The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions

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

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

She approached a magnificent mansion,

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

and unusual companions and slammed the
door in her face.

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

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

a simple meal and a bed of straw.

Her guest was no ordinary beggar.

She was Isis, the most powerful goddess
in Egypt.

Isis was in hiding from her brother Set,

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

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

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

she couldn’t risk using her powers.

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

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

As Isis and Horus settled into their humble
accommodation,

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

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

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

As he crawled under the door,

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

Isis and her hostess were soon awakened
by loud wailing.

As they peered out of the doorway of
the cottage,

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

When Isis recognized the woman who
had turned her away,

she understood what her
scorpions had done.

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

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

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

and fall upon the ground!

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

Fall down, O poison of Mestet! Hasten
not, poison of Mestetef!

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

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

The child stirred, and his mother wept
with gratitude

and lamented her earlier callousness,

offering all her wealth to
Isis in repentance.

The woman who had taken Isis in
watched in awe—

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

And from that day on,

the people learned to make a poultice
to treat scorpion bites,

speaking magical incantations
just as the goddess had.