“We were the two children of the King Mer.neb.ptah, and he loved us very much, for he had no others; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah was in his palace as heir over all the land. And when we were grown, the King said to the Queen, `I will marry Na.nefer.ka.ptah to the daughter of a general, and Ahura to the son of another general.` And the Queen said, `No; he is the heir, let him marry his sister, like the heir of a king; none other is fit for him.` And the King said, `That is not fair; they had better be married to the children of the general.`
“And the Queen said, `It is you who are not dealing rightly with me.` And the King answered, `If I have no more than these two children, is it right that they should marry one another? I will marry Na.nefer.ka.ptah to the daughter of an officer, and Ahura to the son of another officer. It has often been done so in our family.`
Feast before the King
“And at a time when there was a great feast before the King, they came to fetch me to the feast. And I was very troubled, and did not behave as I used to do. And the King said to me, `Ahura, have you sent someone to me about this sorry matter, saying, “Let me be married to my elder brother”?` I said to him, `Well, let me marry the son an officer, and he marry the daughter of another officer, as it often happens so in our family.`
I laughed, and the King laughed. And the ing told the steward of the palace, `Let them take Ahura to the house iof Na.nefer.ka.ptah to-night, and all kinds of good things with her.` So they brought me as a wife to the house of Na.nefer.ka.ptah; and the King ordered them to give me presents of silver and gold, and things from the palace.
“And Na.nefer.ka.ptah passed a happy time with me, and received nil the presents from the palace; and we loved one another. And when expected a child, they told the King, and he was most heartily glad; and he sent me many things, and a present of the best silver and gold lnd linen. And when the time came, I bore this little child that is before you. And they gave him the name of Mer-ab, and registered him in the book of the `House of life.`
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