The Legend of Rhampsinitos - Egyptian Folktales

There is an old quotation from H. M. Field that comes to mind, when thinking upon the folktales that have survived from ancient Egypt. It goes like this:

"I have come to Egypt to learn something of the wisdom of the Egyptians. Tell me, then, ye tombs, and temples, and pyramids, about God; tell me about the life to come! But the pyramids speak not; and the sphinx still looks toward the East, to watch for the rising sun, but is voiceless and mute. The valley of the Nile speaks of nothing but death. From end to end its rock-ribbed hills are filled with tombs. Yet what do they teach the anxious and troubled heart of man? Nothing! All these hills are silent."

H. M. Field

Field was wrong. While they kept some of their secrets for another day and perhaps in some cases forever -- they all had a lot to say, just like the Egyptian folk tales that have survived even to today.

As one of the most well known Egyptian folktales, can be found in many versions, depending upon the teller, thanks to a Greek historian by the name of Herodotus.

In 450 B.C. Herodotus was struck by the fact that Egyptians paid strict attention to religion, and he dubbed them the most religious of all of mankind. It was his opinion, that they surpassed all nations in the reverence they paid to their gods of antiquity.

Herodotus was fascinated with the treasures of King Rhampsinitos, and wrote about how no other fortune could compare to it. It is because of the ancient Greek historian and cultural preservationist -- that several versions of this folktale surrounding Rhampsinitos survives today.

What's interesting about this Egyptian folktale is that it has striking similarities to the trickster stories of: The Story of the Master Thief, The Story of the Poor Mason, and The Story of the Shifty Lad. Some scholars believe The Story of the Master Thief was known in Western Europe, long before Herodotus heard the story about King Rhampsinitos.

Like the other world stories, King Rhampsinitos’ tale has the common theme of a thief so cunning, yet ends up with final honors of not only riches, but marrying a daughter of the King. Most versions have more detail than the one I know.

These versions talk about how the secret entrance (door) was sealed and could only be entered by moving a large stone. Other versions have guards placed at the entrance, and the door sealed. Still other versions have the brothers installing a removable wall. Another version, has the King so mad -- that he makes his daughters sleep with all of the men in the land, to try to discover who the thieves are.

One common denominator among all oral folk tales, regardless of where they originated, is that they change over the course of time, as details are forgotten, and details are added. Each orator adds something of themselves to the original story.

This is the version of King Rhampsinitos' story that I know. I think it clearly illustrates by the lack of the stones, guards, daughters, and seals -- that the story's details are in the telling of the story, determined only by the skill of the teller.

The Story of Rhampsinitos

This is the tale of King Rhampsinitos, and his Egyptian architect who built a treasure house with a secret entrance for this King of Egypt. This secret entrance’s existence wasn‘t to be revealed until the Kings death. However, the architect told his two sons about the secret entrance. They, in turn, promptly helped themselves to the Kings treasures.

The King in his regular inspection of his treasures, soon noticed how they were increasingly disappearing. The King then placed a trap inside the entrance to the treasure room. The architect's youngest son got hopelessly stuck in the trap.

Realizing that he couldn’t escape -- he pleaded with his older brother to cut off his head. He was afraid that the King would figure out that their father had told them of the secret entrance, and punish both him and his older brother

When the King found the headless body, he could not identify the thief. Deciding he’d find out one way or another, he displayed the body in a public place. He then ordered his guards to seize any person who might look as if to be mourning for the thief.

The architect's wife naturally recognized the body and ran home, threatening to her son and husband to tell the King, unless the older brother brought his brother’s body home to be properly buried.

Not wanting to be found out, the older boy filled some skin bottles with wine, and loaded them upon asses. Then, he cunningly rode by the guards, with the mouth strings of the skin bottles somewhat loosened, enough for them to notice wine dripping out.

The guards, professed to help him, but instead helped themselves to the wine. After tying up the skin bottles properly, the older brother asked them to sit down and have a drink with him. As they drank, they of course became overcome by the alcohol, and soon fell asleep.

Once they were asleep, he was able to escape with his brother body, and thus able to keep his promise to his mother. It didn’t take the King long to figure out who the thieves were, and he was impressed by the older brother's ingenuity.

The King honored him as a master thief, and he was known throughout the land as the cleverest man of the cleverest people. Soon afterwards, he was married to one of the King's most precious daughters.

Herodotus was an ancient Fifth century B.C. Greek historian, hailed as the “father of history.” He wrote in his “History” of his many travels throughout the ancient Middle East.

The book was written in prose, and is known for it’s moral lessons about great events. His work was not without criticism, as some of his work came from stories that were related to him, not events that he actually witnessed.

The world can thank a Frenchman by the name of Jean Francois Champollion, whose work in cracking the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics was successful.

At time, his discovery was considered one of the greatest breakthroughs of the nineteenth century. Now,thanks to him this hidden history, once thought silent by those like H.G. Field -- was brought to light.

The Song of the Threshers to the Oxen, has been translated to:

Thresh for yourselves

Thresh for yourselves

O oxen

Thresh for yourselves

Thresh for yourselves

Measures for yourselves

Measures for your masters

Egypt and Egyptian and the mysteries of it's stories survive today, and are perhaps some of the most fascinating of all world stories. This is largely due to the secrets still waiting to be unfolded.

If you can, see Egypt, you won't be disappointed, if you can't there are many journeys to be had in reading about this great country.  If you've never experienced the words of Herodotus, it's time to take a step back and discover for yourself, the story of Rhampsinitos and discover Egypt at the same time.