Tales of Ancient Egypt begins with the Creation myth of Amen-Ra, the father of gods and men. Then follow the stories of Isis and Osiris, and their son Horus. After the death of Horus Egypt was ruled by earthly kings, but each Pharaoh was assumed to be the incarnation of a god on earth, and was regarded with mystic reverence by his people. There are stories of the dealings some of the Pharaohs had with the gods—to ensure the yearly Inundation of the Nile that brought rich crops to Egypt; to expel demons, or to help protect the great pyramids against earthquake and thunderbolt, so that they would stand for ever.

Through the centuries, successive Pharaohs often sought help from their magicians, whose enchantments, as this book shows, could range from providing pleasant entertainments for their royal masters to visiting and returning from the mysterious Duat, the Land of the Dead. In addition, sea-captains and generals often brought back stories of adventure in strange lands to entertain Pharaoh and his court.

Roger Lancelyn Green has divided this collection of myths, folk tales and legends into three sections: Tales of the Gods, Tales of Magic, and Tales of Adventure. In a Prologue he describes the world of Ancient Egypt, and tells how each of the stories has survived down to the present day.

From the dust jacket