Egyptian mythology · 3 chapters

The Story of Two Brothers

A false accusation destroys a family, and begins a cycle of death and rebirth

Anubis and his younger brother Bata live together peacefully, farming their land. Anubis's wife falsely accuses Bata of making advances, when in fact she had propositioned him and he refused. Anubis pursues Bata to kill him. Ra intervenes, placing a river of crocodiles between them so Bata can explain. Anubis realizes the truth. Bata, to prove his innocence, cuts out his own heart and places it in a pine tree. He goes to live alone in the Valley of the Cedar. His magical heart is found and destroyed. He dies. Then reincarnates as a bull. Then as a tree. The story cycles through death, accusation, and rebirth, one of Egypt's earliest and strangest mythological narratives.