And his Majesty said, “Thou, thyself, Hordedef, my son, bring him to me.” Then were the ships made ready for the King's son Hordedef, and he went up the stream to Dedsneferu. And when the ships had moored at the haven, he landed, and sat him in a litter of ebony, the poles of which were of cedar wood overlaid with gold. Now when he drew near to Dedi, they set down the litter. And he arose to greet Dedi, and found him lying on a palmstick couch at the door of his house; one servant held his head and rubbed him, and another rubbed his feet.

And the King's son Hordedef said, “Thy state is that of one who lives to good old age; for old age is the end of our voyage, the time of embalming, the time of burial. Lie, then, in the sun, free of infirmities, without the babble of dotage: this is the salutation to worthy age. I come from far to call thee, with a message from my father Khufu, the blessed, for thou shalt eat of the best which the King gives, and of the food which those have who follow after him; that he may bring thee in good estate to thy fathers who are in the tomb.”

And Dedi replied to him: “Peace to thee! Peace to thee! Hordedef, son of the King, beloved of his father. May thy father Khufu, the blessed, praise thee, may he advance thee among the elders, may thy ka prevail against the enemy, may thy soul know the right road to the gate of him who clothes the afflicted; this is the salutation to the King's son.” Then the King's son, Hordedef, stretched forth his hands to him, and raised him up, and went with him to the haven, giving unto him his arm. Then said Dedi, “Let there be given me a boat, to bring me my youths and my books.” And they made ready for him two boats with their rowers. And Dedi went down the river in the barge in which was the King's son, Hordedef. And when he had reached the palace, the King's son, Hordedef, entered in to give account unto his Majesty the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, the blessed. Then said the King's son Hordedef, “O King, life, wealth, and health! My lord, I have brought Dedi.” His Majesty replied, “Bring him to me speedily.” And his Majesty went into the hall of columns of Pharaoh (life, wealth, and health), and Dedi was led before him. And his Majesty said, “Wherefore [pg 165] is it, Dedi, that I have not yet seen thee?” And Dedi answered: “He who is called it is that comes; the King (life, wealth, and health) calls me, and behold I come.” And his Majesty said, “Is it true, that which men say, that thou canst restore the head which is smitten off?” And Dedi replied, “Truly, I know that, O King (life, wealth, and health), my lord.” And his Majesty said, “Let one bring me a prisoner who is in prison, that his punishment may be fulfilled.” And Dedi said: “Let it not be a man, O King, my lord; behold we do not even thus to our cattle.” And a duck was brought unto him, and its head was cut off. And the duck was laid on the west side of the hall, and its head on the east side of the hall. And Dedi spake his magic speech. And the duck fluttered along the ground, and its head came likewise; and when it had come part to part the duck stood and quacked. And they brought likewise a goose before him, and he did even so unto it. His Majesty caused an ox to be brought, and its head cast on the ground. And Dedi spake his magic speech. And the ox stood upright behind him, and followed him with his halter trailing on the ground.

And King Khufu said, “And is it true what is said, that thou knowest the number of the designs of the dwelling of Tahuti?” And Dedi replied, “Pardon me, I know not their number, O King (life, wealth, and health), but I know where they are.” And his Majesty said, “Where is that?” And Dedi replied: “There is a chest of whetstone in a chamber named the plan-room, in Heliopolis; they are in this chest.” And Dedi said further unto him, “O King (life, wealth, and health), my lord, it is not I that is to bring them to thee.” And his Majesty said, “Who, then, is it that shall bring them to me?” And Dedi answered to him, “It is the eldest of the three children who are in the body of Rud-didet who shall bring them to thee.” And his Majesty said: “Would that it may be as thou sayest! And who is this Rud-didet?” And Dedi replied: “She is the wife of a priest of Ra, lord of Sakhebu. And she has conceived these three sons by Ra, lord of Sakhebu, and the god has promised her that they shall fulfil this noble office (of reigning) over all this land, and that the eldest of them shall be high-priest in Heliopolis.” And his Majesty's heart became [pg 166] troubled for this; but Dedi spake unto him: “What is this that thou thinkest, O King (life, wealth, health), my lord? Is it because of these three children? I tell thee thy son shall reign, and thy son's son, and then one of them.” His Majesty said, “And when shall Rud-didet bear these?” And he replied, “She shall bear them on the twenty-fifth of the month Tybi.” And his Majesty said, “When the banks of the canal of Letopolis are cut, I will walk there that I may see the temple of Ra, lord of Sakhebu.” And Dedi replied, “Then I will cause that there be four cubits of water by the banks of the canal of Letopolis.” When his Majesty returned to his palace, his Majesty said: “Let them place Dedi in the house of the royal son Hordedef, that he may dwell with him, and let them give him a daily portion of 1,000 loaves, 100 draughts of beer, an ox, and 100 bunches of onions.” And they did everything as his Majesty commanded.

And one day it came to pass that Rud-didet felt the pains of birth. And the majesty of Ra, Lord of Sakhebu, said unto Isis, to Nebhat, to Meskhent, to Hakt, and to Khnumu: “Go ye, and deliver Rud-didet of these three children that she shall bear, who are to fulfil this noble office over all this land; that they may build up your temples, furnish your altars with offerings, supply your tables of libation, and increase your endowments.” Then went these deities; their fashion they made as that of dancing-girls, and Khnumu was with them as a porter. They drew near unto the house of Ra-user, and found him standing, with his girdle fallen. And they played before him with their instruments of music. But he said unto them, “My ladies, behold, here is a woman who feels the pains of birth.” They said to him, “Let us see her, for we know how to help her.” And he replied, “Come, then.” And they entered in straightway to Rud-didet, and they closed the door on her and on themselves. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind her, and Hakt helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of User-ref, do not do violence.” And the child came upon her hands, as a child of a cubit; its bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was like true lapis-lazuli. They washed him, and prepared him, and placed him on a carpet on the brickwork. Then [pg 167] Meskhent approached him and said, “This is a king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave strength to his limbs. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind her, and Hakt helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of Sah-ra, stay not in her.” Then the child came upon her hands, a child of a cubit; its bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was like true lapis-lazuli. They washed him, and prepared him, and laid him on a carpet on the brickwork. Then Meskhent approached him and said, “This is a king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave strength to his limbs. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind her, and Hakt helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of Kaku, remain not in darkness in her.” And the child came upon her hands, a child of a cubit; its bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was like true lapis-lazuli. And Meskhent approached him and said, “This is a king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave strength to his limbs. And they washed him, and prepared him, and laid him on a carpet on the brickwork.

And the deities went out, having delivered Rud-didet of the three children. And they said, “Rejoice! O Ra-user, for behold three children are born unto thee.” And he said unto them, “My ladies, and what shall I give unto ye? Behold, give this bushel of barley here unto your porter, that ye may take it as your reward to the brew-house.” And Khnumu loaded himself with the bushel of barley. And they went away toward the place from which they came. And Isis spake unto these goddesses, and said, “Wherefore have we come without doing a marvel for these children, that we may tell it to their father who has sent us?” Then made they the divine diadems of the King (life, wealth, and health), and laid them in the bushel of barley. And they caused the clouds to come with wind and rain; and they turned back again unto the house. And they said, “Let us put this barley in a closed chamber, sealed up, until we return northward, dancing.” And they placed the barley in a close chamber.

And Rud-didet purified herself, with a purification of fourteen days. And she said to her handmaid, “Is the house made [pg 168] ready?” And she replied, “All things are made ready, but the brewing barley is not yet brought.” And Rud-didet said, “Wherefore is the brewing barley not yet brought?” And the servant answered, “It would all of it long since be ready if the barley had not been given to the dancing-girls, and lay in the chamber under their seal.” Rud-didet said, “Go down, and bring of it, and Ra-user shall give them in its stead when he shall come.” And the handmaid went, and opened the chamber. And she heard talking and singing, music and dancing, quavering, and all things which are performed for a king in his chamber. And she returned and told to Rud-didet all that she had heard. And she went through the chamber, but she found not the place where the sound was. And she laid her temple to the sack, and found that the sounds were in it. She placed it in a chest, and put that in another locker, and tied it fast with leather, and laid it in the storeroom, where the things were, and sealed it. And Ra-user came returning from the field; and Rud-didet repeated unto him these things; and his heart was glad above all things; and they sat down and made a joyful day.

And after these days it came to pass that Rud-didet was wroth with her servant, and beat her with stripes. And the servant said unto those that were in the house: “Shall it be done thus unto me? She has borne three kings, and I will go and tell this to his Majesty King Khufu the blessed.” And she went, and found the eldest brother of her mother, who was binding his flax on the floor. And he said to her, “Whither goest thou, my little maid?” And she told him of all these things. And her brother said to her: “Wherefore comest thou thus to me? Shall I agree to treachery?” And he took a bunch of the flax to her, and laid on her a violent blow. And the servant went to fetch a handful of water, and a crocodile carried her away.

Her uncle went therefore to tell of this to Rud-didet; and he found Rud-didet sitting, her head on her knees, and her heart beyond measure sad. And he said to her, “My lady, why makest thou thy heart thus?” And she answered, “It is because of this little wretch that was in the house; behold she went out saying, ‘I will go and tell it.’ ” And he [pg 169] bowed his head unto the ground, and said, “My lady, she came and told me of these things, and made her complaint unto me; and I laid on her a violent blow. And she went forth to draw water, and a crocodile carried her away.”

(The rest of the tale is lost.)