nd he shrank from having to order new massacres in which mankind would
perish altogether. "By my life," says he to the gods who accompanied
him, "my heart is too weary for me to remain with mankind, and slay them
until they are no more: annihilation is not of the gifts that I love
to make." And the gods exclaim in surprise: "Breathe not a word of thy
weariness at a time when thou dost triumph at thy pleasure." But Ra does
not yield to their representations; he will leave a kingdom wherein
they murmur against him, and turning towards Nu he says: "My limbs are
decrepit for the first time; I will not go to any place where I can
be reached." It was no easy matter to find him an inaccessible retreat
owing to the imperfect state in which the universe had been left by the
first effort of the demiurge. Nu saw no other way out of the difficulty
than that of setting to work to complete the creation. Ancient tradition
had imagined the separation of earth and sky as an act of violence
exercised by Shu upon Sibu and Nuit. History presented facts after a
less brutal fashion, and Shu became a virtuous son who devoted his time
and strength to upholding Nuit, that he might thereby do his father a
service. Nuit, for her part, showed herself to be a devoted daughter
whom there was no need to treat roughly in order to teach her her duty;
of herself she consented to leave her husband, and place her beloved
ancestor beyond reach. "The Majesty of Nu said: 'Son Shu, do as thy
father Ra shall say; and thou, daughter Nuit, place him upon thy back
and hold him suspended above the earth!' Nuit said: 'And how then, my
father Nu?' Thus spake Nuit, and she did that which Nu commanded her;
she changed herself into a cow, and placed the Majesty of Ra upon her
back. When those men who had not been slain came to give thanks to Ra,
behold! they found him no longer in his palace; but a cow stood there,
and they perceived him upon the back of the cow." They found him so
resolved to depart that they did not try to turn him from his purpose,
but only desired to give him such a proof of their repentance as should
assure them of the complete pardon of their crime. "They said unto him:
'Wait until the morning, O Ra! our lord, and we will strike down thine
enemies who have taken counsel against thee.' So his Majesty returned to
his mansion, descended from the cow, went in along with them, and earth
was plunged into darkness. But when there was light upon earth the n