The Eloquent Peasant, 2nd edition

Fisher

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781630878344
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

Four thousand years ago, Egyptian society struggled with the downfall of the Old Kingdom, which brought an end to material success and introduced anarchy and chaos. Out of this period of crisis came such literature as A Dialogue between a Man and His Ba, Instructions to Meri-ka-Re, as well as the story recounted in this volume, The Eloquent Peasant.In this story, Khun-Anup, a poor peasant, was robbed, beaten, and scorned by Nemtinakht, who was well connected. Khun-Anup appealed to authorities for redress but had to make his appeals nine times. This compelling narrative recounts the peasant's struggle for justice. Fisher's fresh translation with notes provides an engaging entry to a story that has contemporary implications.

Translation1

(R 1.1) There was a man whose name was Khun-Anup;2 he was a peasant of the Field of Salt.3 He had a wife whose name was [Me]ret.

This peasant said to this wife of his, “Now, [I] am going down to Egypt to [obtain] food there for my children. Go and measure the barley that is in the storehouse; bring the remainder of the barley as of [yesterday].” Then he measured for her [six] heqat4 of barley.

(R 1.5) This peasant said to this wife of his, “Now, [there are] twenty heqat of barley for food, for you and for your children, but you shall make for me these six heqat of barley into bread and beer5 for every day [so I can live] on it.”

This peasant went down to Egypt (B1 1) after he loaded his donkeys with: reeds,6 redemet plants, natron, salt, (B1 5) sticks from [Hes]tiu,7 wood from Farafra, panther hides, jackal hides, nesha plants, (B1 10) ‘anw stones, tenem plants, khprwr plants, s3hwt plants, míswt plants, snt stones, ‘bw stones, íbs3 plants, ínbí plants, pigeons, n‘rw birds, wgsw birds, wbn plants, tbsw plants, gngnt, shní-t3, and ínst—(B1 15) a full (load) of all the good products of the Field of Salt.

This peasant went south8 toward Ninsu.9 He arrived in the region of Per-Fefi to the north of Medenit. He found a man standing upon the riverbank, whose name was Nemtinakht.10 (B1 20) He was the son of a man whose name was Isry, and he was one of the serfs of the Chief Steward,11 Rensi, the son of Meru.

This Nemtinakht said, when he saw the donkeys of this peasant, which were desirable in his heart, indeed, he said,12 “I wish I had a powerful13 divine image; I would steal this peasant’s goods with it.”

(B1 25) Now the house of this Nemtinakht was on the shoreline by a path—it was narrow; it was not wide—it measured the width of a loincloth. His14 path’s one side was under water, the other under barley.

This Nemtinakht said to his follower, “Go bring me a shroud15 from my house.” It was brought to him at once. (B1 30) Then he spread it out on the shoreline path; its hem settled on the water and its woven edge on the barley. This peasant came on the public path.16

This Nemtinakht said, “Peasant! Take it easy. Do not step17 on my garments.”

This peasant said, “I shall do your pleasure; my way is good.” (B1 35) He went up higher.

This Nemtinakht said, “Is my Upper Egyptian18 barley a path19 for you?”

This peasant said, “Good are my ways. The riverbank is high, and the only ways are under the Upper Egyptian barley. You certainly ordered the closure of our path with your garments. Will you not allow our passage on the path?”20

(B1 40) Then one of these donkeys filled its mouth with a wisp of the Upper Egyptian barley.

This Nemtinakht said, “Look, I will take away your donkey, peasant, because it is eating my Upper Egyptian barley. Note, it will tread (out the grain) because of its harvesting.”21

This peasant said, “My ways are good. (B1 45) Only one (wisp) is destroyed, and for its price,22 I will buy back23 my donkey if you take it for filling its mouth with a wisp of Upper Egyptian barley. Now I know the Lord of this district; it belongs to the Chief Steward, Rensi, son of Meru. Now he is the one who punishes every thief in this entire land. Shall I be robbed in his district?”

(B1 50) This Nemtinakht said, “Is this the proverb that people are saying: ‘A poor man’s name is pronounced on account of his Lord?’ I am speaking to you, and you...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Translation
• Conclusion
• Epilogue
• Bibliography