| And so one went to tell it to her father. Her father had the lad brought before him along with his daughter. The prince came before him. His nobility impressed the lord and he embraced him. He kissed him all over his limbs. He said to him, “Ah, tell me of your condition. I now see you as a son.”
The one said to him, “I am the son of a chariot-officer of the land of Egypt. My mother died and my father took another wife. She came to despise me and I came here in flight before her.” Then was given to him his daughter for a wife. It was given to him a house and fields, as well as cattle and all sorts of good things. After a time, the young man said to his wife, “One ordained certain fates for me—a crocodile, a snake or a dog.” Therefore, she said to him, “Let that dog be slain who is with you.” He replied to her, “Nonsense! I won’t allow to be killed this dog of mine. Indeed, I have raised him since he was little.” So she became as a doubly excellent guardian unto her husband, not allowing him to venture outside. Now from the day that the lad had come from the land of Egypt in order to wander, the crocodile, his nemesis, [stalked him?] It appeared in the lake opposite the town in which the lad was living for the sake of [the beauty of?] the lake. But there was a spirit in it. The spirit did not allow the crocodile emerge, nor would the crocodile allow the spirit to roam about. As soon as the sun came up, each one arose to do battle with the other each day for the duration of [two?] months of days. After some time had gone by, the prince sat down to make holiday in his house. After the coming of the evening breeze, the lad lay down upon his bed and sleep took possession of his body. Therefore his wife filled a jar with wine and another jar with beer. Presently a snake ventured forth from its hole in order to bite the prince, but his wife was sitting there beside him without going to sleep. GO TO NEXT |