Egypt Legends

How Ra Ascended to the Heavens

Osiris and Isis married when they grew up, as did Set and Nephthys. But Ra was still Pharaoh, though he had grown older and older and his hand shook with old age and the spittle dribbled from his lips.

Isis, who was the greatest magician that Egypt had ever known, devised a plan to trick Ra to leave his throne so that Osiris might become Pharaoh. Thoth told her that she could not succeed unless she learned Ra's secret name. Only with his hidden name could she gain power over Ra.

While only Ra could create living things, Isis used her magic to steal some of this power from Ra and create a cobra of clay. Each day Ra passed by Isis on his way to Upper Egypt. As he passed on the road, the spittle from his lips fell into the dust. Isis gathered this spittle and dust and with her magic made the first cobra and lay it beside the path of Ra, for it had form but was lifeless.

When Ra next passed along the road his eye fell on the lifeless cobra and it came into being. It reared out of the grass and bit Ra on the heel as he passed and then the cobra slithered away.

Ra sat down beside the road holding his heel and soon a great pain shot through him and he cried aloud. All the gods came swiftly to help him in his anguish, and Isis was among them.

Isis cradled Ra's heel in her hand and asked him how they could help him in his agony. Ra replied that all those who knew magic and had wisdom must be called to help him. So one by one they came, and none could help.

The last who came was Isis.

Ra's pain had grown greater, he shivered and his eyes grew dim. "Help me Isis for you are the greatest magician in Egypt. I do not know what poison attacks me, or what snake bit me, for I did not make it."

Isis bowed before Ra and whispered that she had great magic, but she must have extra power to cast out this strange poison that came from no snake that Ra had made; a snake that no one in Egypt had known existed. "I must have the power of your secret name, Divine Father."

Ra was cautious and told her many of his names of power, but Isis shook her head and told him he must tell her his secret name. Finally the pain burned more powerfully and Ra relented. But before he told her his secret name he made her promise that she would tell no one but the son that she and Osiris would bear.

She must tell no one the secret name but Horus their son who would rule after Osiris.

Isis swore this oath and Ra whispered his secret name. With that name Isis chanted a spell of extraordinary power that drove the poison out of Ra's body.

Ra's pain ended, but he was tired and felt very old. He knew that Osiris was destined to reign after him, and his grandson Horus would follow as the third God-Pharaoh. So Ra left the earth and took his place in the heavens as the Burning Eye. He crossed the sky daily and passed under the earth in the twelve regions of the Duat nightly.

Osiris became Pharaoh of Egypt and Isis was his Queen. They built their capital at Thebes and ruled wisely.

Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile
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