Pharaoh Read Online Free

King, ruler of the most magnificent town on the most glorious of rivers, my master will tell you of his first voyage, when he was no older than Prince Narmer—may your son have peace and plenty for many years.’
    The Translator bowed his head respectfully to Narmer. His husky voice continued. ‘My master travelled with his grandfather and thirty men. But halfway across the sea their ship was hit by a storm.’
    ‘You can count?’ asked Narmer. Few people could count further than their fingers. It was hard to believe that anyone beyond the River could be so skilled.
    He could almost hear the smile in the young man’s voice. ‘Of course, o glorious Prince. What use is a humble trader’s servant who can’t count?’
    ‘But how can a boat carry thirty men?’ cried Narmer.
    ‘You are discourteous, my son,’ rebuked the King.
    ‘I’m sorry, Father. But—’
    ‘There are ships in other lands that are much larger than your fishing boats,’ said the Translator. ‘But this is my master’s story…
    ‘The waves leapt like goats, and were as high as hills. For three days the ship was tossed like wheat at the threshing.But on the fourth night the wind vanished. When the crew woke the sea was as flat as unleavened bread. And there was an island in front of them.
    ‘It was a bare island, just two hills like skulls, side by side. No trees. No sand. Just rock down to the shore.
    ‘But that wasn’t the strangest thing. From the island came the most glorious voice my master had ever heard.
    ‘It was a woman, singing. Even now, after all his years, my master says he has never heard a voice like it.’
    The Trader interrupted, his voice suddenly harsh. Once again his gaze seemed focused on Narmer alone.
    ‘Or wanted to,’ the boy translated quietly.
    The Trader began to speak again. The Translator took up the tale, talking easily, as though he could both listen and translate at the same time. Or perhaps, thought Narmer, he had heard this story so many times before that he knew it by heart.
    ‘The shore was too rocky for the ship to beach safely. But there was a smaller boat on board, about the size of the reed boats on your river here. Every man on board longed to be first ashore, to find the woman who sang so sweetly. But the boat could only carry two men at a time.
    ‘So the Captain went first, with a sailor to paddle. They leapt onto the rocks, pulled up the canoe and ran between the hills.
    ‘And my master waited, and so did everyone else on board.
    ‘But the Captain didn’t return. And still the song came from the island, the sweetest voice it was possible to hear.
    ‘One of the sailors could swim, so my master’s grandfather sent him to bring the boat back. Then my master’sgrandfather set out with another sailor. But before he left he took his grandson, my master, aside.
    ‘“If I do not return, do not look for me,” he said. “I entrust the ship, her cargo and the men to you. Sail away. Do not look back and never look for me again.”
    ‘“Why, Grandfather?” my master cried.
    ‘But his grandfather wouldn’t answer.
    ‘My master watched them paddle across the water, until they too pulled up at the rocks and went ashore, then vanished between the hills.
    ‘The shadows grew longer and still no one came back. The voice sang as sweetly as ever. Night fell, and the voice died away. But still no one came down to the boat at the shore.
    ‘No one on board slept that night. The sailors were waiting for the voice to sing again. And my master was waiting for his grandfather.
    ‘Dawn rose, pink and clear. And as the sun climbed above the waves the voice began to sing again.
    ‘My master hesitated till the sun was at its height. He knew he should obey his grandfather’s command. But he also knew that if he left his grandfather stranded on the island, he could never forgive himself.
    ‘So he begged the sailor to swim to the island again. And when the boat was brought back my master and the sailor began