Page:Books on Egypt and Chaldaea, Vol. 32--Legends of the Gods.pdf/148

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THE DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND
21

mandrakes were brought unto him the Majesty of this god gave them to Sekhet, the goddess who dwelleth in Ȧnnu (Heliopolis) to crush. And behold, when the maidservants were bruising the grain for [making] beer, these mandrakes were placed in the vessels which were to hold the beer, and some of the blood of the men and women [who had been slain]. Now they made seven thousand vessels of beer. Now when the Majesty of Rā, the King of the South and North, had come with the gods to look at the vessels of beer, and behold, the daylight had appeared after the slaughter of men and women by the goddess in their season as she sailed up the river, the Majesty of Rā said, "It is good, it is good, nevertheless, I must protect men and women against her." And Rā said, "Let them take up the vases and carry them to the place where the men and women were slaughtered by her." Then the Majesty of the King of the South and North in the three-fold beauty of the night caused to be poured out these vases of beer which make [men] to lie down (or, sleep), and the meadows of the Four Heavens[1] were filled with beer (or, water) by reason of the Souls of the Majesty of this god. And it came to pass that when this goddess arrived at the dawn of day, she found these [Heavens] flooded [with beer], and she was pleased thereat; and

  1. I.e., the South, North, West, and East of the sky.