Here is a story from Egypt, the land of pyramids, the Sphinx, the Nile and more.
Two children Hamut and his sister, Nekatu while playing by the Nile found a baby crocodile. They were fascinated by it and began to play with it. They fed it and took care of it. The next day, they did the same. Soon, it became a routine and they spent everyday with the crocodile, playing and swimming in the Nile with it. The three became fast friends.
One morning, as was their wont, they were playing by the riverside, when they spied a boat. They climbed aboard and hid themselves. They were discovered by the crew only when the boat had sailed many miles away from land. The captain immediately sailed into the nearest port and despatched runners to inform their parents in the village that the children were safe.
Budding talent
In the meantime, as the captain had to continue his journey, he entrusted the children with a friend of his. The friend was a sculptor and wanting to keep the children engaged he taught them the art. Hamut and Nekatu proved talented and very soon were carving masterpieces, painting and drawing. When the sculptor began to work on a pyramid, he entrusted the children with decorating the walls. The Pharaoh while inspecting the progress of the pyramid, spotted the children and was impressed with their talent. Immediately, he commissioned them to design a present for his wife, whose birthday was soon approaching.
Hamut and Nekatu set to work and by the time of the party it was done. The queen was so happy with the gift, that she invited the children to sit with her and the Pharaoh at the banquet table. By this time, the children had become famous. But with fame comes danger.
A couple of villains lay in wait for Hamut and Nekatu and kidnapped them in the hope of holding them to ransom. Before they knew it, the children were put into a boat and were sailing for a foreign port. Several miles away from land, a storm blew in and capsized the boat. The children were thrown into the river and they thought their end had come. But, just then they felt a familiar nudge and to their utter joy they found it was their old friend the crocodile.
The three of them were happily reunited and the crocodile took them safely home.
Retold by Nimi Kurian
