The Swallow and the Sea (original) (raw)
Ancient Egyptian Texts: 3.10
Text: Berlin no. 12345 [ TM 56175 ]
Provenance: Memphis (?)
Date: 1st century B.C. - 2nd century A.D.
Language: Demotic
Translated by: R.K. Ritner
Format: see key to translations
| This text was written down as part of a writing exercise on a jug, which used to be kept in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin but was destroyed during the 2nd World War. The text was re-edited with a French translation by P. Collombert, in "Acts of the Seventh International Conference of Demotic Studies", pp.59-76 ( Google Books ). This English translation is copied from R.K. Ritner (pictured), in "The Literature of Ancient Egypt" (Yale, 2003), pp.494-496. | | 
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The [petition of] Ausky, the chief of the land of Arabia, before Pharaoh: "Hear the goodness of Pre [regarding(?) the] chiefs of the land [of Arabia]. Great is my lord! O may he celebrate millions of jubilees! What does it mean that Pharaoh, my great lord, has said: 'I shall devastate the land of Arabia' ? Come, may Pharaoh, my great lord, hear the tale of what happened to the swallow when it was giving birth beside the sea. When she was coming and going out to seek food for her young, she said: 'O sea, watch over my young until I come back in.' It happened that this was her custom daily. Now afterwards, a day occurred when the swallow happened to be coming and going out to seek food for her young. She said: 'O sea, watch over the young for me until I come back in, in accordance with my custom that transpires with me daily.' But it happened that the sea came up raging; it took the young of the swallow away before it. With her mouth full, her eyes wide, and her heart very happy, the swallow was coming back in. But she could not find her young there before her. She said: 'O sea, hand over the young whom I entrusted to you! Should it happen that you haven't given back my young whom I entrusted to you, I shall scoop you out on that day. I shall carry you away. I shall bail with my beak. I shall carry you to the sand of the surrounding area and carry the sand of the surrounding area to you.' It happened that this was the custom of the swallow daily . . . the habit which she did. The swallow began to go, filling her mouth with the sand of the surrounding area and pouring it out in the sea. She filled her mouth with the water of the sea; she poured it out on the sand of the surrounding area. It happens that here then is the daily custom of the swallow before Pharaoh, my great lord. Should it happen that the swallow does scoop out the sea, then it will devastate the happy heart from the land of Arabia."
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