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A woman in rags emerged from the swamp[br]flanked by seven giant scorpions.

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Carrying a baby, she headed for the [br]nearest village to beg for food.

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She approached a magnificent mansion,

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but the mistress of the house took one [br]look at her grimy clothes

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and unusual companions and slammed the [br]door in her face.

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So she continued down the road until she[br]came to a cottage.

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The woman there took pity on the stranger[br]and offered her what she could:

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a simple meal and a bed of straw.

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Her guest was no ordinary beggar.

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She was Isis, the most powerful goddess [br]in Egypt.

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Isis was in hiding from her brother Set,

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who murdered her husband and wanted[br]to murder her infant son, Horus.

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Set was also a powerful god, and he was [br]looking for them.

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So to keep her cover, Isis had to be very[br]discreet––

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she couldn’t risk using her powers.

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But she was not without aid. Serket, [br]goddess of venomous creatures,

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had sent seven of her fiercest servants [br]to guard Isis and her son.

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As Isis and Horus settled into their [br]humble accommodation,

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the scorpions fumed at how the wealthy[br]woman had offended their divine mistress.

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They all combined their venom and gave[br]it to one of the seven, Tefen.

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In the dead of night, Tefen crept over [br]to the mansion.

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As he crawled under the door,

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he saw the owner’s young son sleeping[br]peacefully and gave him a mighty sting.

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Isis and her hostess were soon awakened[br]by loud wailing.

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As they peered out of the doorway of [br]the cottage,

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they saw a mother running through the[br]street, weeping as she cradled her son.

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When Isis recognized the woman who [br]had turned her away,

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she understood what her [br]scorpions had done.

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Isis took the boy in her arms and began[br]to recite a powerful spell:

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"O poison of Tefen, come out of him and [br]fall upon the ground!

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Poison of Befen, advance not, penetrate [br]no farther, come out of him,

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and fall upon the ground!

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For I am Isis, the great Enchantress, [br]the Speaker of spells.

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Fall down, O poison of Mestet! Hasten [br]not, poison of Mestetef!

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Rise not, poison of Petet and Thetet! [br]Approach not, poison of Matet!"

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With each name she invoked, that [br]scorpion’s poison was neutralized.

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The child stirred, and his mother wept [br]with gratitude

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and lamented her earlier callousness,

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offering all her wealth to [br]Isis in repentance.

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The woman who had taken Isis in [br]watched in awe—

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she had had no idea who she’d brought[br]under her roof.

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And from that day on,

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the people learned to make a poultice [br]to treat scorpion bites,

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speaking magical incantations [br]just as the goddess had.