The Two Brothers (Egyptian Folktale)

Summary

This script narrates the ancient Egyptian tale of two brothers, Anpu and Bata. After their parents' death, Anpu cares for his younger brother Bata, who becomes an exceptional worker. Jealous of their close bond, Anpu's wife falsely accuses Bata of attacking her, leading to a conflict where Anpu attempts to kill his brother. With divine intervention, Bata escapes and seeks refuge in the Valley of the Acacia. Anpu later learns the truth, kills his wife, and mourns his brother. The gods eventually create a beautiful wife for Bata, offering him solace.

Takeaways

• 👬 Two brothers named Anpu (the elder) and Bata (the younger) lived together after their parents passed away.
• 🏠 Anpu, already married, took care of Bata like a son as they lived together in his house.
• 🌾 Bata was an exceptional worker, plowing fields, harvesting corn, and providing for his brother daily.
• 👿 Anpu's wife grew jealous of Bata and plotted to ruin him, falsely accusing him of attacking her.
• 🗡️ Enraged by his wife's accusations, Anpu prepared to kill Bata, but Bata fled after praying to Ra for help.
• 🐊 Ra intervened by creating a river filled with crocodiles between the two brothers, saving Bata from Anpu's wrath.
• 💔 Bata explained his innocence, saying he always regarded Anpu's wife as a mother. Anpu later discovered his wife's deception.
• 🐕 In a fit of anger, Anpu killed his wife and fed her body to the dogs after realizing she lied.
• 🌳 Bata, now alone, moved to the Valley of the Acacia, where he was blessed by the gods for his goodness.
• 👸 The god Kunumu created a beautiful woman for Bata to live with, and they shared a life together in the valley.

Q & A

Who are the two brothers mentioned in the story?

The two brothers are Anpu, the elder, and Bata, the younger.

How did Anpu treat Bata after their parents died?

Anpu, who was already married, took Bata to live with him and treated him like his own son.

What kind of worker was Bata as he grew older?

Bata became an excellent worker, plowing fields and harvesting corn. There was no equal to him in the land.

Why did Anpu's wife become jealous of Bata?

Anpu loved his brother Bata very much, which made his wife jealous and she plotted to destroy Bata.

What did Anpu's wife accuse Bata of doing?

Anpu's wife falsely accused Bata of attacking her, showing her husband painted bruises to make it seem like Bata had hurt her.

How did Bata escape Anpu's attempt to kill him?

Bata prayed to the god Ra for help, and Ra caused a river filled with crocodiles to flow between Bata and Anpu, preventing Anpu from reaching him.

What explanation did Bata give to Anpu when confronted?

Bata told Anpu that he had always treated his wife as a mother and denied any wrongdoing.

What did Anpu do when he discovered the truth about his wife?

When Anpu realized his wife had lied about Bata, he killed her and fed her body to the dogs.

What did the gods do for Bata after he fled to the Valley of the Acacia?

The gods, knowing Bata's innocence, had the god Kunumu create a beautiful wife for Bata to live with.

How does this story reflect themes of betrayal and divine intervention?

The story showcases betrayal through the false accusation made by Anpu's wife, while divine intervention occurs when Ra saves Bata and the gods reward his innocence by giving him a wife.