Creation:
There once was no heaven and no earth, no day or night, no life or death.  There was only Primeval Darkness and the formless Ocean of Chaos.  Then the waters receded and land emerged forming the Mound of Creation.  From there the Creator, the Sun God Ra, the embodiment of all life and energy, all light and warmth, rose for the first time casting his radiant light on the world.

Ra then created the deities Shu (air) and Tefnut (water) who created Geb (Earth) and Sky (Nut).   Ra separated them, thus allowing the rest of creation to unfold.  Nut was forbidden to have children in the 360 day year.  So Thoth (Time), created five more days, so Nut could give birth to Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Set, and Horus the Elder, thus making it a 365day year.

Osiris and Isis ruled as King and Queen, bringing civilization, domestication of animals, medicine, science and magic.  Set became the God of Chaos and lived in the desert with Nephthys.

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The Story of Isis and Osiris:
Osiris, Great-grandson of the Creator, RA, inherited the right to be King.  But his brother, Set, was jealous.  Desiring the throne for himself, he constructed a box, built specifically to Osiris’ exact dimensions.  At a feast Set presented the beautifully carved and ornamented box, saying that it was a gift to the one who could fit inside.  Each guest took their turn.  When Osiris lay inside it, Set and seventy-two conspirators rushed up, closed the lid, sealed it with lead, and tossed the box in the Nile.

Isis, Osiris’ wife and sister cried and lamented and was in such a state that no one recognized her.  As she traveled down the river asking everyone if they had seen the box.  Some children pointed the way.

The box, with Osiris inside, drifted to Phoenicia and ran into an Acacia tree on the bank.  The magic of the God, even dead, caused the tree to grow fast and heartily.  It quickly surrounded the sarcophagus and soon the Tree’s flowers were so sweet and abundant that the Tree became famous in the area.

The King and Queen of Phoenicia heard of this Tree and came to see it for themselves.  They were so impressed that they had it chopped down and made it the center pillar in the main hall of the new palace.

When Isis arrived in Phoenicia, she heard about the tree and the King and Queen.  She disguised herself as a nurse and got the job of taking care of the infant Prince.  A few days later the Queen heard rumors of her child’s nurse doing strange things to her son every night in the Main Hall.  That night the Queen hid herself in the main hall and waited for Isis to bring the Prince there.

Isis placed the Prince in a fire and turned herself into a Kite and flew around and around the child.  The Queen, seeing her son on fire cried out and snatched her baby out of the fire.  The Kite turned into Isis the Goddess.  She chided the Queen for breaking the spell she was putting on the Prince to make him immortal.  She refused to continue the spell.

When the Queen, recognizing the Goddess, begged for forgiveness.  Isis demanded the Pillar with Osiris inside.  She took Osiris back to Egypt and, with the help of Thoth, magically brought him back to life.

When Set found out he went into a rage and tore Osiris, limb for limb into 14 pieces and scattered them all over the Earth.  Nephthys left Set and joined Isis in mourning and to search for Osiris’ dismembered pieces.  They found 13 pieces, all but the phallus, which had been swallowed by the Sacred Carp in the Nile.

So Isis fashioned one of gold.  Again, with the help of Thoth, they brought Osiris back long enough for Isis to conceive a son, Horus.  Osiris was then accepted into the Neters and became the star of Orion, and the God of the Underworld.  His job is to oversee the Weighing of the Heart against the feather of Ma’at (Truth).

Meanwhile, Isis hid in the papyrus marshes and raised her son Horus with the help of Nephthys.  He was said to be a sickly child, but grew up to be a strong and great warrior, who avenged His Father’s death and took the throne as the rightful ruler.

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ISIS and the Name of RA:
The Sun God Ra became old and feeble, and dribbled spittle from His mouth.  One day Ra walked His creation with His entourage.  Isis, walking behind Ra, took His spittle and mixed it with Earth and fashioned a serpent from the mud.  She magically brought the Serpent to life and put it in the path of the Sun.  The Serpent bit Ra and He fell ill.  He cried out in pain and agony.  How could this happen?  His pain and anguish was so bad He invited all of those who were skilled in magic and healing to help Him.  Isis came and told Him She could cure Him, but first He must tell Her His true Name.  He demurred, telling Her of all His titles.  She again told Him that He must tell Her His real Name so She could heal Him.  Finally the pain was so much that the Sun God agreed, and hiding behind seven veils He told Her the name.  Isis did, indeed heal Ra, and with His Name She had power over Him.

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Sacred Stories Intro:
On this page I have given a summarized version of some of the Sacred Stories of ancient Egypt.  Mostly the ones involving Isis and/or Ra.  The plan for this page is to list as many versions of these stories as possible.  I'd welcome any help for that!  There are many different versions of these stories.  They changed according to which aspect of the Neter that needed to be highlighted.  When I get more of the versions up I'll explain that better.

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