not ask, beautiful Goddess. I shall build this temple in your sacred name," Pepii smiled.

Selket nodded, and before she left said:

"I was the one who told Ra about you. I knew you were the wisest... even of the Gods."

And so, when Pepii returned to Memphis, he constructed the most beautiful temple to Selket, Goddess of the Desert. And at the completion of the temple, Namow visited.

"It is lovely, Pepii. Your finest work. Your tasks are finished, now you can rest," Namow said.

"That's true," Ra said, entering the temple with Selket. "I have made Selket my Royal Advisor, and I name you Pharaoh. Pepii, the first Pharaoh of the Land."

"The Land shall be called Egypt," Pepii said, overjoyed. "Meaning Beauty of the Nile."

"One more thing, Pepii," Selket said. "I have a task for you. You will marry your queen before you do anything else."

That was the simplest task Pepii was ever given.