 
Madina Del Terra Solicino

Incredible

adventures along

THE SEVEN WONDERS

PART ONE

The Egyptian

adventures

Chapter one

The beginning of the journey

She is wandering in an endless valley, in golden sunshine. Beyond the river of Nile, there is the city of Memphis, showing off all its glory and beauty.

In the centre of the city there is a grand palace that could have astonished anyone by its Egyptian luxury. As we slowly enter this noble palace, we can hear joyful laughter of the people, merry melody of the instruments we've never heard before and much and much of noise.

But as we continue investigating, we find something strange, or rather someone from the stranger world. And soon, we observe the girl –"she", whose name is Sanam, despite having the same Egyptian dressings as the others and her Egyptian-like name, is not in the least like the others. Being surrounded by a crowd of well-dressed Egyptians, she is unceasingly talking in an agitated tone:

"I awfully regret that, but I have to leave Memphis, right now. I must go back home and it's so far away..."

"Where's your home, I wonder? Haven't you come from the stranger world?" jokingly, remarks one of the young Egyptians.

"Sort of..." smiles Sanam. "But... will you see me off to the Mediterranean Sea? From there, I can easily return home..." she sighs, "...go back to my dear Sicily... At least, I hope so..." Sanam doesn't not have time to finish the sentence. Unexpectedly, it all begins trembling, crackling and breaking down.

An earthquake? No, even worse. Before the people realize what is happening, terrible sand storm carries away them all..."

"Sanam, wake up! Wake up!"

"Oh, no, that's unfair... Where am I?"

"Did you forget? Today we will set for the journey. But, if you don't want to, then you may just..."

"What?" Sanam jumped up immediately, "Mum?!"

"Yes!"

"I am at home? Well, well... The journey... Ah, aren't we getting late for the plane? Aren't we... Or is that, is that..."

"Oh, calm down, my darling," smiled Mum. "Wash up and join us for the breakfast. We'll talk then".

Sanam and her family lived in the south of Italy, in Sicily. Sanam was cheerful and vivacious girl. She was an unordinary type, like her name. She was keen on history – the history of the Antique times and especially, the Egyptian history. Sanam was a fan of historical films, historical novels and historical computer games. And she had read great number of historical novels. She never got bored of history. But the most surprising of all was that she always dreamt of travelling back into historical times...

She had a strange habit, which was related with her five flash-pens of five different colours: green, violet, golden, grey and pink. She always carried a writing pad and these pens with her. Each pen had its own function: She used grey for making to-do lists (in Sanam's opinion, grey was a colour that makes neither happy nor sad). Green was used to write about what interesting events happened during a day, as Sanam thought green was the most suitable for this. The most important and useful information and recipes were taken down in golden – expensive information needs an expensive colour, explained Sanam. She wrote necessary foreign words with violet and she wrote her dreams with pink colour.

Sanam had a friendly family, consisting of four members – her father, mother, her baby brother and her.

As for the journey, which was mentioned above, it was one of her biggest dreams – journey to France. A happy holiday in the city of dreams, Paris. Her Dad prepared it as a birthday present for Sanam. She was really glad of the promised journey; she was counting days and hours. She could't help herself imagining how wonderful that was going to be during the holiday...

By the midday, the family had already got aboard the airplane successfully. Soon, Sanam got acquainted with a nice girl of her age, who was also travelling with her family. Her name was Amira. It didn't take a long time for them to make up friends – a couple of minutes. They had got plenty hours to get to the destination, so girls were going to have a great time.

A few minutes after, one more girl joined them. Both Sanam's new friends were from France; they came to Italy on holiday, and now, were returning to France. Sanam told them that they were, on contrary, going to France to spend their holiday.

Amira lived in Bordeaux, one of the most important seaports of France . The other girl, Hasine was her name, came from Corsica, a wonderful island in the south of France.

Hasine went on with her tale about medicinal herbs and their use. Hasine knew many things related to the traditional medicine. She learnt that from her old grandmother, who lived in a country and was a healer.

"I guess that sounds pretty strange, "a healer", in our modern world, but I fancy her when she deals with patients so accurately, despite having any of this little modern medical stuff".

"That's cool!" Amira and Sanam kept on exclaiming as long as Hasine was talking.

"What's this? Is that your diary book?" Hasine indicated to Sanam's writing pad.

"Well, no, maybe it seems strange to you, but..." after few seconds of hesitation Sanam narrated everything about her habit of flash pens of five functions.

"Oh, that's interesting, isn't it?" said Amira. "Each person has its own strange habits. Take for an instance, me, I always carry five hundred counted beads with me".

"Oh, what do you do with them?"

"Actually, I knit jewellery. In some sense it's my hobby. But must often of all, I lose them, then I count them, when I realize the loss, I begin troubling and wiping..." Amira chuckled. "And I would be glad if the beads turned up to be precious. It would be really great!"

At first, everything was perfect: the sun was shining, the sky was blue, clouds were white and fluffy and the flight was smooth and measured. But, as ill luck would have it, the weather changed. The sky turned dark and miserable. And then, the airplane was flying through the dense gloom of the black clouds. The passengers saw how lightning stroke in the sky. It stormed heavily.

The wind was playing with the plane so airily, just as little kids play with their flying kits. The storm carried it away wherever it would have.

Suddenly, the passengers realized that the airplane touched the ground. Everybody thanked God and thanked the pilot, because the whole equipage remained safe and sound.

However, the situation was troubling, as the plane landed not on a station, but on the middle of a deserted valley.

"Has the plane broken down?"

"Maybe so, maybe even worse..."

That was really bad. The plane was, indeed, in crack-up.

"That's a bad sign, the journey hasn't even begun yet and there's an accident..."

The steward tried to calm down the passengers.

"Nothing serious. Don't panic. Everything is OK. The plane is being examined. It won't take more than an hour or so".

It passed half an hour. It passed an hour. It passed two hours.

The passengers had already stopped feeling anxious, on contrary, they distracted themselves by watching the picturesque view of the country, for the mountainous country they had stopped was marvellous and full of charms of nature; the valley was wonderful with its sublime mountains, with its twinkling waterfall and fresh, sweet, sweet air.

Sitting inside, the passengers got bored. Some of them got out of the plane and walked in the valley. The three friends – Sanam, Amira, Hasine with their parents were also outside.

The valley was, no doubt, beautiful and walking there was entire pleasance. But there was also something, something along the valley, up the hill and in the mountain: something, that couldn't be left unobserved; something that was calling, beguiling and enchanting the passengers – the mysterious cave of the mountain.

The tourists decided to explore the cave in order to kill time and amuse themselves by learning peculiarities of the landmark. So the they set off.

The "mysterious cave" was, indeed, full of extraordinary spectacles. In the cave, there were rocks in different strange shapes, like statues; musical fountains, frozen crystals, drawn pictures on the wall and so on... Beguiled by the view, the three friends could not realize they were going inner and inner. They were enchanted by their own curiosity. They didn't know that the paths of the cave were as implicate as a real labyrinth.

As the girls moved on, the path widened down. When they reached the widest part of the path, Amira saw glittering stones on the wall of the cave.

"The gems of my dream!" applauded Amira cheerfully.

The girls climbed around to pick up "gemstones". But the cliffs where the "gems" were found turned out to be soft. Suddenly, it all began crumbling; the water gushed out of the cliffs and struck the girls. They began screaming and calling for help. A strong current took them away.

Some time later, when the current had brought them to God knows where and the water leaked through the crack of the stones to the ground, they at last managed to get a proper look at themselves: the jeans were torn and their skin was scratched enough, not mentioning about their clothes were totally sopping. The girls deeply breathed in, breathed out and looked around. The first thing they noticed was that there was no one else around but them.

No matter how hard tried the girls find the way back, it all went useless – they only went astray. All the attempts and all the paths led them to the same place, where the water threw them away. There wasn't any way back. Despite that was hard to accept, they were lost. Lost!

"Why on earth did we enter this cave?!" Amira kept on repeating. "Why did we touch those damned gems! Now, we'll stay here forever and no one will find us ever! Never! We're all finished! Who will save us?! What shall I do, eh? And my family, my parents..." Amira began sobbing. "What will happen to me? Why am I here? Oh, poor Amira, oh, unlucky Amira, where did you come..."

*

"I know, I know exactly – there must be some path, which leads us out. Think of little, think thoroughly," muttered Sanam incessantly.

"Useless, useless at all," again, Amira began sobbing. "It's all over! I'm fed up with walking along these endless paths; I've lost all my energy. If there were any chances of getting out of this cave, we would already be out! We-are-finished! Why did we come here! Why are we so unlucky?!"

"Amira, you stop sobbing or not?!" cut in annoyed Hasine. "Even I began feel wretched because of your cries".

"Well, you think that's only you who should feel good and it's no matter how I am feeling?"

"It's not about who should feel good or bad. Just, if you go on with your sobbing and complaining, it will be even worse to you. In addition to, you'll spoil our mood and break our aspiration".

"So, no matter what happens to me, you'll sit there and relax, is that so?"

"Who's sitting and relaxing? Amira, you're making my blood boil!"

"Well, if I am not wanted here, then..."

"Amira, Hasina!" cried out Sanam. "I don't understand if you're looking for reasons for quarrelling? Instead of that, maybe it would be better to find out a solution to the problem?"

"And I'm saying just the same thing, but Amira..."

"Amira what? What do you want to say?" interrupted Amira "Amira, Amira... Amira is always guilty in everything. Did something and Amira is guilty. Did nothing and again, Amira is guilty".

"Having said so much and yet you consider it's nothing?"

"Yeah, I did nothing, it's not my blame," said Amira with complete confidence. "It's you who's one to blame. Or do you have any objections? Tell me then, whose idea was "exploring" this damned cave? Not yours, eh? Who did lead us there? Who's guilty in that we're lost in this horrible darkness?"

"Surely, that's you are," replied Hasine, with even more confidence. "Let me remind you that we were exploring around safely until we picked up those "precious gems". As a result, the water took us away and we got lost. Tell me please, whose idea was picking the gems?"

"That's not important whose idea it was, but that's important who put it into action".

"Who then?"

"All three of us. That's why my fault may not be less than yours, but at any rate, is not more either".

"Indeed?"

"Girls! Girls, listen!" Sanam was trying to stop them from quarreling. But they were involved in argument too deeply, so they didn't hear anything.

"Girls, I worked out how to get out of there!" cried out Sanam at last.

"How?!" asked Hasina and Amira in unison.

"Look at these walls!" Sanam indicated to the direction of the cave walls.

"Hah, I thought that was serious..." said Amira, who disappointed at once. "In your opinion, we can broke pierce those walls?"

"Just look and listen," said Sanam. "Do you want to get out of there unharmed, safe and sound?"

"Of course, we do!"

"Then," continued Sanam, "we all have to try really hard. The place where we found artificial gems was the last place until we got lost. Therefore, we should find the place, from there we can easily find way out of the cave. There was water, as you remember. So we should attentively listen to water's dripping voice and orientate by hearing. If we find water – we'll find way out".

Both girls agreed with Sanam. They moved on. There was quite gloomy inside of the cave. Amira was carrying a lantern, but it gave a little light. The girls were going silently, so silently that they could hear their own heartbeats.

As they approached to the end of the corridor, it became more brightly. At first rejoiced girls thought that they found the way out.

Nevertheless, when they arrived to the place the brightness came, they were lost through astonishment and disappointment. The light wasn't coming from outside as the girls supposed. The girls came across with an unbelievable view – light was coming from an enormous golden sandclock, as high as ten men's height. The path they were walking leaded to a deep abyss and the sandclock was hanged upon the abyss. Its lid was as large as a whole room. There was also a suspension bridge connecting the end of the path and the lid of the sandclock. Having come across with such an incredible spectacle, the astonishment and curiosity in girls became immeasurable. They crossed over the suspension-bridge in order to observe inside of the room upon the sandclock.

"If it were a real gold lid, I would carry it away with me and became a billionaire," said Amira. "Unfortunately, the lid is artificial as well as the gems. Maybe, that's just brass, coloured in golden".

"And even if it was pure gold, it would be of no use to us," said Sanam.

"Why?" frowned Amira.

"Because we don't have enough strength to carry it away".

"Ah, I've got it – you wanna deceive me by saying so and possess the whole gold lid yourselves".

"Then, when you said it's brass you planned to deceive us, too, by making us disappointed of treasure and get a rid of abettors!"

"So much quarrels for unreal treasure! We have not even found way out yet," remarked Hasine.

The girls giggled cheerfully. Even the imagination of the possible treasure rose up their mood.

Inside of the sandclock was stunning. The room had a rounded shape, the ceiling was golden, the walls were glacier and the floor was marble. At the very centre of the room there was a little table made of slender crystal and the floor under it was made of the same material. On the table there was a map-like piece of parchment and a compass-like round object, but a bit different from a compass because of its antique decorations and strange patterns. Curious Hasina rushed towards the table. She had only taken the map and the compass, when the fragile floor under her feet broke down. It fell down and Hasina was gone with the splinters of the floor. She had fallen down into the sandclock.

Hasine cried out for help at the top of her voice. Sanam and Amira, who were rushing for help, slipped down into the sandclock, as well. Horrified girls closed their eyes.

They found themselves completely in another place when they opened their eyes. For some minutes the girls did not stop from coughing.

"It seems like we've got out of the cave," spoke Amira at last.

The weather was extremely hot and dry. The girls who weren't accommodated to such weather were hardly breathing. And they had no idea of where they got into.

"The place is unlike to the valley where our little plane had stopped," observed Hasine while looking around. "It's strange, this place. And quite unordinary. It's so hot here and yet, I'm sure we are not in a desert".

Indeed, the ground was full of bushes and other various plants which girls had never seen before.

"I agree with you," said Sanam thoughtfully. "In fact the place is magnificent. Where are we, I wonder?"

"It seems like there's something behind that hill. Let's go there, maybe we'll find our people there".

Amira said these words in such a confident fashion, that the girls followed her at once.

"So you think we'll reach the place where our plane had stopped by walking so?" asked Hasine quite loudly as Amira had already left them behind and wasn't walking but nearly running.

"Of course I do," replied Amira as quickly as she stepped.

"But how?" Sanam stopped from walking. "Don't you see we're in absolutely different place from that valley? We don't even know where we are".

"No problem, we'll inquire then".

By this time, they reached the top of the hill.

"Will you?" asked Sanam, frozen in astonishment and staring at the view behind the hill. There was a city behind the hill. But not at least like our modern cities.

"Will you?" repeated Sanam who could not believe her eyes. "Will you ask? Ask from them?" she indicated to the city.

It was an ancient city with its ancient huts and palaces, bazaars and temples, aristocrats and beggars.

At the other side, there stood the Sphinx, glorious and magnificent.

"I did see that very Sphinx in my dream!" exclaimed Sanam "And... we were going to visit that place with my family... I must go there," by saying so, Sanam ran towards the Sphinx. Hasine and Amira followed her.

Now, they were doubting no more that it was ancient Egypt.

"Unbelievable, Hasine, unbelievable!" unceasingly, Sanam kept on repeating. "We've fallen down into the sandclock and turned up there, in ancient Egypt! I know I've always dreamt of the similar event, but... It is the miracle!"

"I believe in miracles... That's great, indeed," said Hasine who was staring at the city.

"As for me, I believe only in that what I can see with my own eyes," pronounced Amira in an important fashion. Then looked around and added, in a desperate voice: "Oh, can't believe my eyes! It must be a dream!"

The girls chuckled.

*

The three girls wandered about the Sphinx for a long time. They could not decide whether it was right to enter the city or not. And they argued about how they turned up there. Then, tired of arguing, the girls went silent.

Sanam took her five flash-pens and started writing about the miracle that happened that day and that was hard to believe it to be truth; maybe that was a dream and they were dreaming in the cave, tired of searching for way out or maybe, even, Sanam was dreaming on the board of the plane, tired of waiting.

Amira, bothered of their being in a strange land, started complaining about that they had nothing to live with. Then, she added that she herself had nothing but to four hundred ninety-nine beads, in exception to the lately lost one and began counting them to check if she was right.

Hasine neither did, nor said anything. She was in a deep thought.

Meanwhile, they noticed an old man approaching to them, with white beard and dressed in white. And a number of men and women followed him, all dressed in long white clothes.

Arguing broke into again. Amira suggested hiding in somewhere, Hasine protested saying they didn't have to panic before time, reckoning the strangers weren't coming towards them at all, but just only passing by on their own way. And there weren't any suitable place for hiding after all.

Sanam said nothing. The only thing she did was to quicken writing so that to have time to write down everything she intended.

Hasine was wrong, as they came and stopped exactly in front of the girls. And the strangers stared at them so penetratingly, that the girls felt uneasy.

Amira, realizing it was too late to hide, attacked first:

"We understand that the land is yours, folks, I know that's your property and you have to protect it. But, we don't have any wicked intentions and if only we could find way back home, we would immediately leave your weird country".

Scarcely had Amira finished these words when she noticed how both her friends were staring at her in greatest amazement. Because Amira had spoken a language, absolutely unknown to her and which could not be known to her – ancient Egyptian. But the more amazement caused that, the following words, spoken by the stranger in the same language were understandable for all three of the girls:

"No one is driving you from this land. On contrary, we've come here to invite you to the city".

"What? Why?" asked Amira, even more stupefied.

"Because, firstly, one of you was counting, the other was writing and the third was thinking. Secondly, it's the right time".

"How's that could be important making notes and counting beads?" asked Sanam. "And, could you tell us, please, who are you?"

"I am the primus architect and the primus priest of Egypt. But you may call me, just architect Tuthmon. And these are the trusted architects and the trusted priests. And you may trust them as well. The three signs which I have mentioned recently are the signs of the three girls, whose arrival was predicted. And the time of their arrival was defined to be this very moment and this very place. And those three girls you are".

"That's impossible!" exclaimed the friends in unison. "You must've confused us with someone else".

"No, no, that's the truth. Just tell me if you have the map? That's the second sign of those adventuresses".

"Yes, we do..." was the reply and the girls nearly believed him.

"We have this map. In fact, it was because of this map we had fallen into the sandclock," commented Hasine.

"What? You had fallen into the sandclock? Perfect, that's the third sign. You're exactly those travellers from the prediction. I am grateful to you for your coming just in time".

Then he asked for the map-parchment and compass. As he carefully opened the map, the girls fired him with questions, such as: "What kind of prediction is that? Who made the prediction? Why we of all people? Is that a good prediction? And how is our map connected with the prediction?"

"Look at the map," said the old architect. "What do you see?"

"The seven wonders of the ancient world," replied the girls. Before, they hadn't paid much attention to the pictures, but now they could clearly see the meaning of the each.

"This is the Pyramids, this one is the Pensile Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus in Olympus, The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the statue of Helios in Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria," the girls enumerated all the seven wonders.

"Excellent. Now, ladies, look at the map more attentively". Architect Tuthmon whispered some prayer-like words and touched the picture of the Pyramid on the map. As a result, a piece of writing appeared, rather hieroglyphics. The girls got intrigued. And the inscription was completely readable for the girls, who could both speak and understand ancient Egyptian.

Hasine took the map and read:

"Hey, reader! Know that both the map that is now in your hands and the sandclock, which is the map has been kept in were made with the help of very strong and ancient magic and ancient knowledge. Passing through its magical sand, you've come into the space and time, which it was made in. He who charmed only by goldness of the sandclock is meant to get lost. And if you want to go back home, you ought to pass through the way indicated in the map – make a journey along the seven wonders of the ancient world and get over all the difficulties.

Put the "destinator" (the girls got it meant "compass") between Memphis, where the Sphinx and Pyramids are drawn and Alexandria, where the Lighthouse stands. By doing so, you'll have the destinator infused with the magic of these miraculous edifices. And as long as you're in Egypt, it will indicate you the right way and the right destination".

Without long hesitation the girls did as it was written in the map. The needle span and stopped, indicating to the city.

"You see, we should go to Memphis," said one of the priestesses.

There sent they off. The girls were looking the city over with the keenest interest. Its citizens, edifices, streets, roads, marketplace they were crossing through, goods in it, all of that were awfully interesting for the girls. At the same time, the girls themselves astonished everyone all around with their outfit. With their jeans and maple bags and shoes made of synthetic fibres, not speaking of chic-fashion of their clothings, they looked like visitors from the stranger world. The citizens stared at them in such bewilderment as they have never seen a human being before, to such extent that the girls felt uneasy.

"Amira," whispered Hasine, "if you didn't mind lending some beads, we would buy suitable Egyptian clothes. They wouldn't stare at us with such bewilderment then".

"Beads? Oh... I doubt if someone would buy them..." murmured Amira as if she was unwilling to lose her beads.

"Amira, do you know that we can sell Egyptian clothes in extra-expensive price when we return to the twenty-first century?" asked Sanam.

"Ok, then," Amira immediately took the beads. "But we must buy three dresses for a little amount of beads".

For a long time the girls haggled with the merchant, singing praises about the nice wonderful thing – beads. In the end, the merchant agreed to exchange fifty beads to the three of his best clothes.

Tuthmon led the girls to a castle, full of colourful pictures and hieroglyphics on its walls.

Tuthmon led the girls to a castle, full of colourful pictures and hieroglyphics on its walls.

They entered a comfortable large room. The old architect ordered to set a table.

By architect Tuthmon and priestesses and priests the conditions were told to the girls:

The Lord, a powerful and valiant Ruler of Egypt, being in a long journey along his land, had ordered to find a solution to a very important and disturbing problem and only they, the three girls had the power to help them with that. "How can we help you when we don't even understand what you are talking about?!" was an immediate exclamation.

Then, there was revealed something, which was kept under the lock of great secrecy and not accessible to even palace noblemen. Only the trusted priests and the trusted architects were aware of that.

It took centuries of hard labour to build up magnificent edifices of Egypt – the Sphinx, the Pyramids and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Those edifices, which were supposed to hold on through millenniums, had unexpectedly begun breaking down. "If it continues so, there will be left only a pile of pebbles and sand," commented Tuthmon sadly.

And there wasn't any possibility of restoring them, although the trusted architects for restoration had been involved, all in vain, the edifices could not be stopped from breaking. The strangest of all was that, the part had been mended the day before, again broke down the other day. The priests and predictors were really bothered, as reasonless destruction of majestic and ancient edifices were always considered a sign of the end of the Dynasty. Having heard it, the Lord became outrageous and ordered to keep it under great secrecy. Then he sorted out five hundred of the most talented architects among the trusted ones to take care that the destruction of the monuments be hidden from population by all means, even with rebuilding them every day over and over, if it was necessary. "In fact that's an impossible task," remarked one of the architects. What was more, the Lord warned the architects and the priests, as well as Tuthmon himself that he wished to see the edifices firm and unshaken at the time he returns. Otherwise, he forestalled, it would be unpleasant to all of them.

Regardless how much they discussed and counseled, that was all useless, they could not find a solution to the problem. Except for one solution...

That was connected with an ancient legend. There was said that somewhere beyond the river, in the Candle Valley there existed the Water of Eternity. And the Candle Valley situated beyond the Nile in the Unexplored Land.

How would it be if the Pyramids and the other edifices were poured with the Eternity Water? Undoubtedly, no matter whatever curse had been laid on them, it would be immediately removed and the breakdown would stop at once. They would stand for eternity. But who could bring that water? Who on earth could accomplish such an impossible task? Who can vanquish all the difficulties of the mysterious path leading to the Candle Valley? The answer was in the legend, as well. There was said there would come three girls. Being stood beside the Sphinx, one of them would be writing and the second would be counting and the third was supposed to be thinking. And only these girls could find the right way through the Unexplored Land and accomplish all the errands. And only they could bring the Eternity Water to Egypt.

"Strange coincidence," said Hasine thoughtfully.

"That is no coincidence, that is the truth. Only you can succeed! The destiny of the Pyramids is in your hands!" exclaimed the architects and priests.

"We..." the friends hesitated, "we should think of little".

"Surely," smiled Tuthmon rising. "Have rest till tomorrow, think of as much as you wish and get prepared for the journey. Tomorrow you'll set off".

They left the room. Now the three girls were alone, so they started discussion.

"Did you pay attention to his words?" asked Amira. "He says "have rest till tomorrow" – it means "only till tomorrow, then you must set for the journey whether you like it or not". He's not leaving us a choice!"

"Maybe that's not so bad," said Sanam. "What's wrong when we make a journey to the mysterious land? That's amazing! Having incredible adventures, visiting wonderful places! I think everyone at least once in a life time, deep in his heart, dreams of such a journey!"

"No, no, no, I don't!!" declared Amira abruptly.

"Why not? I think it would be wonderful and interesting, indeed," said Hasine.

"Wonderful, eh? Especially when you got into hot water, a re-ea-ally wonderful mischief it would be," said Amira ironically.

"Amira, why do you always speak of mischief, misfortune, accident?"

"You think I am wrong? Or did you forget, in the parchment there was said we would have a dangerous journey, and in the legend, too, there was pointed out we must vanquish all the difficulties. There danger, here difficulties, there accidents! Why are we always putting ourselves in danger, giving ourselves troubles, I don't understand! That's all nonsense! Oh, woe is me! I was ready to never see either this journey or Egypt!" Amira sighed deeply.

*

All day long the travellers passed time in markets. They amused themselves watching delicate hand-made decorations, prodigious cassettes and chests, various dresses. The girls bartered their modern clothes to the most luxurious Egyptian dresses. They also bought some jewellery. Besides, they bought all the necessary things for the journey: dishes for food, a pot for water boiling, the best antidotes by Hasine's steady requirement, and trifles such as bagatelles, fishing kit, sugarcane... Not for free, of course. Sellers, who have never seen before such things as a pen, pencil or white paper, easily agreed to barter their goods to those outlandish trifles.

In one word, the friends had a good time, even Amira was very glad. Who would not like walking through noisy markets and buying anything she wished, especially when she was a lassie like Amira, an admirer of bijous.

What beauty, what landscape! There were pure blue waves of Nile, dancing and infinite flatland covered with thick green grass beside. As the vessel sailed on, balmily breeze blew and beautiful fields changed to towns and cities, then again, to infinite fields!

Next day architect Tuthmon came to ask whether they were going to set for the journey or not, reminding that they could return home only by passing all the way indicated on the map.

"You've come here by magic. And you can return only by the help of magical means. Go to the Candle Valley and maybe, you'll find magical means that can be useful for you, too".

Even without these facts, two of the girls had already agreed with the idea of the journey. In the end, realizing she had no choice, Amira agreed as well. The old architect advised them to go to Alexandria, for some priests were saying in the Lighthouse there must be some secret portal.

"But Alexandria is too far away! Without planes, it takes ages to reach there! It's situated in the other end of Egypt," objected Hasina.

"Don't bother. You'll be provided with the fastest and the best vessel".

So the travellers set out from Memphis to Alexandria.

What beauty, what landscape! There were pure blue waves of Nile, dancing and infinite flatland covered with thick green grass beside. As the vessel sailed on, balmily breeze blew and beautiful fields changed to towns and cities, then again, to infinite fields!

"Look at these wonderful fields, abundant pastures," spoke Sanam. "You see the blue sky over us and pure, fresh water under? I never thought I would travel such a pleasant trip in a vessel like that!"

"But you didn't think you'd fly by plane to go to Alexandria?" asked Hasina and the girls giggled cheerfully.

Soon they reached Alexandria. The Lighthouse was seen with all its glory. The travellers were met by the Keeper of the Lighthouse.

The girls explained him the conditions. The Keeper led them to the top of the Lighthouse.

"The Lighthouse is a remarkable edifice," said the Keeper, as they were stepping up on the stairs. "Dark in the evenings and at nights it helps vessels to find the right way. Every day I rise up and burn fire so that the Lighthouse will be visible even to the most distant ships. That's why the Lighthouse was built so high".

"But not as high as New York's sky-scrapers," remarked Amira. The Keeper blinked perplexedly. Hasine chuckled, Sanam sighed, whispering "eh, Amira, Amira..."

At last they were at the top of the Lighthouse. They stood staring at the Nile for some minutes. The river was full of various vessels – boats, ships and canvas.

The Keeper broke the silence – he spoke cautiously, in a very low voice, although there was no one else but them.

"Are you sure you can make it? Since you were trusted the Secret, you are among the trusted ones. So I may trust you, too. As you know, great misfortune has come upon the sights of Egypt. The breakdown, however did not left aside the Lighthouse, either. Perhaps for having some undiscovered outstanding attributes the latter is damaging less than all the others. Anyhow, the damage is growing day by day and I'm afraid one day it may demolish the Lighthouse.

I'm revealing the secret path before you. Promise me to keep it a secret".

The girls promised.

The Keeper poured water on the floor to soften the ground. Then he felt the floor and found a bronze slab, and cleared it from clay. Pressing some buttons-hieroglyphics, he pushed the slab. A deep long tunnel opened in front of them. They moved down the tunnel. Burning torches were illuminating the tunnel, the wall was full of pictures and hieroglyphics – fragments from Egyptian legends.

At last they reached the end of the tunnel, where a vast locked door stood. The lock was of an extra-ordinary type, a relief drawing, consisting of three circles. The circles inclined one upon another. The middle circle had a drawing of a falcon and the second drawing was alike a snake. As for the third one, also consisting of lines, it was obscure to define what it was and that was impossible to compare it with anything.

Soon, the Keeper said he was leaving them and wishing good luck, left.

The Lighthouse was seen with all its glory.

The girls looked around. Suddenly, Hasine caught a sight of three figurines – falcons. They stood in the embayment of the wall and were appropriate point for point to the prominent drawing on the lock. Nevertheless, the place the figurines stood was rather high and it wasn't easy to get them. But the girls tried hard and they managed to get the figurines and put on the middle drawing. The figurines shone with bright beams and both the drawing and the figurines vanished. Now, it was turn of the second circle – the snakes.

No matter how attentively they detected all around the room, no matter how hard they tried, they did not find any snake-figurines. However, our travellers did not give in easily. In the end, when the idea of digging the ground floor came to them, they found the snake statuettes under the ground. The girls tried putting the statuettes to the lock. Appropriate! Now, only that obscure third drawing was left. The girls, again, sought over thoroughly and pondered and pondered and pondered... But this time, that was all absolutely useless. They found nothing. Nothing at all!

Tired girls fell asleep.

"O-oh," Amira yawned, "I have been thinking about one and the same thing for such a long time. In result I saw the same thing in my dream," said Amira when they woke up.

She told that in her dream her palm was the right key for the third circle and pushing the door with the left palm resulted her opening the door. "But I think that's nonsense. One may dream of any kind of those little trifles," Amira finished her tale with these words.

"I don't think that's nonsense. Every dream has its own meaning. Why not to give it a try?" suggested Sanam.

Meanwhile, Hasine sat staring now at her palm, now at the lock and comparing them.

"Girls, look! The lines of my palm are very alike to those on the door!" exclaimed Hasine in astonishment.

"So are mine!" exclaimed Sanam after detecting her own palm.

"So are mine!" said Amira.

Then the three girls pressed the lock with their palms and pushed the door with pressure. First, the lock and their palms shone, then the whole door did. At last, the door opened and a strong wind carried the girls away...

When the wind died away, the girls found themselves in the deserted bank of the river, grown over with rushes. The Lighthouse, the lock, the door – all had vanished. The girls were amazed of how suddenly and quickly they turned up here, in a deserted shore from noisy Alexandria. Having regained consciousness, they decided to go along the shore to get to know where they had turned up.

"I feel in my heart that interesting and at the same time a bit dangerous adventures awaiting us," said Sanam.

"The beginning of the adventure is not so bad for now. But I doubt it that the adventures will be totally non-dangerous. I'm sure we'll have horrible one," said Amira.

"If you're afraid of risking, you'll never achieve your goal".

"Hasine, you know what, I'll speak to you when terrors begin calling upon you," said Amira and sighed heavily. "I can't believe that two days ago I was walking calm and safe. If only we had stayed in Memphis at least... What will happen to us now, in this horrible desert...?"

"Stop playing up and come here," called Sanam, indicating to the map. "Look, there is a new inscription has appeared: "The Candle Valley is situated on the other shore of the Nile. You have to sail over the Nile. You'll find a magic boat that will transfer you in three days to the other shore of the Nile".

"So that we're standing beside the river of the Nile," said Sanam closing the map.

"The longest and the most boring river in the world," commented Amira.

"And beside it there's Amira, deficient of all joys of the world," added Hasine jokingly.

"Wow, how is that funny!" replied Amira caustically. She turned around with scowling face and went off towards the rushes.

Chapter two

Trials of the Nile

It did not take long time to find the boat; soon, the girls caught a sight of a boat, swinging in surges. Though it was mentioned in the parchment, the girls were a bit perplexed by such a sudden emergence of the boat.

"What shall we do – step aboard?" asked Sanam in hesitation.

"That was said in the parchment that a magic boat would transfer us. I think that is the one," said Hasine.

Scarcely had Sanam opened her mouth for reply, she forgot her words at the following sight – she saw Amira, carrying a pile of hay and armful of rush.

"Arrah! What are these?" asked Hasine.

"These? Well, these are the remedial measures for our pointless, but a da-a-a-a-ngerous voyage".

"And... how are they going to help us?" Sanam was even more surprised.

"We have to sail for three days in a boat, which was made who knows how. No one knows how long this boat will hold on – a day, an hour or a second. I hope you didn't forget wrecking flasks are not sold in this abandoned place. That's why I reckon in case the boat is wrecked let us have at least rushes to hold on. What will happen to us on the other bank of the river we don't know either. There, with hay, we can always lay a fire, of course, if we weren't eaten up by beasts till we need it".

"Eh, Amira, Amira... Why are you so panick-monger!?" said Hasine with a sigh.

The travellers got aboard. Unexpectedly, the board sailed on itself. At first they were startled, but gradually became accustomed. And only Amira kept claiming that it was like as if someone was pushing the boat from under water. She bowed and saw strange water-plants meshed to the boat.

"Water-plants, water-plants, there's all around full of water plants!" saying this, Amira was about to remove them. Hasine prevented it yelling at the top of her voice:

"Don't touch! This is a poisonous alga! If you touch it and then touch your nose or mouth, you'll suffocate!"

Frightened Amira quickly withdrew.

"What a strange plant..." muttered Sanam, staring at the alga.

"It's all around here either poisonous or something else even worse..." grumbled Amira. "Instead of all that perils, it would be better if we were given that water of eternity faster and got a rid of all of that".

"There are men with wicked intentions, who may also intend to take possession of the Water of Eternity. I guess in order to protect the miracle these obstacles were made up".

"That's because of so-called "miracle" we have to go through these perils?" asked Amira with even more discontentment.

"They are the seven wonders and in order to return home we should..."

"Let it be even seven hundred, do I care? Why did you bring me here?!" Amira began crying in despair. "I was hundred times consented that I would never see these wonders! But you, you can't live without your silly adventures! It's all because of you!"

"If you dislike our love for adventures or maybe you dislike us as well, then you may just go away, no one is tying up you here".

"Why am I to go? Have brought to who knows where and now, decided to cast me away, here, alone, so that I would totally get lost?!"

"Amira, stop yelling!"

"I won't, because you're the reason of my mischief!"

"If you consider it's mischief, then it's only you who's guilty. There's nothing to resent at us!" Hasine grumbled in angriness.

"No, I am..."

Who knows how long they would have kept arguing unless Sanam hadn't screamed in horror:

"A-a-a-a-a-a!!!!!! What can we do with crocs?!!!"

Seeing not a single one, but more than a couple of crocs were approaching the boat and were pretty near, the girls choked in terror. Terrified Amira shrilled, Sanam curdled and Hasine was so alarmed, that she could only gesture trying to explain something indistinct.

"Burn!" at last cried out Hasine. "Burn the logs!!!"

"Hav-ve you been mumbling to tell that?" asked Amira.

"Maybe you will help me!" screamed Hasine.

"Ok, what should I do?" perplexed Amira began rubbing logs with trembling hands, in order to get fire.

"Take this!" Hasine threw a box of matches.

Hasine had a box of matches in her pocket when they fell into the sandclock. When she discovered them in Memphis, she hid them carefully, just in case.

They wrapped the ends of the logs with hay and burnt.

Slowly, the crocs crept to the boat. The girls protected themselves with burning logs in their hands. But the fire could hold crocs away just awhile.

"O-oh! It's all finished, the logs have finished, the hay has finished and we're finished, too!" Amira staggered around sobbing.

"Watch your step and don't burn the boat!" cried Hasine.

"A-a-ah!!!" screamed Amira seeing a croc s approaching her with wide open jaws.

"The alga! The poisonous alga!" exclaimed Sanam. "You take care of the crocs and I'll pick the alga!"

"Sanam, stop!" said Hasine, but Sanam would not listen. Quickly acting, she tore an old piece of cloth, wrapped her hand with it and picked up the alga. Wrapping the ends of the logs with the alga, she threw two of these new weapons towards her friends.

With the burning logs in one hand and the poisonous ones in the other, Sanam and Hasine began beating back that gluttonous croc on its jaws, eyes, nostrils... Suffocated croc, groaning, fell from the boat and disappeared...

"He-e-e-elp!!!" cried out Amira at the top of her voice, dodging from the croc, which unceasingly kept chasing her.

"Be quick! Use the alga!" shouted back her friends.

"I can't! I'm afraid!" Amira kept on dodging to and fro.

"Don't be afraid! We'll help you!" saying this, Hasine kicked at the croc's tail with an iron pot. It abruptly turned towards Hasine. Now, it was Hasine's turn of embarrassment. Her poisonous log had already dived into the water with the croc. The iron pot was useless – the croc would scrunch it in a second...

"Take that!" Sanam, standing from another side strongly kicked the croc with a stewpot. Pretty damn quick, Amira attacked the croc. When it turned towards her, Amira, acting quickly, gave poisonous strikes to the croc. This croc, also, as the other one, suffocating and groaning, dived into water.

The girls deeply breathed in relief.

"I am the Virgin of Nile!" she said in a proud and violent tone.

"I wonder how on earth I did find courage; I was so near to the croc's jaw! I thought I would faint when the croc attacked me!" spoke Amira in excitement.

"When your life is in danger, you'll think of nothing else but of saving your life," Sanam was not less excited.

"What else we have saved is the fishing kit. Let's go fishing," suggested Hasine.

"After a such fierce battle, I am ready to devour not only fish, but even a whole shark!"

Chatting cheerfully, the girls threw a net into water. Unexpectedly, the boat shook and gave a lurch that the girls almost fell into the river. A snow-white hand emerged from underwater, seized the board and pulled as if intended to get it sunk. Then, there appeared the one, whom belonged the white hand. That was a strange maid, who was staring at the girls maliciously.

"Oh my God! Who are you?" Amira jumped up in fright.

"I am the Virgin of Nile!" she said in a proud and violent tone. "But who are you? How dare you to poison my alligators?"

"What? So, it was you who sent us these damned crocs!" exclaimed Amira with knitted brows.

"Dry up, girlie!" the Virgin of Nile jolted the boat with such strength, that it flooded.

"Hey, watch your step, you're flooding our boat!" spoke Amira with complete calmness in her voice and sweeping the water away the boat, did not even pay attention that the splashes sprang on the Virgin's face.

"What do you want from us?" asked Hasine. "You yourself have sent us the alligators and yet angry with us!"

"Because the Nile – it's my property! Anyone, who sails over it, every single vessel must pay me a tax! And you did not fulfill this term".

"What tax?" wondered Hasine. "We didn't hear about such thing".

"You must have known, everyone knows and yet no one wishes to pay it!"

"What tax you do want to receive?" asked Amira, losing patience.

"An ordinary one," smiled the Virgin of Nile cunningly. "A one, for instance, as your little jewel-box," said she slowly pulling the jewel-box, full of jewellery, which was bought in Memphis.

"No, I won't give it to anyone, never!" replied Amira abruptly and drawing back the box quickly, pushed the Virgin of Nile away the board. Got even more flamed up, the Virgin cried out in fury: "You'll regret for that! That was a mere trifle compared with what is to come!"

The Virgin of Nile disappeared.

The girls discussed it a lot.

"I remember I read some legends on the subject," began Sanam. "Since time out of mind, whenever people voyaged, they threw a sacrifice into water – something precious. By doing so, they believed they would voyage safely. And there are so many tales about underwater folks like the Virgin of Nile and even more dangerous than her. And if you ask me what is better to do now, I would say that the best thing to do is to hand in what is asked for..."

The girls looked at Amira meaningfully.

"No, no!" Amira jumped up. "Not a word on this subject! The jewel-box is too dear to me, it's precious! You may be agreed, but I will never! I will not give it up!" Amira embraced the jewel-box tightly. "And don't think you can make me to give it up".

"No one forces you if you don't want to," said Hasine. "But, Amira, I remember it was you who disliked the accidents most of us, wasn't you? Now, it's up to your decision whether there will be accidents or not".

"That's unfair!" said Amira nearly crying. "Maybe that's the best thing that happened since we came here – buying these wonderful jewels and now, you put me in a position that I must give up the jewels!"

Their first day in the Nile passed so. After dinner, they went to sleep. Amira, did not part with the jewel-box even when she slept, holding it tightly.

The other day Sanam was woken up by Hasina's and Amira's noise.

"What quarrel again?" asked Sanam half-awake.

"You look at this girl!" said Hasine in a complaining tone. "She saw in her dream that she was at home, lying still in her own warm bed and then, awoken, found herself there. As soon as she found me, she began her old song".

"Eh, Amira, I hoped you wouldn't say this after yesterday's event," said Sanam. "Yesterday, we were heroes and inseparable friends, who saved and rescued one another. Today, all of this is forgotten?"

"No, nothing is forgotten," spoke Amira. "I forgot neither the chilling roar of the crocs, nor that I was nearly to find myself in the reptile's stomach. Who knows, what's waiting for us today?" Amira tuned up. "Enough, I am fed up with that all, fed up!!" Amira leant on the pillow, closed her eyes and went on voicelessly sobbing. Meantime Hasine had already prepared the breakfast.

"Fed up? How?" Hasina surprised candidly. "But you haven't had breakfast yet!"

Sanam and Hasina cackled. Amira, not removing her gloomy face expression, began slowly eating.

"Amira, that's not good of you to behave so," said Sanam. "You're spoiling both yours and our mood. So many trials are awaiting us! How will we gain energy watching your scowling face?!"

"Energy? Mood? What mood are you talking about?" asked Amira caustically. "I beg your pardon, but, Sanam, to be honest, the only thing you know is to sermonize. But, in fact, you yourself is also guilty in many cases! If only you hadn't insisted on, we wouldn't have to go to the cave..."

"What would have happened then?!" Sanam got angry. "So, you are the master of blaming others! You just didn't have to..."

"Oh no, I had to!" said Amira, interrupting Sanam. "Messed things up, and now sitting just as if nothing has happened," saying this, Amira didn't notice how she came near the edge of the boat.

"O-oh no-o!" she cried out unexpectedly. Not because of that she lost balance. Heaven knows where they came from – the snakes had appeared on the boat.

The girls found themselves in a difficult situation, as shallow poisonous snakes clung to their hands and feet and thick ones crawled to their necks and were ready to choke off. But the biggest snake did not come near to them and it crawled around as if giving orders to the others.

"A-a-ah! I hate snakes!" yelled Amira.

"Don't be afraid. Snakes are vindictive creatures, but they won't touch him who doesn't touch them. Just relax and don't move – you won't be bitten," Hasine was trying to remain calm. "Try to relax, breath evenly".

Hasine and Sanam did so, and indeed, after some time thick snakes crawled down. But Amira would not relax.

"I'm afraid of breathing, nor can move, and feel nasty, cannot relax and... it's so scabrous".

"Amira, don't move," ordered Hasine. "Even if it bites, that's nothing. I have an antidote with me".

"You've just said it's nothing even if it bites me?!" cried Amira angrily. In that moment the snakes that clung Amira crawled down, too.

"Snakes in Egypt were considered a symbol of wisdom. Look at this big snake that is spinning around us. Perhaps it's their Lord," Sanam once more glanced at the Snake. She noticed that on its head there were two clamped gravels, like diamonds.

"We have no wicked intentions. If you please, took away your citizens and leave our boat, we would avoid troubles and harming each other unintentionally," spoke Sanam.

"I didn't know you can speak the snake language," said Amira ironically.

Sanam did not pay attention to her. One more time observing the snake, she noticed its nail was injured.

"Hasine, look! Can you treat it?"

Hasine dragged an ointment out of her porch of medicines. She applied it to the wound and bandaged.

The Snake silently left the boat; all the others followed it. Sanam caught a sight of a diamond on the floor.

"It seems the Lord of the Snakes had left it to thank you for your curing it," said Sanam.

Suddenly, the boat gave a lurch and there turned up that snow-white hand and the Virgin of Nile emerged from underwater.

"What have you done with my snakes?! They stopped obeying me! Did you enchant them?" she shook the boat in fury and not waiting for reply, added:

"Enough! I won't believe anyone anymore! This time, I will personally get even with you!" saying this, she dived down and disappeared.

After some hours, the girls completely forgot about both the Virgin of Nile and her horrible beasts. They had a dinner while making cheerful conversations.

"If only there weren't any of these wretched trials, I would say our voyage over the Nile is likely to a wonderful excursion – marvellous landscape, self-sailing boat; gentle waves of the river, rejuvenating cool breeze..." said Amira gazing at the river.

"Wow, one started to like our voyage," laughed Hasine and Sanam.

"No, actually, I don't like it, it just remind me of riverside french restaurants, that's all," said Amira with her nose in the air. "But there's one thing which is really worth being glad at," added Amira after some time.

"What, I wonder?"

"Did you forget the Virgin said this time she would personally come to get even with us," said Amira.

"True, but why should we be glad at it?" asked Hasine.

"Think of little," Amira continued rejoicing. "What could she do coming personally? Would she pull our hair? And even if she would, for us, personally for me, who managed to get over such tremendous, horrible ravening crocs, a hair-puller is nobody".

"Haven't you estimated your skills too high?" asked Sanam, laughing.

"No, no, I won't take back my words," said Amira proudly. "You sit there and have rest while I settle down that Virgin of Nile".

Next day, there did not appear any kind of Virgin of Nile whom they waited for. But there appeared waves, as raging as in the ocean. They damaged the boat badly. And that caused loosing the boat's ability of self-sailing. There was a pair of paddles. The girls hadn't paid attention to them since then, as the boat sailed itself. Now, in such a stormy weather, they had to practise rowing skills for the first time.

But how on earth, the girls who did never use to row could stand against such a fierce storm? One after another, the paddles, which the girls were using or rather, trying to use were broken. And the boat finally lost the control. It seemed the girls were left in complete despair in this mighty river...

From underwater the Virgin's victorious laughter was heard.

"Had poisoned my alligators, enchanted the snakes, but desperate to get over myself! Ha-ha-ha! I am the winner!"

That was damn horrible! Outrageous waves did not stop striking until the boat was broken off and torn away into flinders. The girls, with their luggage, found themselves in water. They were near to sink, unless they wouldn't hold on the flinders in time. Though completely broken, the boat fulfilled its appointment till the very end – it carried the girls to the shore.

"I'm happy we survived this storm," said Hasine, hardly breathing.

"I regret the food has been drown and the dishes have also," said Sanam. "I can see only the compass is saved, which is always with me".

"I've never parted with the map, so it's also remained unharmed," announced Hasine "And the diamond that was left by the Lord of the Snakes".

Amira sat, with tears in her eyes.

"The jewellery box..." Amira spoke, weeping, "Yesterday I slept with it under my pillow and today... in this dust-up... in this storm... it was sunk".

"Oh, dear, don't be upset," her friends embraced her tightly. "Anyway, the Virgin of Nile had taken what she asked. But your beads are still with you, as I can see. How much of them have left now? Anyway, there is pretty enough of beads to buy a plenty of jewellery. Don't weep, my dear, rather count your beads".

Then, they observed a new inscription had appeared on the map. Sanam read the message:

"Thank to your persistence you had easily got over the quest of Nile..."

"Too easily, indeed," remarked Amira with sarcasm.

Sanam went on: "In order to reach the end of the mission you have to go to the Valley of the Pyramids. And one more advice: balanced scales are able to unlock the door".

Chapter three

In the mysterious Pyramid

As the travellers walked across the picturesque oasis, they came nearer and nearer to the Pyramid.

"I can guess where we are!" exclaimed Sanam. "That's the Valley of Pyramids. Let's hurry up".

The girls quickened their steps and soon reached the feet of the Pyramid which had an entrance – the hole at the bottom.

"Come in?"

"As for me, it's better to leave these places at all," replied Amira nervously.

"But our compass is indicating that we should enter the Pyramid," said Hasine.

"What's more, the inscription in the map was saying "the balanced scales are able to unlock the door". To unlock, there should be a lock and a door. And a door would not be hanged up on the air, but in some building, I suppose. No other buildings thereabout. Consequently, there should we enter," added Sanam.

"You're always asking for an advice and doing absolutely the opposite. Ok then, what can I say but to agree," muttered Amira.

Stepping over the threshold, they got in. Scarcely had they stepped in, when an enormous cast-iron disc shuttered down and closed the entrance.

"Did not I say to you we shouldn't enter! You see what you have done – we're locked up! Satisfied now?" cried out Amira in despair.

"Don't panic before time, nothing serious has happened yet," replied Hasina evenly. "That was an entrance of the Pyramid. Our task is, presumably, to find the exit on the other side".

"Now find the entrance, then find the exit," Amira was getting nervous, "First, find out how to catch up, then find out how to escape... What nonsense! What if we won't manage to get out of here – what will happen then? If only I hadn't followed you..."

"Amira!" Sanam pronounced with rebuke.

"Ok, ok, silence, no one is guilty in nothing," Amira calmed down a bit.

Off they went silently.

Slowly, an uninvited guest called fright began creeping in their hearts. Since the entrance was shut down, everything all around was left under a cover of Egyptian darkness, mysterious and obscure. Sick flames of the old candles could not illuminate the corridor. Shadows, falling on the walls and shades of pitchers, jugs and all of the stuff that was covered with clandestine Egyptian hieroglyphics, made an eerie impression of the stranger world.

"On the walls there is written prayers and cursing," explained Sanam. "Egyptian people believed in life after death and...

"Oh yes, of course it's the very time, indeed, for you to tell us such dreadful tales about curses in this damned Pyramid," cut in Amira caustically. But Sanam went on paying no attention to her.

"And they considered that all the stuff which was necessary during the life time would be necessary after death – in afterlife. That's why in deceased's "house" – in a Pyramid, all kinds of stuff are laid everywhere. But in order to that deceased could take away all of these to the other world, every single object has to possess a sacred inscription – hieroglyphics".

Suddenly, Amira shuddered in fright.

"A-a-ah! The eye!" she pointed with a forefinger.

"What's up?" the girls immediately stopped.

"That blue eye... It's supervising me!"

"Eyes of a drawn man?" asked Hasine.

"No, just an eye. Separated, one single eye. It's not even an eye, but a round pupil. Look, look at this. Look, it's winking! Wink-wink!"

"Amira, don't be afraid," Sanam embraced shivering Amira. "That's a kind of hieroglyphics. Just an ordinary letter. The play of light and shadow, nothing more. Calm down. It's all right".

The girls moved on. The further they moved, the more their hearts shriveled. Every sound startled them.

Suddenly something shuttered and Hasine yelled frightfully.

"Is everything all right?" her friends rushed to her.

"Jug... I've broken a jug," pronounced Hasine in a trembling voice.

"Never mind. Stand up. Let's go on," Sanam was trying to speak softly as if to calm her down.

"Yes, of course," Hasine picked up the splinter under her feet and put on the jug, but it fell again under her feet.

"Leave it beside the jug," said Amira.

Scarcely had they walked a few steps when Hasine unintentionally put her foot on the plank with the jug on it. The jug jingled out and the splinter bobbed up and again, fell under Hasine's feet.

"It's the third time the splinter is falling under your feet," observed Amira. "It seems like it's better you to take it away with you".

Silently, Hasina picked up the splinter, which was full of somewhat pictures and hieroglyphics, and put it into her pocket.

The girls moved on silently for a long time. They turned left, turned right, looked up and around, but no exit was to be seen. They were losing any hope that they could get out of the Pyramid.

"Oh, no!" this time Sanam was startled.

"Are you ok?" the girls rushed to her.

"I was startled by..." Sanam pointed at the brass statue of a man's height. "That is what startled me".

The girls carefully looked over the statue; in an Egyptian dress, holding scales in hand. The statue had a man's body and an ibis head. On its head, there was a ball, in sky-blue color. Behind the statue there was large a locked door. The lock's strings were tied to the statue's hand, entangled with the strings of the scales. On scales' left pan there was a tiny statuette of a man, made of clay. The legs of the snip were entwined with a snake. The second pan was empty.

However, our travellers did not examine all this little details attentively. They were so rejoiced at the sight of the door behind the statue, that the statue itself seemed of no importance to them in front of that long searched door.

"Unbelievable, at last we found the exit from this somber darkness," said Amira. "The only odd thing here is this lock".

With these words she came up to the lock and forced to take it off, but with no avail. All three of them were so tired and so bored that after they had searched for long time for the key unsuccessfully, they decided try pulling off the lock. They twiddled, span, pulled, but the lock would not move. They believed after passing such a long way and at last having found the exit, they would certainly get the door open. Nevertheless, it was all useless, no matter how hard they tried. In the end, the girls were tired to such extent, that they gave up any attempts of changing anything.

Outraged Amira began bashing on the door and crying: "Open! Now, open!"

In result what she got was only pain in her hands. Having lost any hopes, they sat down beside the door.

"The end. We'll abide here, forever, in this Pyramid... Now, we're indeed, shut in," said Sanam quietly.

The others said nothing, even Amira. The poor girl had no strength left even to complain...

Suddenly, Hasine jumped up and with eyes flaming with expectation, spoke up:

"How couldn't I guess earlier? Indeed, the map had warned us – balanced scales are able to unlock!" Hasine pointed at the pan. "It happens, I guess, that's the very scales that we should balance".

At first she tried raising up the pan with one hand, then with both, strained herself a bit, but rather unsuccessful.

"How can that little statuette be so heavy?!" exclaimed Hasina, getting round the scales.

"I suggest a simpler method of doing it," Amira looked around, chose heavy objects and put them on the empty pan. But the pan did not move. She looked around once more, chose even more heavy objects, weighty, metallic stuff and put on the pan. The scales would not even shake. Again and again she tried things ten, twenty, forty times heavier that the statuette, but the scales remained in the same pose, as if the pan was absolutely empty.

In ancient Egypt, Thoth was considered a god of the Moon, wisdom and the patron of medicine.

"I think the ropes, holding the pans have some special quality. Maybe we should disassemble the scales and fix the chains in a mode, that the pans would be balanced. Then the door will open and we'll get out," Hasine came up to the scales and was about to put in action what she said when Sanam jumped up and stopped her, who remained silent all over this time.

"No, no, no and once more no! No need to disassemble the scales," Sanam pushed off Hasine's hands, which were already holding the chain. "Also, no need to pile up unnecessary things on the pan".

Sanam came up to the second pan and cleared it up.

"And no need to raise the first pan with hands!"

"Then, maybe you'll explain us somehow, what we need to do?" asked Hasina, a bit angry.

"This statue," Sanam pointed at the big one that holding the scales, "is the token of Thoth. Because, Thoth is always described with an ibis head and a blue ball on the head. The ibis is the sacred bird of Thoth and a blue ball is one of his symbols-hieroglyphics. In ancient Egypt, Thoth was considered a god of the Moon, wisdom and the patron of medicine. Yes, medicine. Here, medicine can help us. Pay attention to that little clay man on the pan. It's not difficult to guess how would feel a man, whose legs entwined with a snake, rather bitten by it. And what can help him is..."

"An antidote!" exclaimed Hasina and Amira in unison. Hasine pulled off the antidote from her bag, and put on the right pan. The scales, which did not even shake when were put heavy metallic stuff, were easily balanced by the weightless antidote. The chains of the scales pulled the lock and the door was unlocked! The girls rejoiced, jumped and gave a cry of cheer... but so unexpectedly their delight scattered away. The view opened behind the door disappointed them in a blink. Behind the doors there was the same long corridor, across which they were going. The friends, especially Amira was not able to hold herself in:

"It's the most nonsensical nonsense I have ever had! I have no strength to look neither at these walls nor at these foolish pills!" Amira got very angry and staggering, tripped over the candles by inches.

"Hey! Watch your step, Amira, hold in! You were about to scorch your hair!" the girls rushed at her in panic.

Off they went trippingly, as if nothing could startle them anymore. Now, mysterious flames of the old candles had lost their mystery and hieroglyphics on the walls were no more enigmatic inscriptions. They were tired of being afraid. They had become accustomed to...

After some time, again, they found themselves in front of a locked door. This time it was obstructed with a statue of a bronze bull with a height of a real one. The scales were meshed on its horns.

"Perhaps, you say a bull also symbolizes something?" asked Amira.

"A white bull with black spots symbolizes Apis," replied Sanam.

"Who's that?" asked Amira yawning.

"Apis is the incarnation of Ptah, the patron of the Nile, who considered by Egyptian people the god of fertility".

"How am I tired of this Pyramid and its symbols," saying this, Amira slowly moved away from the scales.

In the first pan there was soil and a shrub of pea was grown on it. And it was grown to such extent that reached the lock and entwined it with its stems. The second pan was empty and under it there was a large flat clay plate, with a hieroglyphic covering. And some tiny dishes were drawn up to circle in it. The first row was built up by dishes filled with various types of soil and the second with fertilizers, the third row was the row of water. But there, the water wasn't identical either – free-salined, salty, limpid, turbid, much water in a dish, less in the other.

On the last row there were dishes with peas in them, various by their quality, size and colour. The girls studied these peculiar dishes for a long time, even touched and discerned some.

"I think we got the scales balanced if we plant a pea on the second pan," said Hasine.

"And, perhaps, this whole set is intended to grow a pea and we must choose the most suitable ones from there".

"How's that?"

"Look, for example, the black soil is very fecund and this sandy yellow one is, I daresay, unfertile. But as for this red soil, I don't really know. Among the seeds, these pale green peas are obviously crummy; those are not ripe and would not grow well. But as for these brown peas, I cannot decide whether they are ripe enough or overburned under sun," spoke Sanam.

"And what about fertilizer, water? What water is better?" asked Hasine.

"Don't really know," shrugged Sanam. Meantime, she noticed Amira, who comfortably settled down on the comfy bench beside the wall and was about to go to sleep.

"Amira!" called Sanam angrily.

"What more?" sniveled Amira. Hasina, seeing that Amira was already slumbering at this time, got very angry.

"What does it mean "what more"?! Here, we're trying to solve the mystery, find out the secret, and you're sitting there and sleeping!"

"Good luck then," replied Amira, yawning.

"Oh, well, don't look at me like that, actually I wasn't sleeping, Just, I was about to," Amira added then.

"Don't sleep and don't be about but come and help us," said Hasine in an impatient tone.

"Certainly," replied Amira and kept on sitting on the bench unconcernedly.

"To be honest, I've never interested in agriculture," said Sanam. "I guess there neither my knowledge of history nor your skills in medicine can help us".

"What will we do? Maybe try planting a shrub of pea as we can. Look, it's not so hard," Hasine took a handful of black soil and spread on the pan, then thinking over little, chose a fertilizer and mixed with soil. Sanam hesitated at first, then took the dish with limpid water and poured down to the pan. In the end, they chose the prettiest seed and planted. They waited, wondering what would happen. But nothing changed and the scales did not move.

"I don't understand – should we wait till the pea grows up to the size, that is equal to the pea in the first pan?" asked Hasine discontentedly.

"We have to wait for ages, then!" was Sanam's reply. "I think, I rather hope, we did mistake somewhere. And maybe because of this mistake the scales did not move, did they?"

In the end, the friends managed to plant the seed correctly. They expected the scales to balance immediately, but it happened as the girls never think of. The pea grew very quickly – there appeared its stems, then leaflets, leafs and fruits. It grew till it reached the lock, grew in the lock's hole and pushed in as a key, something turned about inside the lock; the lock shook and the door was wide open...

"Hooray!!!"

The girls were ready to continue, but when they noticed sleeping Amira, both of them sighed deeply and cried in unison:

"Amira!!"

"What? The door's opened?" asked Amira drowsily and fell asleep again.

The friends barely woke her up and they stepped over the threshold together.

Chapter four

The Mirror of Justice

"Again this wretched nonsense!" Amira got nervous seeing that the doors did not lead them out of the Pyramid. "In this dreary darkness you can find neither treasure nor something precious. Only jugs, jugs, jugs with open traps and old, scattered, unwanted scales".

"Amira, please don't sing your old song, make up something new," said Sanam.

"For example, the reason of your sleeping beside the scales," needled Hasine.

"Oh, yes, especially after that I've come straightly into a "paradise" thank to you, don't even have the right to sleep!" replied Amira even more caustically.

At last, they reached the door of this corridor, too. In front of the following door there was a statue of a woman with an ostrich feather on her head. And the most interesting of all was that there wasn't any scales in her hands, but a pair of grand mirrors hanging up on the air in her right and left sides. The mirrors were incredulous with lucid and sparkling edges. Looking from distance it seemed as the statue was holding the mirrors.

"That's Maat – the goddess of Justice and Harmony," explained Sanam – "Ostrich's feather is her token and letter with the meaning "Maat".

That's Maat – the goddess of Justice and Harmony

Scarcely had Sanam finished speaking, when in the left mirror images of some distant picturesque land were to be seen and a voice of an unseen masculine narrated the following:

"The peasant is cultivating the land watered by the generous Nile. Fortune favoured this land: no natural disasters, no floods, no droughts at all. This year a big harvest is being expected in the village.

Actually, the place can be hardly called a village, as there are so many noisy-markets, caravansaries and luxurious villas all around. The citizens often pass by the trade way which leads them to the City.

It was another wonderful day. A rich man, merchant was passing by in a hurry to the horse-race in the City. He was taking high-bred horses with him. Accidentally, one of them got its leg hurt.

The merchant had to stop in the village. He brought his hurt racer to the only healer in the village. While the healer was examining his horse, the merchant said:

"It would be better if you heal the horse as quickly as possible; we are in a great hurry to the city. You see, the accident piled up the problems before me. Now, the faster you heal, the more I pay".

"How much exactly are you going to pay?" asked the healer unexpectedly, throwing a quick glance to the horse's owner, though till then he seemed not to be listening to him.

"In any case, more than you're paid for healing village cattle," replied the merchant in an irritated tone. "It's a high-bred horse after all, so be careful with it".

"I can heal your horse, but as you said, it's a high-bred and the necessary medicine is rare and very special. In a word, the total expenses will cost two hundred and twenty coins," said the healer without blinking.

"Two hundred and twenty coins?!" asked the merchant with goggled eyes. "You say, it's almost a half price of the racer itself! Nay, than spending so much money for healing, I would rather... What else, nobody pays more than eighty coins for healing a horse!"

"Do as you wish," said the healer evenly. "But think of little. There isn't any other healer in the village but me. Neither your horse is able to reach the city. An ill horse can be hardly sold to anyone, can it?" the healer smiled slyly.

"You've made a great mistake," replied the merchant in a self-assured fashion. "You'll regret for that. For that, you refused to heal my horse and for that, you tried to trick me".

Outrageous merchant left the healer's hut so fast that even did not hear him saying: "Save your threats for yourself".

Having left the healers hut with his nose in the air, the merchant stood puzzled, wondering what to do. He realized he had no choice and made a final decision: "I'd better leave the horse somewhere around, it was too old, after all". So said, so done – he left the horse on the edge of a large field and moved on. He did not even glance back and did not see how his injured racer stared after him for a long time, hoping him to show mercy.

The peasant, after a hard day, was going back home. Suddenly, his sight fell on the injured horse, lying down on the edge of the field. He was really surprised:

"Hey, where's your master? Where's he wandering, throwing out such a beauty?" said the peasant, who strongly believed in that animals could understand the words as well as humans do, just could not speak.

He observed the horse was injured. He stopped. At first, reasoning, "If I took away the horse, its owner wouldn't find it," he was about to leave. But the haggard animal's eyes were gazing at him as if begging for help. The old peasant could not resist it and took the horse home.

The horse had lost much blood, that's why it took many days for horse to recover. When the horse had finally recovered, the peasant set it free. But the horse did not left him.

The horse was a beauty with the hooves as fast as lightning, the eyes as good as diamonds and the mane as smooth as silk. The peasant could not even imagine of using the horse in tough field works.

Day by day the horse became more and more beautiful and healthier. Every morning it came to field with the peasant and every evening returned back to home with him. While the peasant cultivated the land, the horse walked around as could understand everything and walked carefully, as if not to trample down peasant's crops.

The old peasant became too bound to the horse. Even when his wife brought him lunch to the field, the peasant would not sit to eat until he gathered hay for the horse. After lunch, together, the horse and the peasant went to the Nile and rollicked there like little children, ran, swam and got sodden from toes to top, and returned back to the field. The peasant felt as he was rejuvenated, though the horse did not bring him any financial profits, it bring something more in boring and monotonous life of the peasant. It made his days joyful and happy. After returning from the river, his strength increased by ten times; weariness retreated and he settled down to work with even more energy. And in the evenings, on their way back home the peasant sat on the horse and it whirled with all the strength it had, faster than wind...

One of these wonderful days the merchant was returning from the City. Passing by the peasant's field, he saw his horse jumping joyfully around the old peasant. He immediately recognized his racer, at first, he was surprised and then seized by fury. What's more, he was returning from the race, in which he suffered a defeat and was searching for a victim to spill up his anger. Not hesitating for long, he straightly went to the alderman of the village, who was his old friend.

The merchant blamed the peasant in theft, told the alderman about how he was in a hurry for the races and did not even notice that one of his youngest and swift-feet horses had disappeared (though, in fact, the horse wasn't so young and ran no better than the rest). Narrating, the merchant deepened colours, adding because of the theft he had so many troubles in the City. And on his way back, discovered his racer walking in the villain's field who lived under a mask of an honest peasant. In such manner slandered the merchant without blinking. "That's why," added he at the end, "it's indispensable to punish the peasant".

The alderman listened to him and agreed. In fact, he did not really care. Even if the merchant had come to him and straightly said: "A month ago here I had left my injured horse and a peasant took it away and healed. Now, get the horse back to me and punish him" , even then the alderman would have agreed. Because the merchant was a rich man and dealing with him was much more beneficial than dealing with a fameless cheap peasant. With such thoughts, the alderman sent his servants, who caught and brought down both the horse and the peasant".

At that point, the images in the mirror vanished and the voices died down. The girls saw their reflection on the mirror. Suddenly, a voice came from the right mirror: "Get through the mirror and right the wrong. In that way, you'll balance the mirror-scales".

"What next?" Amira declared her discontent as always. "Balance the scales and get through the mirrors, then rush yourself into water. If it continues so, I won't wonder when we'll be forced to rush ourselves into fire!"

The rest of the travellers threw themselves into the mirror without complaints. So Amira had no choice left but to follow them. After they had got through the mirror, they found themselves beside the river, which they saw in the left mirror. The friends decided to begin with visiting the peasant's wife in order to clearly determine everything from her.

When they came to the peasant's hut, they found the peasant's wife sobbing in grief and lost in misery. His grandson was trying to soothe her. They paid no attention to the girls entering the hut, supposing them some neighbour lassies who came to show compassion:

"Granny, stop sobbing, you mustn't surge so much. You may fall ill," the girls sat beside the old woman. But she went on sobbing even more and loudly sniveled.

"The girls are right, tears won't solve the problem. All in all, nothing could be changed now," said the grandson. He was a son of her later daughter.

"What can I do? What else? Is there anything else I can do?" the Granny kept on with sniveling.

"Why do you think nothing can be changed?" Sanam sat nearer, "There must be a solution to an every problem. We should find out the way to help Grandpa".

"There's no way, except one – to hurl myself into the Nile and be drown. Then I'll have no problems anymore".

"I think your Granny's nerves are breaking down," whispered Hasina to the lad. "She needs to have rest. We should boil alleviant herbs and give her to drink".

Yahmet – the boy was called so and Hasine went to the yard. They looked for an allheal.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, but it wasn't necessary for you to go out with me," said Hasine. " Do you understand anything in medical herbs? Do you? If honestly, I doubt if you differ an allheal and a nettle".

"Listen, lassie," said Yahmet, picking up a couple of shrubs with roots. "I am a grandson of a peasant. I'm sure I understand plants pretty enough. And you... Are you sure you know everything?"

Hasine did not hide that his question jarred on her. But Yahmet only widely smiled and went on:

"Look, I have a couple of shrubs in my hands. Can you guess which one is allheal?"

"Listen, lad," replied Hasine in his tone, picking exactly the one, with pinkish little flowers and which was called allheal. "If you're peasant's grandson, then I am a healer's granddaughter. Don't know how about you, but I do perfectly posses the knowledge of the medical herbs and their use".

Saying this Hasine turned around and walked in the hut.

When they brought the herbal potion, the Granny was already sleeping.

"While you were looking for your allheal, the Grandma has already fallen asleep. It was enough that there wasn't any noise and no one bothered her," remarked Amira.

"You've spoken about the way that can help us," Yahmet reminded Sanam, who was silently sitting beside the Granny.

"Ok, but tell me first, where and when will be held your grandfather's trial?"

After Yahmet had provided Sanam with all the necessary information, Sanam explicated her plan:

"We should learn to behave ourselves as we are very rich and noble men. First of all we ought to find expensive clothes and garnish".

"Why imitate to these despots?!" protested Yahmet immediately. "I hate 'em! Hate 'em all! Both that alderman who's ready to punish my grandpa unfaithfully and this merchant. What next, we'll imitate 'em??"

"You don't understand," said Sanam. "We're not going to imitate them. That is just another necessary point of our plan. Think yourself. Why did the alderman, without sitting on the case, immediately take the merchant's side? It's because he's a rich man," Sanam spoke so convincingly that everyone listened to her with great attention. "That's his weapon. Then why not to use us the same weapon? Just think of what only we could do then! Come on, guys!"

After these words Yahmet became thoughtful. The expression of his face revealed his hesitation.

"Yahmet, tell me, do you really want to rescue your grandfather?" asked Hasine.

"O'course I do! I'm ready to do anything for this!"

"Then why are you hesitating? That's the only opportunity to help to your grandfather," Hasine paused, and then added, "I assure you, if we altogether act and try, tomorrow we'll right the wrong".

Then, under Amira's endless objections and Hasina's approving remarks, Sanam explicated her plan over in details.

"As I understood," spoke Yahmet at last, "You want that we dress in expensive clothes and go to the court. There we should behave us as we're not acquaintances with Granddad. Then, we shall prove Granddad's innocence in front of everybody, including the alderman and the merchant. The people will support us and Granddad will be set free and we return home together," he paused for some time and went on, "Well, let it be. Forgetting that both the alderman and the merchant might simply not give the floor to protect their authority and leaving aside that we could merely be disrobed, we have the most solutionless problem: how on earth do we find precious clothes?"

While Yahmet listed the possible hindrances, the girls began doubting in the possibility of externalizing their plan. But Sanam had thought over about everything in advance. She smiled with satisfaction:

"I don't think we have problems upon this matter," said she and looked at Amira meaningfully. Amira scowled immediately.

"No, no, no! I don't agree. Never!" said she, who at once got what was the row. Only after long arguments she gave in – she dragged off a bind of beads out of her pocket and gave it to Hasine. The latter handed it over to Yahmet.

"What's this?" asked Yahmet.

"In our part of the world there are plenty of such items and they don't cost too much," explained Hasine. "But in Egypt, they're considered a rarity and are cost pretty high. So, hurry up and have time to get to the market and sell them till it gets dark. But no one, you hear, no one should recognize you and all the more, no one should know that you're going to buy precious clothes for paid coins. Only then we may put into action what we planned today. And the most important point is that, you and your Grandma should be dressed so delicately – beyond recognition. Perhaps, you'll need to buy veils, too, to cover your faces".

Yahmet rose and rushed out. Amira muttered after him:

"I don't understand why you all are sticked to the idea of spending my beads... Don't you have anything yourselves?"

For some time, Amira stood in a hesitation and then rushed after Yahmet:

"Hey, wait! You'll sell my beads too cheap and waste more than necessary. I'll go with you".

Yahmet stood waiting for her.

Scarcely had they time to take steps, when had to stop again. This time, Hasine caught them up.

"Hey, Yahmet! Take this diamond also," she held out him the white snake's gift.

"O-oh! Was not it dear to you?" Amira's brows lifted meaningfully.

"Yes, indeed, that's why do use it only on an utmost necessity," said Hasine.

"Sure, we'll do exactly so," replied Amira, but whispered to Yahmet:

"Now give back my beads; with the diamond, they are odd," and added, turning to Hasine, "Ok, we'll go now".

"Oh, no, you'll stay," Hasine held Amira down. "No one should see us before the court".

Amira sighed deeply and making her farewells to the beads, went back to the hut.

It was getting dark when Yahmet came back with a pile of bargains.

"As I thought, the beads have been estimated high," said he in satisfaction. He pulled closet-full of expensive Egyptian clothings out of the package, then the diamond, the rest of the beads and gave them out to their owners.

Next morning the alderman, the merchant with his pack of guards and the folks of the village crowded in the courtyard to try peasant upon the theft. He who knew him well said that he wasn't able to commit a theft, noting his honesty. And they quietly added the alderman and the merchant were unfair to him, but none of them could openly stand for him.

"The peasant's innocence is obviously seen in this case. The alderman is just judging unjustly".

"As I've heard, the alderman and the merchant are the old acquaintances, the old friends, rather".

"Have you ever seen that alderman being just? Never!"

Suddenly talking fellow fell silent. He caught a sight of one of the merchant's guards had came up to them.

"Do you have any complaints?" the guard asked him threateningly.

"We... it was actually... if truly... we're talking that the merchant is a real noble man, indeed".

The guard frowned and moved way. The talkers sighed in relief.

When the girls came to the square, the court had already begun and the alderman was giving an elucidation:

"Guys, don't be surprised at such a wicked crime committed by an ordinary peasant. He stole noble merchant's racer and grabbed it. He forgot the value of an honestly earned coin and chose the rascal way, that's why..."

"Reputable alderman, your word the why and wherefore s are proofless, I protest against your accusal," a fierce and yet a firm voice was heard from the crowd. It was Sanam.

"Did anybody make an objection? Hum, it seems I just misheard... Well, let's continue. So..."

"You did not mishear! I have an objection!" this time Sanam came out of the crowd. She was unrecognizable. Dressed in new precious clothes and garnish, she was turned into a real Egyptian mistress.

"What proof or what ground do you have to blame an innocent man?"

"Sorry, didn't get you? What are you talking about? Do you doubt in my honesty, the honesty of a reputable alderman of the village? You think I'm a liar?" If there was a poor-dressed fellow, the alderman would know how to deal with him. But he had no experience in standing against a nobleman.

"Who knows? It's getting difficult to trust someone nowadays. So then, your one and only proof of the peasant's guiltiness is that you have the status of an alderman?"

After these words, the alderman got so nervous, that even did not think of a proper reply to such an insolent declaration. He looked at the merchant. The situation was jarring on the merchant. Though, he stood silent with an expression of scorn on his face, he was getting irritated watching this entire scene. Catching the alderman's glance on him, he gave a sign, saying: "Quit this gaff faster and begin acting".

"Well, the proofs will have their turn, as well. Come tomorrow and we'll talk discreetly and you'll have chance to declare proofs of the peasant's innocence. Now, let us continue our session," said the alderman who had decided to throw Sanam aside in such way. But he wasn't successful.

"Why?" asked Sanam "Why do accusals declare openly, while justifications pass secretly? Why leave it till tomorrow? You'd better solve all the problems today, without a waste of time".

The merchant looked even more irritated, the alderman got awfully nervous and tried threatening Sanam in a low voice, that no one else could overhear him:

"Maybe you'll cool down a bit, eh? What do you want? Money? Authority? Position?" whispered he in dander.

"We do want a justice!" declared Sanam loudly.

"I announce the session closed! Drop off you all! Right now!" exclaimed the alderman in fury.

"No! Do not drop off, but come back to your places, the trial will continue as long as the justice rights the wrong".

"I said drop off! Everything is already just, the horse will be given back to his right owner and the peasant will get the proper punishment. What else do you want? And you, my dear mistress, have no right to stand against my authority of the alderman! I head the just trial, not you!"

"So, so, you do! Then you think you have right to deceive the folk and break the rules of a just trial?! Hey, folks? How long are you going to tolerate this? How long are you going to agree with this when they call the black white and the white black? How long are you going to close your eyes at that they punish the innocent men and the guilty ones are justified and released? How long? Today an honest peasant is being accused – a scoundrel is being made out of him. Who can assure that tomorrow either you or your children will not be in the same situation?"

These words made the hearts beat fast; the folks were jointly with Sanam, supported her and clamoured against the alderman... but only in their hearts, and silently in the thoughts. Whereas in the action...

"That's right! There's no justice!" unexpectedly cried out a noblewoman with a veiled face, who was standing among the crowd. It was Yahmet's grandmother. "How long are you going to tolerate this? How long that unjust alderman will trample down your rights and decide everything for his own use? How long?"

The people were still in hesitation, wondering if it was worth to interfere. Naturally, they agreed with the protest. And yet, they did not dare to interfere.

"We must put an end to it!" cried out one more noblewoman – Hasina. "We protest against injustice!"

"We protest!" supported "noble" Yahmet.

"Yes, we do protest!" added other noblewoman – Amira.

Suddenly, everyone joined to them. All the people were crying from every corner.

"We protest!"

And no one paid attention to the alderman's order to be quiet. Nobody would obey him.

"Well, well! Let's continue the session!" cried out the alderman in fury.

Then the public calmed down a bit.

"According to your preference, we cannot blame the peasant, because we don't have a proof. Well then, let us say so. But explain me then, how a high-bred racer, being the merchant's property, suddenly turned out to be owned by the peasant? Did it fall to him from heavens?! Or maybe, the merchant had granted the horse at first and then, having forgotten about that, decided to blame him?" asked the alderman with mock.

"Not that your merchant is able to grant a horse, nor even a rusty nail of its shoe he can't," replied Sanam. The wild laughter was heard from the crowd.

"Silence!" shouted the alderman, then again, addressed to Sanam. "Consequently, you confirm as well that the horse wasn't given as a gift. In this case, not being a gift, it's defined as a theft. Or will you call this down, too?"

"If not to consider some non-conformities, no, this I will not call down," said Sanam. "Nevertheless, the conformity is the situation itself the peasant was in. According to the sacramental laws of Egypt, it was in nineteenth..." Sanam hesitated awhile, "...no, no, it was seventeenth... Well, actually it doesn't matter. In one of the points of Egyptian sacramental laws it was said: "... every person, who occurs to be the owner of an animal, should look after it – feed, water, provide it with a suitable place to live and treat, when the animal falls ill. He who does not fulfill these terms is considered to be no more an owner of an animal. The right of owning descends to another man, who takes the responsibility of caring. Your merchant, in spite of having enough means, grudged coins to heal the horse and cast it. And the peasant, finding the injured animal, pitied it and healed, unmercenarily. Now, when the horse is recovered and became even more beauty, that merchant comes and demands for something. That's illogical!"

"Hey listen, you sunshine! You think that you have the tongue, you can talk anything and twaddle as much as you wish?!" the merchant, who had been silent all time long could not held himself in. "For your information, that was me who paid two hundred and twenty coins for the horse's treatment. That was that robber-peasant, who had stolen my horse and that is you, who is slandering on me. Now, tell me who's wrong and who's not?"

With his own words the merchant put himself on a silly situation and that was very thing the girls were expecting to happen. Hasine came out of the crowd.

"What did you say, sire? You said you had paid two hundred and twenty coins for the injured horse's treatment? So, you don't deny that the horse was injured?" asked Hasina smiling amiably.

The merchant realized he said an odd thing, but it was too late.

"And who healed your horse? Is that possible to meet with that healer? Where is he? Could he be found there?"

The many got it in direct meaning – if the healer was among them. However, the merchant guessed what Hasine was hinting at. Guessed, but carried it off.

"Never mind, tomorrow I will acquaint you with the healer!" said he in a malice voice.

"In that case, I announce the session closed till tomorrow!" the alderman rushed to say.

The crowd slowly breaked up, including Yahmet's family and their guests.

The alderman and the merchant were distracted for a second and in result, lost a sight of those five "compearers":

"Find those five! Get them even from under the earth!" ordered outraged merchant to his guards.

When everyone was gone, the alderman invited the merchant home to spill up all his complaints:

"Because of you I had nearly lost my authority. Excuse me, but now I cannot go any further and do as your Excellency pleases. It's quite enough of me of what has happened today! In front of the whole village! What a shame! But I did know, forefelt that all knew the peasant's honesty".

"Beg your pardon, but must admit, did not even imagine you were such a coward! You have been duped by just a girlie!" spoke up the merchant in his turn. "No, for neither of us there isn't any way back. If you lose a case in front of that girlie and in front of, as you said, the whole village, you will undoubtedly lose your authority and I will be blamed in slandering".

He fell silent awhile, then added in vex:

"All the same, I didn't think you were such a dweeb. Because of just a girlie!"

"For your information, there wasn't a girl, but a pile of noble and respectable persons. But the important thing is, I can't understand, why the noblemen made such a noise because of just a peasant. Maybe, some relatives asked for help from them. In any case, it's obvious that they took him under their protection".

"But you're the alderman. Can't you take an advantage of your status?!"

"I can, only if they wouldn't find evidence. Otherwise, I can't help it".

"If the problem is only in this, then, I assure you, that they could not find any evidence".

"But how?! How will you do that?" asked the alderman in surprise.

The merchant smiled, as if saying "don't be so simpleton" and said:

"Simply by getting out of the way the compearers themselves!"

Meantime, a guard came in and addressed to the merchant:

"Sire, I regret to inform you that we didn't manage to identify those five persons, who compeared in the trial. They entered the caravansary and there, disappeared traceless".

"How is that possible?!" outraged merchant slugged against the table, "How could they disappear, when I saw with my own eyes their entering caravansary? How could you lose the sight of them? I know you did not search enough".

"We thoroughly looked through everything, popped in every corner, but their trace is never to be found again. Even those who was in the caravansary – servants and clients were in astonishment. They said so: "We saw, five noblemen entered there", but where in thunder did they get into, nobody knew".

The merchant nervously paced up and down, losing patience.

"Well! Enough!! Get out of here you all!"

Then he added maliciously:

"I shall find out how to destroy them..."

While the merchant was burning in hatred, the peasant's house was full of joyful laughter:

"Sanam, you've totally finished the alderman. Did you see that how he turned pale from suddenness?" said Hasine chuckling.

"And the merchant?" laughed Yahmet, "He even couldn't open his mouth, supposing us noblemen. What could he do was only to throw meaningful glances at the alderman..."

"And only he opened the mouth to be caught again," Sanam caused the next laughter.

"And that how everyone joined us when I cried out "We protest!"" remarked Amira cheerfully "I myself stood there, trembling in fear, imagining a guard seizing me and saying: "Who's that protesting here?" Had scarcely thought over when everybody began shouting! The guards only stood, puzzling who to threaten".

"And how did they chase after us, when we entered the caravansary," continued Yahmet "Getting out of the caravansary, being under their very nose, they did not recognize us. That was good that we did not return home at once, but entered the caravansary at first".

"The guardians are still searching for us, and yet they don't even have an idea that we might be here."

Hasine asked from Yahmet if he had visited his Grandpa.

"Yes, we went there with my grandma," replied he, who became instantly thoughtful. "He heard what happened in the trial. And when I told him that in fact we were these noblemen, he did not believe".

"Now, the most important thing is your grandfather's returning home," said Yahmet's grandmother.

"So it will be, I'm sure," convinced Hasina.

"We must prepare for tomorrow's disputes. We'll meet with the healer. Tomorrow may become a conclusive day. Let's discuss the plan of actions," said Sanam.

Chapter five

When the last chance's lost

It was another day. The folk crowded in the same courtyard again. The defenders stood on one side – Hasine and Sanam. Others – Amira, Yahmet and Grandma were to stay in the crowd and were to support them from there. Before the defenders the prosecutors were holding the ground – the merchant and the alderman. The alderman was in responsibility of both the prosecutor and the judge. Everyone guessed it wasn't all right. If the alderman was in the position of a prosecutor, then he must descend the position of the judge to someone else. But how on earth could the alderman-the-placeman give up his status to someone else?

Disputes continued long; neither side wished to give in. The arguments did only augment. The merchant had set his aim before him – to win the trial at all hazards.

"The evidence that proves the merchant is wrong is here," exclaimed Yahmet, who stood among the crowd. He was about to drag off something, but a rash motion unveiled his face. Rather, a girl standing beside him pulled his veil and cried out in surprise instantly.

"Yahmet?!" she blurted. She was his neighbour and, either real or rigged, was frozen in astonishment. "Can't believe my eyes. Poor peasant's grandson is in a luxury dress of a nobleman! How comes?"

Just at the moment on the other side of the crowd, the peasant's wife was also discovered. Someone had pulled off her veil and loudly expressed her surprise.

For the alderman and the merchant it was the very thing that they were waiting to happen. Without losing the opportunity, they ordered the guards:

"Seize hold of these bilkers! Seize and shut in!"

It turned out that the alderman's and the merchant's servants had collected information about how Amira, Hasina and Sanam unexpectedly arrived to the peasant's house from the land far away and they were in fact, noblewomen or at least, were rich merchants (otherwise, how could they get money for such luxurious clothings?) But, as they were affiliated with the peasant, were seized as well. Then, the alderman declared the trial closed:

"The decision will be promulgated tomorrow. Both the peasant and his abettors will get their proper punishment".

Frightened crowd dispersed silently. The more afraid were those who fiercely expressed their protest the other day.

Drunk with victory, the merchant set out to visit the alderman. When he came, the table was already set.

"It was made perfectly good," said the alderman with content.

"Not yet, you'll see... With these three girls, I'll tell them where to get off!"

"I think it wouldn't be unnecessary to take some fine and send them back where they were come from!" the alderman cut in. "As for the peasant, to a horse theft, there will be added inciting of the whole family to disorder. We'll take away the house, take away the land in benefit of the village (in my own benefit, rather) and then... oh, I think expelling will be enough."

"That's not enough. I won't just desolate 'em, but I will demolish them all!"

While the merchant celebrated his victory in the alderman's company, Yahmet's family and the three girls were sitting shut down, losing any hope for changing anything. Nevertheless, the conditions were not so lamentable. Save the presence of the guards, it was like as they were for guests there – a large room with wide windows, though with trellis. Fresh air blew through it and they could easily watch what was going around in the street. The alderman, who was very placeman and coward, supposing the girls outlandish noblewomen, did not dare to leave them in worst conditions. He was afraid of making up much trouble, especially, losing his authority.

Anyway, our travellers were in bad mood.

"I didn't like the soup they gave us. The vegetables were raw, half-cooked," noted Amira. But there was no reply. Sanam paced up and down, Hasine was sitting and pondering, Yahmet was also sitting, with closed eyes. The peasant broke the silence.

"Things went badly wrong. At first, I sat there alone, now you came here as well. It was better when you were at home, untroubled, then, there wouldn't be added five more to the only problem," said he.

Again, there was no reply, for they had neither mood nor strength. Even if one had spoken, most probably he would have calmed down the peasant that he didn't blame himself. Everyone, except Amira whom peasant's words pleased very much:

"Exactly true, grandpa. I've told 'em that was nonsense. If only we didn't get through these mirrors, then we wouldn't be sitting shut down now. I knew nothing good would come out of this. It's you who forced me! Oh! Now, what will happen to us? What will happen to me?"

"Amira!" said Sanam in a quiet, at the same time, preventing tone and with meaningful glance pointed at the peasant and his family.

"Amira, stop sobbing!" said Hasine in a hardly audible voice.

"Why should I stop, it's because of you that's all happened. Have messed things up and now, aren't letting me to open my mouth!"

"Amira is right," said Yahmet. "All right with us, but you, you are absolutely not related to this case and yet sit there and suffer with us".

Scarcely had Hasina opened her mouth to say that it wasn't so at all, when Amira outrode her:

"After all there's a few clear-headed men, at least! My friends, having made me suffer, to boot, are rebuking me now! It's good that at least one person took the responsibility for everything that's happened. All right then, that's enough for me..."

Again, there was no reply but silence.

Suddenly, strange voices were heard from outside, as though someone was pattering about. Then, a thin voice called quietly:

"Yahmet!"

"Who's that?" Yahmet looked around in surprise.

"That's me," a girl's voice was heard over the window. Yahmet came up to the window and though it was dark, recognized her at once.

"You? Get out! What more do you want from us?" clamoured he with hatred. "You betrayed us in the trial! Yet, that is not enough to you? What else do you want? How much did this merchant pay to buy you?"

"Hush! Quieter! You let me explain or not?!" the girl got angry in her turn, too.

"Explain what? You may not justify yourself! Everything is as clear as day! I did not expect such a cruelty from your side. What harm did we do to you? We always treated you kind! Could not even imagine you're able to such..."

"What did I do?" the girl could not hold herself in and cried out. Then, fearing that the guards were disturbed and were coming, looked around.

"Now you ask what you did? So, you don't know what you have done?" asked Yahmet caustically.

"All right, I dragged off your veil in the trial, that's it? But I didn't know it all would turn out so".

"What did you know then?"

"I knew about nothing – neither about the trial, nor about your plan. I was deceived. And not me, but my uncle was bought. At first, the merchant had no idea of your participating in the trial, dressed as noblemen. He presumed that you asked for help from noblemen and started to inquire the neighbours in order to find those noblemen and cut up your contact with them. With this intention, the merchant made a deal with my uncle. It's hard to confess, but the truth is that my uncle always envies your grandpa and your family. Though their field were the same size, your grandfather always gathered more harvest than my uncle did. Every day, there are quarrels in my uncle's house while yours is full of joy and laughter. Because of that envy my uncle made a deal with the merchant. He started to trace your door and report everything to the merchant," she paused.

"Then?" asked Yahmet impatiently. She went on:

"But I didn't know all of these tricks. He made a use of my naivety. Till then he did not allow to come to the trial. All of a sudden, yesterday he came and said to me that I would come up to you, unveil you and loudly declare who's that. I thought that it was a kind of a harmless joke. I had no idea it would cause to such serious affection. If I had only known, I would never do that".

"You think anyone believes you?"

"You think I'm a liar? I... I..." she stopped talking, drew her breath and handed him a dish. "Take it. Here I've brought some food and dessert for your Grandpa".

"No, we don't need your food," replied Yahmet in a cold voice.

"Don't be so rude, Yahmet; don't wanna eat, then give it to me. You're offending the girl, after all," Amira pulled the dish.

"Well, let us suppose, I trust you – I believe that you didn't do that intentionally. But... does it matter now? Does it change anything? All the same, we'll remain in the same situation, which we fell in by your favour. Now, nothing could be changed".

"Why not? It's exactly why I came here, and you don't let me say, interrupting from time to time. I wanna help you to flee out of here. Run away to another village and live there happily".

Meantime, Amira, who was observing the dish the girl brought, remarked:

"How's that interesting when dessert consists of tricky guns that helps to flee".

"No, that's not right. If we run away, then it would be equal that we confess our guiltiness," said Yahmet. "Tomorrow the trial will continue. And we must prove our innocence at any costs".

"Don't be such a fool, Yahmet, you think you'll go on with winning victories? You think it all went excellent till today, because you spoke the true words? Not at all. Simply, the merchant and the alderman thought that you were noblemen, that's why they couldn't argue with you. Now the situation is different – they won't even let you to open your mouth. Don't think the alderman would pity you. You must grab the opportunity and flee. I..."

She hadn't time to say more. Behind her a husky guard was standing, who shouted:

"Hey girl, you said just for a minute and standing here for a whole hour. Pick up your stuff and off with you".

She realized arguing was useless and quickly left the place.

A new day came. The conclusive trial of the peasant and his family was to be held in the dawn. The folk slowly gathered and were waiting for the beginning of the trial. Three girls came as well, though they were set free. They were ordered to leave the village immediately. Realizing all the risk, they all the same decided to come to the last session of the trial.

The peasant's family was already brought to the square.

Just at this time people saw an equestrian coming directly to the square in a great hurry. It was obvious from his clothes he was from the City. He bowed to the alderman and whispered something. Then, solemnly crossed up to the middle of the square and loudly declared:

"The most generous and clement ruler, his Majesty the King's elder son the Crown Prince, travelling throughout the country and getting know the folk and its life, honoured your village with his noble attention".

The alderman scuttled and only started for meeting such a high guest, when the prince himself rode in the square on his clipper. Watching this, the alderman hurried to end with the trial and ordered to his servants to get prepared for the feast. Then he invited the prince to partake. The prince was ready to follow him with his escort, when was stopped so unexpectedly.

"Your Highness, my Prince, couldn't you spare us a bit of your precious time and bring in justice a ruthless trial?" demanded Sanam.

The prince was utterly surprised and intrigued.

"If the trial requires interference, then there's violence in this case, I presume?" asked the prince.

But the alderman did not allow Sanam to reply.

"Your Highness, please, listen to her not," the alderman came and stood between them. "Pray, come with me, specially for you we've prepared a feast that nobody has neither seen nor heard. Unrepeatable Egyptian dances, musicians and singers are here for you only. And before the feast begins you'll have rest in the loveliest corners of the land".

"I think, tomorrow the alderman will repass the trial as it should be," said the prince intending to have some rest before the feast.

"No, he won't! No, he can't!" Sanam had to stop the prince once more, "Because the alderman is unjust himself! And his trials are not reposed on justice, but on grafting, greediness and adulation!"

"Hey, you know what you're talking!" said the alderman in menacing tone. Then he turned towards the prince and spoke more softly:

"Just look at this. How can she blame me in all of this sin, when his Majesty your father himself had appointed me to this rank? Consequently, she's blaming your father as well. Is that tolerable?"

"Before appointing aldermen in places, they receive the permission of the King, personally," explained the Prince. "The aldermen cannot be unjust. I assure you, tomorrow he'll make the trial of justice".

"Justice delayed is justice denied!" exclaimed Sanam. "Is that fair to blame someone not considering his part in crime but his social degree and his opulence? And this you call a just trial – where witnesses were not given a word and where the defenders happen to be under impendence of sword? What an alderman is that who instead of bothering about amenities of the folks, becomes a servant in the hands of the rich?"

"You do not understand what you're saying!" the alderman tried to stop her with his menaces.

"Don't!" the prince shut his mouth with just one loud reprimand "Every liver of the country has their right to express their own opinion! If the girl thinks that your trial is unjust, then let her have the chance to prove it. Only then it will be obvious if she was right or not".

After these words, thundering approval erupted from the crowd. "Fair decision!"

The prince, not paying attention to the cheers, continued:

"Now, we begin the session of the trial, where I'll be an arbitral judge. Tell me briefly the very core of the subject".

The peasant's proponents on one side, the alderman, the merchant and the neighbour-betrayer on the other side, explicated all the details of the three days-long trial. And all the time their points of view contradicted. For example, that the three friends and the peasant's family straightly outspoke their opinion about unjustness of the alderman and his trial, they called "an attempt of retrieving the justice". But the alderman and the merchant called it "a notionate mutiny of a full calumny". And so almost in everything.

The prince forbearingly heard out the opinions of the both sides, pondered for some time and at last, spoke:

"As I understand, the question is that, if the peasant is guilty or not? It's evident the peasant has converted the horse. Bu had he the right to this? According to the twenty-ninth enactment of the sacramental laws, he had, if the merchant had actually cast off the injured animal".

"But he indeed, left the horse to rot and this, we saw with our own eyes!" said Hasine, distressing that the prince could not believe them.

"Deception!" protested the merchant.

"Perhaps a deception ... and perhaps the truth!" said the prince "The verity is that neither sides has any evidence. Tomorrow we shall continue the trial. Till tomorrow you have to find an evidence of your rightness".

Saying this, the prince left the square. He no more wished to go to the alderman's villa and ordered to build a tent.

Meantime, the alderman and the merchant were sitting at an abundantly laid table.

"The case became awfully entangled," said the alderman to the merchant, while helping himself with the feastings that were prepared for the prince and his escort. "You're a strange man, because of just a horse and an unknown peasant you've messed things up so much. Long before it was time to wash out this all! You wouldn't get poor, if your property decreased by one less horse. And yet we're sitting here, even without your unfortunate racer – without trouble and having a fun!"

"The horse is not the case, my authority is... the revenge is the case!" replied the merchant in fury as always. "They will pay for this all!"

"Eh, you're waster of your time and energy!" sighed the alderman and leaned against the pillow. He was stretching out his hand for the next feasting, when he saw the merchant stand up abruptly and bestir. The surprised alderman asked:

"What happened? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to search for evidence. At any costs, tomorrow I must win the trial," replied the merchant. The alderman shook his head disapprovingly and kept on eating.

Meanwhile, the guests and the hostesses in the peasant's house were passing from joy to fear, for there was a hope for the best results and fears that they might fail, without finding proper evidence.

"I cannot imagine how to prove the Grandpa's not guilty, I have rocks in my head bacause of the headache, but no ideas come to my head," complained Amira "I'd rather go to bed. If you make up something, tell me tomorrow".

"Isn't this enough evidence that I have seen with my own eyes how my husband healed the horse?" asked the Granny.

"If there's a lie did not exist in the world, the words "seen with own eyes" would be enough. Unfortunately, the lie does exist".

"You should have some rest. You go to sleep," said Hasine to Granny caringly. "Tomorrow everything will be brilliant. You'll support us and Grandpa will be set free".

"If only it would..." said Grandma deeply sighing and went to bed.

"Now, there are only few hours left. But we must find valid evidence".

"Sanam, the evidence will certainly be found. Simply, we must ponder over hard," began Hasine. "Let's remember one more time the whole story from the very beginning to the end. What evidence can be found... or rather, is already found," Hasine smiled meaningfully. "Now, tumble to an idea!"

"Hasine, what did you make up?" ejaculated Sanam and Yahmet in unison.

"Something, really useful" said Hasine keeping a smile.

In the end, she stopped riddling and was convinced to share her idea: "No doubt tomorrow the merchant will bring us a witness – the healer. The only healer in the village. But he did not heal the horse and I daresay, he did not examine it properly. So..."

For a long time they discussed how to present the evidence in best way.

At last, the long waited morning came.

The defenders and the prosecutors took their places. There were several changes in the prosecutor's row. The healer, pursuing his own benefits, made a deal with the merchant. The day before, the healer, whom the merchant addressed, indeed, the day the horse was injured, was again called upon by the merchant.

The merchant began so:

"Let's make a deal. I need your help while you need what I'm offering to you. As you had healed my horse, now you ought to proclaim it publicly..."

"Hold on, tell me what you're offering to me is?"

"I ask you not to interrupt again while I'm talking," said the merchant in a cold voice – "You'll publicly proclaim that you had healed my horse, as the necessary herbs were rare, you were paid two hundred and a half coins by me. Then name the herbs for credibility. That's all I want. For this, I'll pay you fifty coins".

"Two hundred".

"You know what you're saying?"

"Two and a half".

"What?"

"Three hundred. Do I have to go on?" the healer saw the difficult situation the merchant was in, that's why so calmly was he rising the price. It was obvious to the merchant, but he was burning in desire of the revenge, much stronger than his greed. So, the asked three hundred coins were given by him.

While the healer was bearing in mind the conversation and pitying that didn't raise the price, the session began.

"The reputable merchant brought the injured horse to me," the healer began with, when was called as a witness. "I treated it with rare herbs. I pitied the horse a lot, that's why I myself spend about fifty coins and was paid other two hundred by the reputable merchant".

The merchant frowned at him, as if saying "that was odd" and said aloud:

"That's the evidence. The evidence that proves I did not abandon the horse. Now, what do you say to this?" asked he in a self-assured manner. Simply, he could not be not-self-assured when had paid so much money for buying a witness.

"Everything that the healer has just said – is a deception!" declared Hasine.

"Do you have an evidence of that the healer is a liar?"

"Yes," replied Hasine coolly and turned towards the healer and asked, "Tell me please, regarding healer, what herbs did you use for the horse's treatment?"

"I used liquid extract of nettle and milfoil potion, smartweed and cotton oil ointment," replied he without thinking twice.

"Styptics, hum? Well, no doubt to effectiveness of those herbs, they are all good in their own. But you mustn't use them together! Using them all together, not that you can't heal the patient, but you may even kill him. I thought that you were brutal, but it comes out you're illiterate, as well".

"No, sunshine, that's you who is stepping out of line. You have slandered on the respectable alderman and the reputable merchant. And now, you're insulting me, calling illiterate! Why should I tolerate this?"

"Reputable merchant has requested evidence?" asked Hasine paying no attention to the jabbering healer. "Here is the evidence".

That was a splinter of the jug, which they found in the Pyramid. That was the very splinter that fell several times under Hasine's feet. There, they did not pay attention what was described on it. It happened that there was a carved inscription of the method of curing grievous injures. A few could understand the hieroglyphics. But everyone could see the pictures, confirming Hasine's words.

"That's the evidence – method of cure," Hasine rose her hand high and the prince glanced at the splinter, too. He felt sorry for all the inhabitants of the village who attended by that healer-impostor. Hasine went on.

"Reputable healer, I hope you will not contend saying the method of healing, written with sacramental Egyptian hieroglyphics is wrong!"

No one dared to convey a protest, as hieroglyphics were considered sacred. What else, everybody knew that only the most literate men, knowledgeable almost in every field were able to and had right to write Egyptian hieroglyphics. The healer knew this, too. That's why he stood silent and did not say a word. Only the merchant wouldn't give up easily:

"So what of it? The healer was a bit confused. That means nothing yet".

"We expected exactly your saying so, however..." said Hasine, smiling and gave the floor to Sanam.

"Well, if the evidence is not enough yet, then Your Highness, please, order the horse to be brought and the peasant to be invited".

The prince ordered so. Everyone was wondering about what would happen next.

"The horses are wonderful creatures. And they are amazingly devoted. But the delicate thing is they never forget neither good, nor ill deeds," said Sanam, stressing the words "ill deeds". "If you, reputable merchant, in fact brought your horse to the healer, took care of it and treated kindly while the peasant stole it from you, then the horse will come up to you, not to the peasant. But if you have, indeed, cast off the injured horse and the peasant healed it, then it will choose the peasant. What do you say? Try it?"

Hearing this, the merchant did not hide his disdain.

"And you call this evidence – "good and ill deeds"? Maybe, instead of the evidences next time you'll retell us some edifying apologues?"

"Why are you getting nervous?" the prince surprised candidly. "Let's have an experiment. You won't lose anything. On contrary, it's the chance to prove your credibility once more. Or perhaps, you're afraid of?"

"Not at all, my prince. I'm ready!" the merchant was endeavouring to put on a confident fashion.

The horse was moved out to the middle of the space between the peasant and the merchant.

"Come on, my racer," the merchant's words sounded too histrionically, though he tried to speak with a note of sincerity in his voice.

And the peasant... He did not have to say a word. The horse sensed him. They ran into arms. The horse bowed his head against the peasant's shoulder whilst the latter caressed the horse – the horse, that was completely innocent and the horse, that caused so many troubles; the horse, that came to him for free and cost him so much... He was hiding his face behind the silken mane... he did not wish to show his tears.

"No! No!" shouted the merchant. "That was a mistake! There's something wrong..."

Though the alderman got perplexed a bit, he carried it off:

"I'm sure that's just a coincidence, that's not evidence yet and that's why..."

But no one wished to listen to him anymore. The crowd burst into shouts.

"Maybe, that's enough, eh?"

"Enough of evidence – the peasant is not guilty"

"It's obvious that the merchant cast off his horse".

"Precisely! The horse did not even glance at him!"

The merchant looked at the prince with the last hope:

"My prince?!"

"It was all truth, then?" replied the prince in surprise.

"Nay, it's not! Hey, the neighbour! Why are you silent? You are the neighbour of the peasant; you were the witness of this theft! Now, speak out!"

"Yeah, speak up, uncle!" said the neighbour lassie. "Tell them how the merchant has bought you. Reveal everything!"

That was the next blow for the merchant.

"I regret my doing this... I was helpless... Now I can see envy is a wicked thing... I have been envying you and your family all this time, but..." muttered the man. And he told everything, not seeking for excuses, how the matters were in deed and how the merchant tried to buy them all.

After his story the merchant was finally demolished. The alderman and the healer were going to run away but did not manage to – they were seized by the prince's soldiers.

The peasant was set free and given back the horse. The merchant was obligated to pay a fine – hundred coins for moral endamagement, but the peasant refused to take the money.

"My freedom and my horse are the biggest wealth," said he.

Concerning to alderman, the healer and the merchant, they were sent to work in the field as a punishment. Afterwards, the field was named "The Slanderers' Field".

"Rather than slandering on an honest peasant, let them try doing hard work in the field as the peasant does," said the prince.

Leaving the village, he sincerely thanked the three friends, Yahmet and his family.

"I have indeed, set out for the journey in order to learn about how my people are doing. But for you I wouldn't have learned all the verity – about authority violations, inequities... Now I concluded that the justice needs to fight for it".

Then turning towards Sanam, added:

"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who had spoken of the truth, the justice and the injustice first? Now tell me please, was the trial made just?"

"Indeed, it was," was the reply. "I believe that in the future your reign will make the Golden Century".

"You're very brave and truthful," said prince. "And it seems you're well acquainted with sacramental laws of Egypt. I can appoint you on the rank of a scribe, whose responsibility is to contemplate applications from the population".

Sanam thanked the prince for such generous proposition and excused for she could not accept it because she should return home after a long journey.

"Although we can't accept the proposal, we can accept with pleasure gifts or maybe, bounties" said Amira half serious, half jokingly.

Surely, there were some gifts for them, too. The grandma and the peasant shelled the girls with food, various sweet-stuff and a pile of packs with gifts. The girls attempted to refuse, saying they weren't able to carry all that stuff with them, but their new friends would not listen to any of their objections:

"That's all we can thank you with. Do not refuse unless you want to offend us".

There was a jug among the gifts – Hasine's keepsake from Yahmet. She glanced at the drawn carnations with wing-like leaves and beared in mind Yahmet's words: "The carnation is the symbol of hopes and dreams".

The three friends were seen off by the whole village. Having been there a week, they left pleasant memories of themselves.

They got back to the shore of the river, which they saw in the mirror. They glanced at their reflection on the water and again appeared in the mysterious Pyramid, before the mirror. But, something was different – the gateways were open. It meant, the terms were fulfilled and the scales were balanced. At last, they managed to get out of the Pyramid!

Chapter six

Treasure and Apop

"It has left only a couple of steps to get to the Candle Valley, where the Water of Eternity is being kept. You have to overpass the mountain".

"Indeed?! Just a couple of steps?!" Amira read the next errand, begrudging. "To pass over the whole mountain!"

"It seems, the mountain is not so high," said Hasine, trying to elate her friends and herself, at the same time.

"Girls, note that there is written to overpass the mountain, but there isn't written how," said Sanam. "It's possible to go up or get around or perhaps, if there's a cave, we can go through it".

Indeed, a large cave was found by the travellers soon. They entered without hesitation.

In the cave, there were piles treasure that was lying and waiting for them. Heaps of golden cats – the token of goddess Bastet, silver falcons – the token of Horus, stacks of gold, diamonds, emeralds, turquoises, jade, chrysolites, sapphires, pearls... The biggest pile was beetles, made of gems in various colours. The girls, who had never seen such an enormous wealth before, got bewildered.

"Oh my God! That's the dream of my life!" exclaimed Amira, whose eyes were shining with avidity.

"Stop, Amira, what are you going to do?" asked Sanam with anxiety.

"I wanna sweep it. Sweep it all... with me..." Amira was on the edge of insanity because of the treasure. "It's not time of thinking, it's time of sweeping, sweeping as much as you can..." Amira wandered about and pitched into the treasure like a hungry beast, as if to pick up everything that lied all around her.

Suddenly, the gem-beetles stirred, flew up and twirled around Amira's head. Startled Amira jumped back and walked backwards. The beetles, twirling in the air, formed an inscription:

"TOUCHING THE TREASURE IS FORBIDDEN!"

"You see that?" asked Sanam in an agitated tone.

"Nay, I don't see," replied Amira hardly drawing her breath. "Here, I cannot see anything except countless piles of gold and gems. If you think, because of some bugs, I should leave this all and get off, then I say it will be the greatest nonsense I have ever known!"

"Amira! Can't you see that's a warning?! And if we disobey, then..."

"What will happen then?" asked Amira with mockery, "The sky will fall down or the earth will shake out and devour us?"

Sanam would have replied, unless Amira heckled:

"Don't, Sanam, don't say anything. If you're going to say that I am wrong, that I must not do so and do that, and to sermonize about decency, lofty sentiments, merits, then, rather, don't speak at all. All in good time, ok?"

"I'm not going to sermonize, Amira! I just want to get out of the cave safe and sound. I remember you have always been against difficulties".

"Yes, I am against nonsensical difficulties! But... is that a difficulty, is that a problem? That is the treasure, my little... nice... priceless treasure!" Amira was trembling insanely.

"Indeed? Then, tell me, please, Amira, what's much dearer to you – the treasure or your own life?"

"Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, Sanam. Is someone asking for your life in exchange of the treasure? Don't take it amiss, please, but I didn't think that you were such a fool craven..."

"What?"

"A craven".

"Hah... Now, she is the braveheart and I am the craven, is that so?

"..."

"Well, let's suppose you're saying this because the greed is clouding your eyes..." Sanam, who was deeply offended, turned back and walked away.

"What? So you mean I'm greedy?" Amira cried angrily.

The three friends walked out in three different directions.

...stacks of gold, diamonds, emeralds, turquoises, jade, chrysolites, sapphires, pearls...

Hasine took a handful of gold coins and looked them over:

"Pure gold! How fine," she sighed. "Why don't you turn to a necklace round my neck and earrings on my ears," said Hasine jestingly. Scarcely had she finished the sentence, when some of the coins were turned into earrings, flew up to her ears and touched down to it. And the rest of the coins turned to a necklace and was worn on her neck. For some minutes Hasine stood frozen in astonishment.

"Girls! Sanam! Amira!" spoke Hasina at last. "Come here! It's astonishing! The treasure turned out to be magical!"

Amira heard it, but didn't come. Though it was curious for her to know what was happening there, the sense of obstinacy came stronger; she pretended not to hear and not to care at all.

Sanam was away in the other part of the cave. And she was lost in hesitation, wondering if she wasn't right.

"Maybe I'm exaggerating, indeed. Perhaps, there's nothing worth bothering. And yet, and yet..." thought Sanam. "Amira has already begun rushing at the gems. So, it doesn't matter now". Reasoning so, Sanam picked up a couple of rubies. They were such a beauty that Sanam could not take her eyes from them, neither she could put them down back to their place.

Among the bulks of gems Sanam caught a sight of parchments, scattered about. She grinned and picked up one of them. The inscriptions in the parchment were not written with natural colorants, but with silver and gold tincture and grains of gemstones. With hieroglyphics-comments beside, there were pictures of a giant snake, people and the treasure. Sanam, who was carelessly skimming at first, was gradually caught with great attention and with much greater anxiety. One by one, the stranger pictures were discovered by her.

"But I did know that!" ejaculated she in a changed voice and jumped up, threw aside the rubies and ran, holding the parchments tightly. A gold snake with red ruby eyes was lying on her way. Unexpectedly, it enlivened and clambered up to Sanam, winded round her hand like a bracelet and gripped it. But Sanam did not get perplexed:

"I don't like snakes hanging on my wrist," pronounced Sanam sharply. Immediately, the snake slipped down and turned into oblong inkwell, from which dropped ink. And it dropped to the only plant that grew tearing off the stone floors of the cave. The plant got instantly rotten and blackened.

"I did forefeel that this treasure would not do any good".

It was next the irrecusable argument for Sanam.

She hurried to inform her friends.

Meantime, Amira, trembling like an autumn leaf, was packing the gems and talking to herself: "Silver is not worth picking, only the most precious, valuable ones... Gold is not worth either. Diamonds and gems, only".

Being among the magic treasure, Amira had forgotten anything else in the world.

"I want to have a diamond armchair and a diamond cup," she said. Just at the moment a diamond armchair of an unthinkably immense size for a diamond appeared – the armchair consisted of one whole diamond. Amira sat on it, holding the diamond cup and kept on talking to herself:

"You would like to know where from the cup comes to me? It was given a present to me for the valour I had shown in the journey through seven wonders of the ancient world. The armchair is also a keepsake. In the next room there is real treasure which belongs to me and which is never seen by anyone but me. Yes, I do have countless amount of diamond rings. I am the Lordess of Diamonds!"

Hasine was walking among the treasure and she could not remain indifferent to the fine jewellery, either.

"Take it or not to take it?" yet she was in hesitation.

Whilst Sanam was arguing with Amira, she silently stood watching them, wondering who was right.

She sat beside the pearls and sorting them out, kept muttering: "Better take it, not to take, take it, not to take..."

At this point she saw marvellous jet-black pearls and stared at them in admiration:

"If only my hair was so black and beaming," she sighed. Just then the pearls flew up to her hair and touched it. The pearls were woven with her hair and overreached till the ground. Throwing a glance at the large silver plate, as reflective as a mirror, she added:

"Now, I need some fine pins".

Again, by magic, colourful pearls touched her head and decorated her bizarre coiffure.

When Sanam came, Hasine was still sitting and muttering "take this or not to take?" The stuff she sorted out and checked with the words "take this" were already in the pack and the rest were lying waiting for their turn.

"It's better not to take this!" shouted Sanam. Hasine turned towards her.

"But I have already taken these," she showed the pearls and a pair of jade earrings.

"Hasine, let's get out of here, the treasure won't do any good!"

"Why? It seems, you're, in fact, exaggerating the things a bit. We passed through so

many trials, don't we deserve rewards then?" replied Hasine carelessly.

"Hasine, you don't know. In fact, that is no treasure. I will show you now," Sanam disheveled Hasine's hair. The black pearls fell down and turned into black eels and crawled away. Hasine yelled in disgust.

"You see?" said Sanam. "Now, come along quickly, we must rescue Amira".

Ran they off without glancing at the gemstones and gold.

At the meantime, Amira was walking through the mounds of ambers, holding an amber-flacon in her hand and talking to herself:

"Oh, that's just a trifle from my enormous treasure. I keep my perfume in it. I have plenty of such flacons".

The girls went on searching for Amira. Suddenly, they heard uproar and then, Amira's scream. The two friends rushed to help.

They found Amira, not crying for help, but screaming in madness:

"That's all mine! Jade, emerald, diamonds, all in whole – mine!"

"Amira! Throw aside the treasure! Let's run out of here while it's not too late".

"Why?" she blinked with surprise "Why should I throw the treasure away?"

"Because if you don't refuse it now, great mischief will be sent to us!" exclaimed Hasine nervously.

"I don't care," Amira's voice was so cold and she was speaking in a marble tone as if she was hypnotized. "I can't refuse the treasure. I cannot do that".

"Oh, shut up!" Sanam forced to drag her away to the exit that stood so near and visible. But Amira jerked and freed herself. And again, she hurled at the treasure.

Sanam resolutely blocked her way and showed the picture in the jewel-parchment:

"Look!"

Amira took the parchment, tore it into pieces and threw out.

"Are you mad..." the sentence was not finished. At the same instant that the parchment's rags touched the ground, it all began snapping, crackling and rattling. The rocks started to fall down and the worst of all, the fallen rocks blocked the exit completely. In death agony the ran girls to remain alive. Hardly did they escape from the falling rocks. But these terrors of falling rocks were nothing comparing to the next surprise.

Unexpectedly, a giant serpent, coiling in rings. emerged from under piles of golden sand. The girls could not even imagine its length as the most of its tail was still hidden under ground.

It gave a piercing and eerie scream, that made the travellers petrify. And they stood completely bewildered when it spoke in a human voice:

"Hey you, uninvited guests of my cavern! How dare you to touch the treasure of Apop – the mightiest and dreariest serpent in the world! Return back all the treasure you stole or I will demolish you all!"

Amira screamed in fright and fell, fainting. Hasine was in dread, too.

"Yes, that's it," Sanam stood staring at the serpent without blinking and nodding her head, as if she was aware of its appearance. Hasine looked up to her in surprise.

"What do you mean – "that's it"?"

"That's the guard of the treasure, the Snake Apop – Terror of the Cave. That is the snake, which is described in the parchment. It comes to punish when anyone attempts to steal the treasure. And the treasure itself is also dangerous – it cankers madness that affects, presumably, after the third time the treasure touches you. I mean, when you command it, like your pearl hair. And that was the reason that Amira's behaving like a mad. The treasure made her lost her mind".

"Yes, I did too, did so two times, then I was near to madden, too!" exclaimed Hasina.

"Yep, the treasure is like poison. And it's not treasure indeed, but has a guise of it. Actually, that's a trap. All of this I read from the parchment that Amira has recently torn into pieces..."

"Maybe that's a trap, indeed, but I'm not sure the whole treasure is fakery because..." Hasine could not finish the sentence. The giant-snake spoke again, in a thundering voice:

"You, the human beings have always been like that! Nuzzle into affairs, absolutely not concerning to you! All the time you attempt to grab things that don't belong to you! So many times I've warned you, but you would not understand; your avid eyes don't see anything else except piles of gold; you have only one desire – to clear up the cave from the treasure. For your avidity, you'll get what you deserve!" with these words, it emitted a shrilling scream. The travellers rushed to escape in fright. The serpent had a horrendous appearance – the head, like dragon's, vast poisonous teeth as sharp as a dagger, gluttonous mouth like shark's trap and yellowish eyes, which make tremble in fear every man who dares to look at.

"Oh my God! Off you go with your treasure!" yelled Amira running away and ramping about up and down "Take!" while running she pulled off the collected gems and threw them to and fro, "Who needs your prehistoric cobbles! Eat up your treasure if you want, only leave us in peace!"

"Hold on, girlie! You've forgotten the gems which had bosomed!"

"The gems! What gems?! I haven't any gems left with me," said Amira shrugging her shoulders. "Girls, explain to that snake..."

"Say Snake Apop!" pronounced the serpent proudly.

"Yes, yes, explain to this Snake Apop that I have neither gems nor jewellery. Even thus which I had was stolen by the Virgin of Nile," chattered Amira.

"She's right, what more do you want from us?" helped up Hasine.

"If the question is only on the treasure, then we don't need it, leave it to you," saying this, Sanam put down the gemstone-parchment and Hasina's jade earrings. "Take back your jewellery. We've come here in order to find the way to the Candle Valley".

Hasine and Amira silently watched the scene, a bit regretting about jewellery they collected.

In the end, Amira failed to hold herself in:

"Enough?! Is now your soul in peace? Having got everything back?"

"Oh, poor girl. The treasure had driven her mad to such extent that she's screaming for it instead of running away from death. I hope, she'll recover when we get out," whispered Sanam.

"Of course, if only we'll get out of here ever," was Hasine's reply.

"Now are we allowed to go off?!" while rushing with questions, Amira slowly moved back to the exit or rather to the tiny hole, that remained of the exit. But, again Apop enclosed the way:

"Whom you want to make a fool of? Give back the diamonds that you've stolen!"

"I have no diamonds!" cried out Amira, trying not to look at Apop's eyes.

"Indeed?" asked serpent with a mock surprise. "Let us check then!"

And the snake raised a stabbing scream of such loudness that the girls had to cover their ears because of pain. This time the scream was so disastrous, that even the rocks in the cave trembled and slipped down. But the strangest thing was that the treasure began losing its spellbinding view: golden coins turned into scorpions, spiders was the silvers. And the diamonds turned into edgy stones. The rest of the gold was a pile of ordinary sand and priceless colourful pebbles were all that remained of the gems.

"No! No!! How's that?!" yelled Amira. With trembling hands, she turned her pockets inside out. She looked up, all the same, useless. All her wealth was turned into a handful of pebbles and sand...

"My diamonds..." muttered Amira, wiping.

"Now, you've admitted it, too," hissed Apop in a malice voice.

Amira was terribly regretting for her diamonds. Inside her all was burning in offence... Tears spouted of her eyes.

At the same time, the Snake Apop, sedate and contented, was watching the scene. Though by transmuting, the serpent got what it wanted – replaced the stolen back to its place.

Amira sat, drown deep in despair and offense.

A few minutes passed by. Amira stood up and spoke up in a resolute tone:

"All the same, I will take this all away. Maybe, when we get out of here, they will turn into diamonds again," saying this, she recollected the pebbles that had thrown away.

Apop grasped in fury and once more emitting so chillingly, seized Amira with its tail. She screamed and asked for help, then rubbed at Apop with accusations:

"You blame the humankind in cupidity, but what about you yourself?! You're even worse. Or can you call yourself generous? Guests have visited your cave and decided to take something for a keepsake about the speaking serpent. What's wrong there?"

"A keepsake is not to be solicited, girlie," said Apop. "I guard this treasure not because of my greediness. What do you know of the capability of the cave? Know that, precious stones are not toys or bagatelles. Each of them possesses its certain power. The power overpasses to whom, who owns the stones. Neither your intellect can understand nor your fancy is able to imagine this. If a wicked man takes the possession of the treasure, great mischief would not be escaped of! The great amount of treasure is a great amount of power! No matter what power gives the treasure – intellectual power, physical strength or leadership abilities, wicked men would use in in the Disaster Stream and the great power would cause the Great Disasters. In fact, that doesn't matter if there is a wicked man or not. No man should possess individually such amount of power. If it happens, the balance in the world will bleak, because the great power will appeal all the other power, then no other power or energy would be left neither in the human nor in the animal and not in the plant and even not in the Earth itself. There won't be left life force either. Now you see what would cause your foolish child-like avidity for the treasure!"

The girls did not say a word. Apop took it a reply.

"Surely, what could you understand after all? In fact it was a great secrecy, which I mustn't have told you. Anyhow... Enough! The game's over!"

Apop seized all the three with its tail, lifted and put on the clod among the rocks.

"Now, you stay here and I go to sleep for thousand years. But, before, I must put my treasure in order".

The girls were in horror. Again they started arguing, especially Sanam and Amira. Sanam accused Amira that she didn't hark her. Even there, Amira found an excuse. Hasine begged them to calm down and be silent, saying any dispute would not help them.

"Tell us, please, the wisest of the wisest, just and generous Apop," addressed Amira with an open sarcasm. "If you're wise and just indeed, then why treated so unjustly to us? Was our guilt that we took just a few stones for a keepsake; in fact that was just a drop in your treasure ocean! What power could they contain, when the size is less than a human fist?! You accused us in avidity, but you yourself because of your avarice made up the whole legend, what's more you shut up us here, among the rocks! And where's that Apop, symbol and incarnation of a snake wisdom, which is sung in songs and legends? So it comes that's mendacity".

Amira did not even suspect how hard she had shocked Apop's sensibilities. The serpent could not stand it when someone dared to judge about its injustice.

"Well, if you were so upset because of just a little diamond, then take it!"Apop pronounced it so calmly and simply, that it was impossible to suspect that it was a trick or irony. Amira was confused – now she looked at Apop, then to the treasure.

"Take, take. Pick out which you like most".

By this time Amira was ready to choose her diamond, but she failed to get out of the lumps.

"However, I'm sure of it, you will not content yourself with one diamond," went on Apop, watching Amira. "While you're choosing a diamond, your greedy eyes will find you better, more sparkling, more colourful, more wonderful, and more and more and more diamonds. You will not feel appreciated until you carry out the whole treasure. Have you ever heard the story of a shepherd and the treasure cave? If not, then listen. In one of the thuslike caves one day a shepherd plumped in, who was pasturing sheep. There were all sorts of good things, tools and equipments and all of them were made of pure gold. And anyone that entered the cave was allowed to take away any of the golden things, but only one. And he mustn't turn or look back after choosing the thing for more. He who broke that rule, would himself turn into gold and stay in the cave forever, adding to its collection one more object. The shepherd decided to choose one – a big golden sheep. Nevertheless, when he reached the exit, his sight fell on a gold plug. He found it so fine that could not help him from going up to it. Scarcely had he touched the plug, when..."

"... was turned into a gold statue in a blink," impatiently, the girls finished the story themselves.

"Precisely. And yet, you're not a bit different from that shepherd," said Apop.

"We got it," noted Sanam. "We got everything. And we need neither a gold sheep nor a gold plug and nothing else from your treasure either. Just let us go! We are not interested in your wealth!"

"You know who are you playing tricks on, girlie!" cried Apop furiously. "You think I can see nothing? I possess the ability of reading human thoughts. I know everything you're thinking about".

"The only thing we're thinking about is to get out of here," claimed Hasina. "No matter how much wealth there is, I'm suffocating here. I just want to get out".

"I see, but that's not for long," hissed Apop. "That's because your life is in danger now. As soon as the danger is away, you will be thinking of the treasure again".

"If you mean Amira, we'll see to her," said Sanam.

"And you? Who will see to you?" asked Apop maliciously. "I've heard Hasine, how you thought that it would do no harm if you carried off a handful of jewellery. And you, Sanam. Your intentions were changed when I began speaking about mysterious power of the gems".

"No, that was an instance of incentive," Sanam endeavoured to defend.

"No, I don't believe you," asserted the serpent and crawled away.

When it turned back, the girls were sitting indifferently and sad. Seeing the serpent, Hasine jumped up:

"You have accused as, the human, in greediness. You said that all of us are equally covetous. Now, we want to prove that you were wrong. Here, in one sense, we're the representatives of the whole humankind and, his honour is in our hands. We must deserve it. Actually, the humans are very brave and generous. You will personally be a witness of it!"

Hasine came up to Sanam, resolutely, who also pulled off the diamond in the same resolute fashion. It was the diamond that was given by white snake – the Lord of the Serpents. The girls threw the diamond at Apop.

"Perhaps, that's nothing to you, comparing to your endless treasure, but that was very estimable to us. We do deny it willingly. Without any request, just for showing you the human generosity," proudly declared Hasine.

Who knows, would Apop see a human generosity in this, if it was another diamond. But in this one, Apop immediately recognized the sign of the Lord of the Snakes.

"Where did you get that? You could not have taken this diamond away from the Lord of the Snakes even by force!"

"Why should we take it by force? It did itself granted it to us," replied the travellers and told Apop the story of healing in the Nile. The story impressed Apop.

"You must have heard, probably, that the snakes are very revengeful creatures," said it. "They never forget an evil treatment. However, the goodness is also never to be forgotten. No snake may touch a person, who cured a snake. I daren't either. You may go away, you're free".

The rear wall where the girls stood crackled and a light path opened before them.

"Good journey!" Apop cried after and cast the Lord's diamond with its tail. "It's not good to take away the gift. And, by the way, take this round pebbles with you, those will be the present of me. These are not ordinary pebbles – they possess the power of protection".

The girls rejoiced. They merrily ran out of the cave, rather flew out. And they did not forget to pick up the pebbles, too.

Chapter seven

The Candle Valley

It was already after-midday time, when the girls were in freedom again. Extreme hot changed to a cool, fresh breeze. The friends were so happy at that that they at last managed to get out of this dreadful cave safe and sound. However, there was one more reason for rejoicing. They had reached the final point of their Egyptian journey – they were in the Candle Valley. So much of difficulties they had passed before getting there – sailed over the Nile; found way in the mysterious Pyramid and passed through the cave, which was not less mysterious; rubbed through the adventures and now, it had only left to draw the Water of Eternity and to return back to Memphis. And a new inscription was appeared in the map:

"When the night comes and it grows dark all around, you'll see a twinkling glow – that will be the lights of the Candle Valley. The valley is so large that makes it difficult to find the Eternity Water at nights and impossible in the daytime. Only the Valley itself may show where its miraculous water is flowing. And remember that, in the Candle Valley, one can give, but no one can take".

"And where on earth can we really take something? In the Nile river we couldn't and that mingy Apop, too, possessing such a treasure, denied to give just one diamond," complained Amira while going down the hill.

"But it gave us magic stones!" objected Sanam.

"Oh yes, deceived us with a handful of pebbles," replied Amira.

"You forgot about the Mirror of Justice. So much presents we were given there," reminded Hasine.

"For this "justice", you know how much beads we spent? for buying luxurious clothes?"

"Yeah, that's very strange, indeed!" exclaimed Hasine.

"What's strange?" asked Sanam.

"Amira has just used "we" instead of "me", explained Hasine. "Usually, when she messes something bad, she always says "we", not "me". And when she does something worth praising, she always uses "me", "only me myself". But this time..." Sanam and Hasine gazed at Amira with a smile.

"There's nothing strange, that was just a slip of tongue," shrugged Amira. "In fact, I meant "me", said she and loftily, went ahead.

"It's much more difficult for her to change than you suppose," remarked Sanam.

Off they went down the hill. However, they did not forget to have supper.

Soon, it grew dark. In this lonesome land there wasn't any electricity, so nothing could be seen in this darkness. The travellers stopped. At first, they decided to find a proper place to pass the night, but...

"Did you forget what was written in the map? Twinkling glow in the darkness – only in darkness we may find the Valley!" exclaimed Amira.

Having heard this, Sanam and Hasine were very glad.

"At last, you're interested in adventures and the trials, related with them".

"Not at all, simply the more quickly we find the Eternity Water, the faster we'll return to Memphis. And the more quickly we return to Memphis, the faster we'll go back to our home. I am interested only in that," said Amira and instantly added, "Let us walk faster and get to this Candle Valley".

The girls fastened steps and were in the Valley in a wink of time. The weather was lovely – light, cool breeze blew blissfully and milky moonbeams illuminated the way. All around there were thousands and thousands of candles. Splashing voice of water was heard from far away. And the flickering tongues of the candles were harmonically rippling, as if dancing.

The travellers were growing drowsy and they were walking half awake and half dreaming. They suspected if walking in the Candle Valley wasn't happening in their dream. In this land of wonders they had passed through so many trials and had so many adventures. Since they came here, plenty of times they dreamt of their home and family, whom they missed so much. Woken up, they found themselves here, in ancient Egypt, so far from home; having understand that was only a dream, they terribly distressed and even cried sometimes. Latterly, they hardly differed more what wass a dream and what was a reality...

No, they must pull themselves together, otherwise trouble was under feet. The thought alerted them and with all the might they had they endeavoured to be more attentive.

"We must act, instead of just walking," said Sanam. "In the map there is written that there one can give, but no one can take. Let's check what we can do in this current".

"Look," said Hasine. "There are three candles per candlestick, but only two of the three are lit. Let's try lighting up all the candles!"

Diligently got they down to business and began to light up the candles one by one. There were so many of them, that the whole year would not be enough to light up all the candles. However, the miracle happened. The lit candles vanished and a coil of parchment appeared instead of each. Only then the girls realized that the candlesticks were shiny than the flame of the candles; regardless of the candles had disappeared, it remained illuminated all around.

The parchments contained the map of the Candle Valley and inscriptions below. Each parchment indicated the place where the parchment was situated with respect to the miraculous fountain. For a long time walked our travellers, peering through indicated directions...

According to the parchments in the candlesticks, they stood exactly at the same place where the Water of Eternity was kept. But not a sign of water was to be seen; the view wasn't changed – the same endless rows of the candlesticks and shiny parchments. The girls went on learning the parchments with a great deal of attention for more exactitude. They indicated a bit more left or a bit more right, a few steps down or a few steps up. In the end, they found the necessary candlestick – the most exact point. The Eternity Water was shown to be exactly here, but it wasn't here...

At the same instant the parchments vanished and the endless candlesticks were filled up with beads. Only the candlestick which stood before them was that, as if the candlestick was about to become full, but the beads weren't enough a bit.

Amira nearly would send a handful of them into her pocket, but her friends stopped her, reminding the terms in the parchment. "One can give, but no one can take in the Candle Valley". The girls told Amira that a few beads were missing to fill up the candlestick. What's more, they were so alike to these of Amira's. Then, paying no attention to Amira's reproaches, they asked her to fill it up with her beads.

No matter how displeased Amira was, she also wanted to end with those trials. She poured a little of the beads to the candlestick. That wasn't enough. She poured a little more and more and more and more, but the candlestick remained as if none was poured. Only after Amira had poured all the beads she had, it filled up and all the candlesticks with the all the beads inside, vanished.

The next thing appeared in the candlesticks made Sanam's and Hasine's hearts sink. Diamonds appeared there, all identical and alike to that white diamond, the gift of the Lord of the Snakes. Obviously, the candlestick before them was empty. Although it was unpleasant, the girls sacrificed the white diamond for the best results. And yet the Candle Valley was not satisfied. The following demand was an object that was of great importance for the travellers in finding way during the journey – the magic compass.

"Nay, it licks all the creation! That's unfair! How do we find way without compass? Who would show us the right direction?!" cried Amira frantically.

Sanam and Hasine were also at that point of view. They hesitated for a long time. If they lost the compass, it would become difficult to find a way. But if they did't give it away, there would be left no way to find – they'd stay there, lost forever. Desperately, the friends fixed the compass on the candlestick.

A real conversion happened then: all the candlesticks died out at the same instant and all around covered in darkness.

Slowly, it grew lighter. The three friends found themselves standing in front of a large Labyrinth.

*

"Hum, how I am fed up! Why don't these trials end after all?" groaned Amira nervously.

"Open the map and ask it, what would it say, I wonder," was the reply.

So Amira opened the map. A new inscription was that: "Find the miraculous water through the Labyrinth and Egyptian journey will be over. Warning: do not break the eggs of Destiny; otherwise you'll never get back to your home. Good luck!"

"The eggs of Destiny? What are they?" wondered Hasine and Amira.

"We'll know after we investigate the Labyrinth," said Sanam.

There were endless entangled roads inside. In the edge of the roads, on the silvery pillars there were transparent egg-shaped glass spheres of size of a human palm. A strange blue fluid in the spheres was the source of light in the Labyrinth. Surely, the girls took an interest in these strange objects.

"Is that an egg of Destiny?!" asked Sanam, taking one of them. When she touched it, the blue fluid rose out of the egg and a voice was heard from the sphere: "That was a spoilt son of a merchant. After father's death he faced a misfortune and lost all he had. However, his father had left him a fortune – hidden treasure, buried under his own garden. If the son found it, he would be released of poverty".

Rising, the fluid of the sphere formed a cloud. Sanam quickly rode off all the fluid down the sphere and put it back to the pillar.

"Yes, indeed, it's an egg of Destiny. But we mustn't hold off and mustn't distract. Otherwise, the story of treasure, I'm afraid, may happen again," saying so, Sanam went on. Nonetheless, her friends did not want to agree with her. They were terribly interested in those spheres – that's why they did not move on. Instead, they began listening to other destiny stories. Amira took a sphere. Again, after being touched by human fingers, the fluid rose up from the glass sphere and a voice was heard from it:

"He was Pharaoh's son. By mistake of Destiny the day he was born he was interchanged with a shepherd baby by priests. He was grown up in a shepherd family, while the shepherd's real son was brought up among the luxuries of Pharaoh's palace. When the day for Destiny to rectify its mistake had come, again, it was cheated by royal priests. Still, the Destiny is waiting for a brave rectifier, who can emend the error".

By this time the fluid had already formed a cloud, from what the following was heard:

"Do you want to be the one?"

Amira was very interested in the story. "Does Destiny make mistakes?" she muttered. But discovering the friends weren't around and remembering Sanam's words, she sharply said "No!" Instantly, the cloud poured down to the sphere and reduced to fluid. Amira placed back the sphere and went on. She decided to content herself with only listening to the stories and not to interfere in stranger destinies.

Hasine was also busy with listening to destiny stories. From one of the spheres she heard:

"The guy could have become a great Egyptian warlord. But his silly decision of voyage to Greece caused his death in a shipwreck before seeing greatest victories and fame".

Hasine listened and blew back the fluid into the sphere. She had also decided not to interfere.

They've quite forgotten about the Eternity Water, for they were engrossed in listening to stories.

At this time, Sanam was eagerly looking for the miraculous water. Passing over the roads, she was leaving some marks, but all the same she wondered if she could really find the right way. In the end, she realized all her aimless wanderings were useless. She pulled off a sheet of parchment that had bought in Memphis, a golden pen and drew the chart of the roads. Soon, the draft was ready. According to it she found paths, which leaded to the centre and moved along them. All time long there was one and the same view – the eggs of Destiny beside, illuminating the roads with their blue beams. Sanam walked, all the time being anxious about if she was in a right path or not, if she made her map correct or not and so on.

At last, by either chance or by the help of the map, indeed, she found the miraculous water, for she noticed the gleam coming from the end of the road was lighter and unlike of that blue, coming from the spheres. Sanam quickened steps – she nearly ran. She was right. She reached the centre of the Labyrinth. The gleam was coming from a large round crystal chalice or rather, from the liquid in it. Sanam supposed, no, she was sure it was the Eternity Water, because unlike ordinary water she was all gleaming, beaming and shining. Obviously, it was of a miraculous type.

Only then she realized her friends weren't around. She decided to wait for them there, hoping them to come soon. "Till they come, I won't touch the Water," she thought.

Meantime, Hasine and Amira noticed themselves being left alone. Too much had they addicted to the stranger stories! Alone in the darkness, without any acquaintance of the paths, they suddenly realized all the gravity of the matter. It was frightful. Nor the weak gleam of the mysterious blue fluid would do any help. On contrary, it made paths more frightful. Anyhow, the brave girls did not panic, they went forward without stopping.

At long last, Hasine managed to arrive at the goal. She rejoiced at the sight of the miraculous water. And even more rejoiced she was seeing her dear friend. And Sanam, in her turn, not hiding her gladness, embraced her:

"How did you find the way?" asked Sanam.

"And you?"

"You tell first".

"I just went on and on and on, all trying to reach to the centre, when path turned off I put the mark and went back. So have I come. And you?"

"While wandering I had an idea of making a map. By its help I have come there".

"I hope, soon Amira will come as well".

They awaited her for half and quarter hours.

When the long-expected one appeared, the friends flung into arms.

"Do you know," told Amira. "It seems someone before us had passed through the trials. They left marks of where to go and where not to. And surprising of all, you ask, that was all written in plain French!"

"Indeed? We did not notice".

"In one of the forks I saw an inscription, written with a lump of clay, saying: "DON'T GO BY THIS WAY", in the other "IT WON'T LEAD YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACE". I went by another path, which led me back to the threshold. Then, I myself wrote one of such inscriptions about this path, as well. Pretty much of such marks were all around and they helped me to get here".

At this time Sanam and Hasine were heartily chuckling.

"Hey? Why are you laughing?"

"Because it was us, who passed through the trials".

"So?"

"It was us who made those inscriptions".

"Ah-ah, I thought that was someone else... Wow, I can see we found the Eternity Water".

"Yes, and since all three of us are here, we may now return to Memphis".

"Really? That's great!!" Amira embraced her friends once more. "But... how, I wonder..."

The girls had not thought about it yet.

"Let's just draw water in our jug for now, then we'll see to it." was the decision.

In an instant the girls' fingers touched the miraculous water, it pushed out. Despite, they attempted to draw water in the jug. With the water, strange objects fell down into the jug – a bronze box of size of a small match-box, a round, fine little mirror and a thick coil of parchment, covered with leather. On the leather there was written "The Book of Knowledge". Sanam opened the parchment curiously. Inside, there were only empty pages. Even more surprised, Sanam muttered: "It's curious, what objects they are". Instantly the empty pages filled up with inscriptions: "On the occasion of your finishing the Egyptian adventures and reaching the miraculous fountain, you've been awarded with prizes. For Sanam – the magic Book of Knowledge; with its help you can study anything, any type of writing, any language and any science. For Amira – a magic box. It thrices whatever you put in it. The Mirror of Justice for Hasine. It could be told long about its abilities, but it's better to wait till you really need it. Nevertheless..."

Sanam would have liked to go on with reading, but the miraculous fountain's water increased too much and took away the girls.

*

The girls saw with wimpling eyes ancient Memphis first, then the Pyramids and Architect Tuthmon, waiting for them with his escort of priests and architects beside the Nile River. By some magic, miraculous water drew them away the Nile and pushed ashore here, in Memphis.

Tuthmon rejoiced at the sight of the jug, filled with miraculous water in Sanam's hands. Having told briefly all the adventures they had, the girls noted that the water must be equally divided among the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. (This and other inscriptions were read from the Book of Knowledge).

The girls saw with wimpling eyes ancient Memphis first, then the Pyramids and Architect Tuthmon, waiting for them with his escort of priests and architects beside the Nile River

Under the leadership of Tuthmon, a special solemn rite was performed. During the rite of the Division of the Eternity Water, the trusted priests watered the Sphinx and the Pyramids, under voices of solemn Egyptian prayers and spells. When the rite was over, the result could be seen instantly. The best edifices of Memphis were stately and firm again.

On the occasion that the glorious edifices of the Egypt were renovated, a great feast was arranged. And the three girls were dear and reputable guests in the feast.

When everyone rejoiced in gladness and the hall was full of laughter, Sanam cried out in an agitated voice:

"Why didn't you leave any water for the Lighthouse of Alexandria?"

The crowd in the hall began flustering.

"Why, indeed? How could we forget about that?"

"I can see it has left only one and a half drop of miraculous water in the jug".

"What can do one and a half drop?!" said Hasine discomposedly.

Anyhow, the jug, with its one and a half drop of miraculous water was immediately sent to Alexandria. So were the travellers, who had to continue the journey in Greece, for they should sail across the Mediterranean Sea. In Alexandria, they got aboard and started for the new journey.

The Lighthouse is predestined to have one and a half thousand years of life...

The girls, staring at the cerulean waves of the Mediterranean Sea, remembered of their conversation with the Keeper of the Lighthouse.

"Well done, girls. Even a few drops of the Eternity Water were enough to stop it from destroying".

"But I'm afraid it won't serve the Lighthouse as well as it will to the Pyramids and the Sphinx".

"Why?" the Keeper was surprised.

"Well... Actually, we are from the future, three thousand years after," began Hasine. The Keeper smiled meaningfully.

"In spite of the Egyptian Pyramids were built pretty earlier, they remained till our days," Hasine went on. "But the Lighthouse which is the newest will stay for only one and a half thousand years. Maybe that's all because of that, little water was left for the Lighthouse. You know, in our times there's a saying: "Everything is afraid of time and time is afraid of the Pyramids". But it could be different. The Lighthouse of Alexandria could remain as well!"

The keeper calmed the girls.

"The history cannot be changed. The misdivision of the Eternity Water was not an accident; it must've been like that. Even a person from the future is not able to change the history. You said the Lighthouse will remain for one and a half thousand years? And the water was left..."

"One and a half drop".

"Exactly, yes, yes. Every drop of water gives to an edifice a thousand years of Life. While the Pyramids have endless life through millenniums, the Lighthouse is predestined to have one and a half thousand years of life, so it will be".

"One thousand and a half thousand years are not a little time after all," went on the Keeper. "For days and nights we were in fear that one day, so unexpectedly, the edifice might just break down. Now, at least both the Lighthouse and our lives are in safety. I wish you good luck in your next journey. Allow me to help you to choose the best vessel as a sign of my gratitude".

So began their remarkable journey to the cities of Rhodes, Halicarnassus, Olympus and Ephesus.

