The Stories of Thoth and Ma'at:
The Neter News: Penis
Watch. Details at 11
For Background, see Previous Stories
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THOTH is at the temple pylon, as before, scanning
the moonlit horizon,
waiting for ANUBIS, whose KHU in dog form runs across the upper
space and vanishes over the pylon. ANUBIS now appears
in human form inside the pylon, beckoning THOTH.
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| ANUBIS:
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Mr. Prime Minister, I have the--
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| THOTH:
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Will you please not call me that?
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| ANUBIS:
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I'm sorry.
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| THOTH:
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I believe not. This keeps happening.
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| ANUBIS:
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I have been flippant. I have the
news.
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| THOTH:
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Finally.
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| ANUBIS:
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The penis watch
is over. We
have located it.
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| THOTH:
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Yes?
And??
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| ANUBIS:
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I feel this part is best disclosed privately
at first.
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| THOTH:
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(To CELEBRANTS:)
Our apologies.
Please excuse us.
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| THOTH and ANUBIS retreat into the pylon, but are
still visible and audible on screen through a video camera behind
them, showing CELEBRANTS in the background. MA'AT KHU
appears, hovers at middle distance.
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THOTH:
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Is this news going to cause emotional upset
for some?
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| ANUBIS:
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I believe so.
But it gets worse.
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THOTH:
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Go on.
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MA'AT KHU:
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Anubis was in no great hurry. At first
he revealed only to Thoth that the King's penis had been eaten by one of the
river animals, and that . . .
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| ANUBIS:
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I would understand if it had been done by a crocodile,
we hope not a hippopo- tamus, but maybe a long river pike, even
a dolphin. But it was-- (Whispers to THOTH.)
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THOTH:
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(Recoiling.) Ohhh. Rare!
The sandstone cartoonists will have
a festival with this.
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| ANUBIS:
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That they will.
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THOTH:
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An oxyrynchos fish. What could be more uproarious?
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(Distant LAUGHTER.) THOTH and ANUBIS cross to BOAT. THOTH
to OSIRIS, within:)
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THOTH:
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Did you hear?
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| OSIRIS: (Within:)
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Yes! Shocking!
Wonderful! What amazing blends and becomings in
this realm.
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THOTH:
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I agree. It will certainly not be dull for you
at this time. Queen Isis is . . . oh, that fragrance is like a bell of
clover singing across a valley.
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| OSIRIS:
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No matter what
happens here, it has a bizarre beauty.
And we haven't even given them all the grain secrets yet.
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| AROMA: ISIS' fragrance precedes her in jasmine,
raspberry, myrrh and lavender.
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| ANUBIS:
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(Sniffing.) Oh, my. What an experience. That aroma does
say Now.
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| OSIRIS:
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What aroma?
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| ANUBIS:
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Father, please tell me you are joking.
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| OSIRIS:
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No.
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THOTH:
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Your majesty, please, just take a deep breath.
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| OSIRIS:
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Oh. That aroma.
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MA'AT
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Well, no matter what else is disputed, we
know you're really Osiris.
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| OSIRIS:
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What do you mean?
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THOTH:
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Never mind. (Exchanging meaningful looks with
ANUBIS.) My mistake.
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OSIRIS:
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Please. Tell me.
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ANUBIS:
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That aroma is like a flood, a force of nature.
How can you not smell it?
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MA'AT
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It's about your nose.
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| OSIRIS:
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Which is exactly what it should be. I keep
trying to tell you. I'm not here to smell, I'm here
to be smelled. I'm a plant. I do my best work in
the soil and the water.
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THOTH:
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(To
CELEBRANTS:) I will be so happy
when Horus is born and comes to rule, and I can go back to writing and inventing.
(To OSIRIS:) Please sit up, my lord. Please tell
me what you see there. Do you see the lady in her
beauty?
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OSIRIS:
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Oh.
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THOTH:
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(To ANUBIS:) We are about to become
a crowd. Shall we?
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THOTH and ANUBIS exit. THOTH KHU appears above,
hovering at high distance. He is Born MUSIC begins.
Enter ISIS.
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