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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 [br]for the 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 [br]took one look at her grimy clothes

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

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So she continued down the road [br]until she 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, [br]the most powerful goddess 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, [br]and he was looking for them.

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

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she couldn’t risk using her powers.

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But she was not without aid.

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Serket, 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 [br]into their 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 [br]and gave it to one of the seven, Tefen.

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

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As he crawled under the door,

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he saw the owner’s young son [br]sleeping peacefully

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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 [br]of the cottage,

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they saw a mother running [br]through the street,

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weeping as she cradled her son.

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When Isis recognized the woman [br]who 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 [br]and began to recite a powerful spell:

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

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Poison of Befen, advance not, [br]penetrate 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! [br]Hasten 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, [br]that scorpion’s poison was neutralized.

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

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and lamented her earlier callousness,

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offering all her wealth [br]to 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.