Long ago, the god Osiris arrived in Egypt to rule as king. He brought new rules to Egypt and taught them how to farm properly and live peacefully in their villages. Osiris was a knowledgeable and powerful ruler who was well-liked and respected by the Egyptians. Unfortunately, his brother Seth was envious of his brother’s power in Egypt and devised a plan to assassinate Osiris and usurp his throne.
Seth crept into Osiris’ bedroom late one night. Seth measured Osiris’s body from top to bottom and side to side, taking care not to wake up Osiris or his queen, the goddess Isis. Seth brought the dimensions to a carpenter the next morning, who created a lovely wooden chest covered with colorful paint and sheets of gold.
That night, Seth arranged a massive party and invited Osiris as the honoree. The night was filled with dining, singing, dancing, and games. Seth took out the massive wooden chest for the final game. He said that whoever was the first to fit exactly into the chest would be allowed to keep it.
Each of Seth’s friends climbed inside the chest one by one. Unsurprisingly, no one could fit into the chest, which was custom-made for Osiris. Finally, Seth and his buddies persuaded Osiris to gamble with the chest. Osiris stepped into the chest and laid down. Seth had designed the chest to fit him exactly. Seth slammed the lid shut and sealed it just as Osiris lay down. Seth and his friends took the chest down to the Nile River and threw it in, knowing that Osiris would perish.
Isis was devastated when she learned of her husband’s death. She dashed to the riverbed and discovered the wooden chest after several days of searching. Isis opened it and took out her beloved Osiris’s dead body. Isis wept as she concealed Osiris’ body in the river grass. She didn’t want Seth to locate Osiris’s body before she could execute the necessary rituals to allow him to enter the afterlife.
Seth returned to the Nile late that night to ensure that Osiris’s body had been washed away. The chest was nowhere to be located, but he did find his late brother’s body after examining the riverbank grass. Seth, enraged, slashed Osiris’ body into fourteen pieces. He threw the body’s fragments all over Egypt to ensure that it was never found again.
The following morning, Isis returned to the river with her sister, Nepthys, and her friends to complete the proper ceremonies, only to discover that Osiris’ body had vanished! Isis morphed into a massive bird and swooped far above Egypt. Using her keen vision, she was able to locate all of the body’s fragments in order to reassemble Osiris. Isis performed a great feat of magic with the assistance of Nepthys, Thoth, and Anubis. They began to sew Osiris’s body back together with great care. Night after night, they worked together. When the body was restored, they wrapped it in linen strips from head to toe, creating a mummy.
Isis utilized tremendous magic on the night of the full moon to resurrect her husband. Osiris embraced her and expressed gratitude to her sister and companions. He informed them that he would be unable to remain in the world of the living. He explained that after dying, he needed to journey to the domain of the dead to become King of the Afterlife.
Osiris instructed Isis not to be concerned before departing. He promised her that she would soon have a son named Horus, who would beat Seth and become a great protector of the Egyptian people. Horus would bring order and harmony to the universe if he reclaimed the throne from Seth.
Horus was hidden away and kept secure from his evil uncle Seth when he was born. Horus ultimately approached Seth when he reached adulthood, and they battled furiously. Horus’ left eye was poked out during the fight, yet it miraculously came to life. Later, the Wadjet, or the eye of Horus, became a powerful healing sign. Although Horus triumphed, the question of who officially held the throne remained unanswered.
Seth believed that he was the proper monarch since he was Osiris’ brother, but Horus contended that he should be named king because he was Osiris’ genuine successor. Finally, it was determined that Horus would rule as king on Earth. Seth was exiled for all time.
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