The Peasant Who

Became King
 Characters

Anpu – the elder brother of Bata, he was a

father-like figure to Bata
Bata – the younger brother of Anpu, he
was treated by Anpu as his own son
Ra-Harmachis – also known as the “sun
god Ra”, he created a river/stream that was
filled with crocodiles that seprated the two
brothers
Anpu’s Wife – a mother-like figure to Bata,
she seduced Bata
Khnumu – an egyptian divinity that was
tasked by Ra to create a wife for Bata
Bata’s Wife – the most beautiful woman in
the land, a daughter of a divinity and was
sought by a powerful king
King – the one who tasked his men to cut
down the acacia tree where Bata’s soul
resides, the person who sought Bata’s wife
The story centers
around two brothers:
Anpu, who is
married, and the
younger Bata. The
brothers work
together, farming
land and raising
cattle. One day,
Anpu's wife attempts
When he strongly rejects her advances, the wife
tells her husband that his brother attempted to
seduce her and beat her when she refused. In
response to this, Anpu attempts to kill Bata, who
flees and prays to Ra-Harmachis to save him.
The god creates a crocodile-infested lake
between the two brothers, across which Bata is
finally able to appeal to his brother and share
his side of the events. To emphasize his
sincerity, Bata cut off a piece of his flesh and
throws them into the stream where it was
devoured by a fish.
Bata states, "Verily, thou didst desire an
evil thing, but if thy desire now is to do
good, I shall instruct thee what thou
shouldst do. Return unto thy home and tend
thine oxen, for know now that I may not
dwell with thee any longer, but must depart
unto the fair region of the flowering
acacia...
...What thou shalt do is to come to seek
for me when I need thine aid, for my soul
shall leave my body and have its dwelling
in the highest blossom of the acacia.
When the tree is cut down, my soul will
fall upon the ground. There thou mayest
seek it, even if thy quest be for seven
years, for, verily, thou shalt find it if such
is thy desire...
... Thou must then place it in a vessel of
water, and I shall come to life again and
reveal all that hath befallen and what shall
happen thereafter. When the hour cometh
to set forth on the quest. Behold! The beer
given to thee will bubble, and the wine
will have a foul smell. These shall be as
signs unto thee."
After hearing of his brother's plan, Anpu
returns home and kills his wife.
Meanwhile, Bata is establishing a life in
the region of flowering acacia, building a
new home for himself. Bata comes upon
the nine gods saying, “ Return again for
thou didst reveal unto thine elder brother
the truth of what happened unto thee.” the
gods took pity on the youth, then Ra
spoke, saying: “Fashion now a bride for
Then the god Khnumu/Khnum fashioned a wife
whose body was more beautiful than any other
woman in the land because she was imbued with
divinity. Because of her divine creation, Bata's wife is
sought after by the king. When the king succeeds in
bringing her to live with him, she tells him to cut
Anpu was given a jar of beer, and it
bubbled, and the wine had a foul smell.
He seized his staff, put on his shoes and
his garment, and armed himself for his
journey, and departed unto the valley of
the flowering acacia. He searches for his
brother's soul for more than three years,
finding it at the beginning of the fourth
year.
He follows Bata's instructions and puts the
soul in a vessel of cold water. As predicted,
Bata is resurrected.
Bata then takes the form of a bull and goes
to see his wife and the king. It chanced that
the king sat by her side at the feast, and
made merry, for he loved her dearly. She
spoke, saying: "Promise before the god that
thou wilt do what I ask of thee.“
His Majesty took a vow to grant her the
wish of her heart, and she said: "It is my
desire to eat the liver of the sacred bull, for
he is naught to thee”. The bull is then
sacrificed, and two drops of Bata's blood
fall, from which grow two Persea trees.
Bata, now in the form of a tree, again
addresses his wife, and whispered to her
“Thou false woman, I am still alive. Lo!
I am even Bata, whom thou didst
wrong. It was thou who didst cause the
acacia to be cut down. It was thou who
didst cause the sacred bull to be slain,
so that I might cease to be."
and again, she appeals to the king to cut
down the Persea trees and use them to
make furniture. As this is happening, a
small chip of wood ends up in the wife's
mouth and swallowed it, impregnating her.
After many days a son was born to her,
and he was brought before the king, and
one said: "Unto thee a son is given.“ A
nurse and servants were appointed to
watch over the babe. There was great
rejoicing throughout the land when the
time came to name the wife's son.
The king made merry, and from that hour
he loved the child, and he appointed him
Prince of Ethiopia. In time His Majesty
fulfilled his years, and he died, and his
soul flew to the heavens. The new king
(Bata) then said: "Summon before me the
great men of my Court, so that I may now
reveal unto them all that hath befallen me
and the truth concerning the queen.“
His wife was then brought before him.
He revealed himself unto her, and she
was judged before the great men, and
they confirmed the sentence. Then Anpu
was summoned before His Majesty, and
he was chosen to be the royal heir. When
Bata had reigned for thirty years, he
came to his death, and on the day of his
burial his elder brother stood in his place.