y fate. And a star fell [from
heaven], and these (_i.e._ his children, and his brethren, and the
maiden) came into the fire which fell with it. I myself was not with
those who were burnt in the fire, and I was not in their midst, but I
[well-nigh] died [of grief] for them. And I found a place wherein I
buried them all together. Now, if thou art strong, and thy heart
flourisheth, thou shalt fill both thy arms (_i.e._ embrace) with thy
children, and thou shalt kiss thy wife, and thou shalt see thine own
house, which is the most beautiful thing of all, and thou shalt reach
thy country, and thou shalt live therein again together with thy
brethren, and dwell therein."

Then I cast myself down flat upon my stomach, and I pressed the ground
before the serpent with my forehead, saying, "I will describe thy power
to the King, and I will make him to understand thy greatness. I will
cause to be brought unto thee the unguent and spices called _aba_, and
_hekenu_, and _inteneb_, and _khasait_, and the incense that is offered
up in the temples, whereby every god is propitiated. I will relate [unto
him] the things that have happened unto me, and declare the things that
have been seen by me through thy power, and praise and thanksgiving
shall be made unto thee in my city in the presence of all the nobles of
the country. I will slaughter bulls for thee, and will offer them up as
burnt-offerings, and I will pluck feathered fowl in thine [honour]. And
I will cause to come to thee boats laden with all the most costly
products of the land of Egypt, even according to what is done for a god
who is beloved by men and women in a land far away, whom they know not."
Then the serpent smiled at me, and the things which I had said to it
were regarded by it in its heart as nonsense, for it said unto me, "Thou
hast not a very great store of myrrh [in Egypt], and all that thou hast
is incense. Behold, I am the Prince of Punt, and the myrrh which is
therein belongeth to me. And as for the _heken_ which thou hast said
thou wilt cause to be brought to me, is it not one of the chief
[products] of this island? And behold, it shall come to pass that when
thou hast once departed from this place, thou shalt never more see this
island, for it shall disappear into the waves."

And in due course, even as the serpent had predicted, a ship arrived,
and I climbed up to the top of a high tree, and I recognised those who
were in it. Then I went to announce the matter