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  CHAPTER III

  RAMES, THE PRINCESS, AND THE CROCODILE

  At the appointed time to Ahura, the royal wife, was born a child, agirl with a fresh and lovely face and waving hair and eyes that from thefirst were blue like the summer sky at even. Also on her breast was amole of the length of a finger nail, which mole was shaped like the holySign of Life.

  Now Pharaoh and his house and the priests in every temple, and indeedall Egypt went mad with joy, though there were many who in secretmourned over the sex of the infant, whispering that a man and not awoman should wear the Double Crown. But in public they said nothing,since the story of this child had gone abroad and folk declared that itwas sent by the gods, and divine, and that the goddesses, Isis, Nepthys,and Hathor, with Khemu, the Maker of Mankind, were seen in the birthchamber, glowing like gold.

  Also Pharaoh issued a decree that wherever the name of the Queen Ahurawas graven in all the land, to it should be added the title "By thewill of Amen, Mother of his Morning Star," and that a new hall should bebuilt in the temple of Amen in the Northern Apt, and all about it carvedthe story of the coming of Prince Abi and of the vision of the Queen.

  But Ahura never lived to see this glorious place, since from the hour ofher daughter's birth she began to sink. On the fourteenth day, the dayof purification, she bade the nurse bring the beautiful babe, and gazedat it long and blessed it, and spoke with the Ka or Double of the child,which she said she saw lying on her arm beside it, bidding that Kaprotect it well through the dangers of life and death until the hour ofresurrection. Then she said that she heard Amen calling to her to paythe price which she had promised for the gift of the divine child, theprice of her own life, and smiled upon Pharaoh her husband, and diedhappily with a radiant face.

  Now joy was turned to mourning, and during all the days of embalmingEgypt wept for Ahura until, at length, the time came when her body wasrowed across the Nile to the splendid tomb which she had made ready inthe Valley of the Queens, causing masons and artists to labour at itwithout cease. For Ahura knew from the day of her vision that she wasdoomed to die, and remembered that the tombs of the dead remain as thelive hands leave them, since few waste gold and toil upon the eternalhouse of one who is dead.

  So Ahura was buried with great pomp and all her jewels, and Pharaoh, whomourned her truly, made splendid offerings in the chapel of her tomb,and having laid in the mouth of it the funeral boat in which she wasborne across the Nile, he built it up for ever, and poured sand over therock, so that none should find its place until the Day of Awakening.

  Meanwhile, the infant grew and flourished, and when it was six monthsold, was taken to the college of the priestesses of Amen, there to bereared and taught.