The first papyrus known (Berlin No.
1) was imperfect at the beginning; but since then a flake of limestone
found in a tomb bore the beginning of the tale, and the same part is
found on a papyrus in the Amherst collection. The main text has been
translated by Chabas ("Le papyrus de Berlin," 37-51), Goodwin, and
Maspero ("Mel. d'arch.," iii. 68, 140, and "Contes Populaire,"
89-130); while the beginning is treated in "Memoires de l'institut
Egyptien," ii. 1-23, and in Proc. S.B.A., 452. The present translation
is mainly based on Mr. Griffith's readings in all cases of difficulty.
This is perhaps the most interesting of all the tales, because it bears
such signs of being written in the times of which it treats, it throws
so much light on the life of the time in Egypt and Syria, and if not a
real narrative, it is at least so probable that it may be accepted
without much difficulty. For my own part, I incline to look on it as
strictly historical; and in the absence of a single point of doubt, I
shall here treat it as seriously as the biographical inscriptions of
the early tombs. Possibly some day the tomb of Sanehat may be found,
and the whole inscription be read complete upon the walls.
The name Sa-nehat means "son of the sycamore," probably from his having
been born, or living, at some place where was a celebrated sacred
sycamore.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75