" Another confirmation of this
priestly descent is the abundance of priesthoods established for the
kings of the Vth Dynasty; a care which agrees with their having a
priestly origin; while in the tale it is particularly said that they
would build up the temples, furnish the altars with offerings, supply
the tables of libations, and increase the religious endowments.
The names of the three children are a play upon the names of the first
three kings of the Vth Dynasty. User-kaf is made into User-ref;
Sahu-ra is written Sah-ra; and Kaka is Kaku; thus making allusions to
their births. The comparison of the hair to true lapis lazuli seems
very strange; but there is often a confusion between black aind blue
in uneducated races, and _azrak_ means either dark blue or green, or
black, at present in Arabic. Lapis lazuli is brought in to the name of
the queen of Ramessu VI., who was called "gold and lazuli,"
_Nub-khesdeb;_ recalling the comparison here of personal beauty to
these precious materials.
It is noticeable here that in a tale of the Vth Dynasty, certainly
written as early as the XIIth Dynasty, we find professional dancers
commonly recognised, and going on travels through the country, with a
porter.
From this tale we also learn that Egyptian women underwent a
purification of fourteen days, during which they kept apart and did not
attend to any household matters.
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