Then she prayed, saying: 

“O my God, take away this curse of blackness from these innocent people,” and all of those present, repeated her prayer.

At that moment the sky began to lighten and in less than half an hour the sun shone out.  When Merapi saw how she and the child were arrayed she screamed aloud and tore off her jewelled trappings, crying: 

“Woe!  Woe!  Woe!  Great woe upon the people of Egypt!”

But in their joy at the new found light few hearkened to her who they were sure had brought back the sun.  Again Laban appeared for a moment.

“Witch!  Traitress!” he cried.  “You have worn the robes of Isis and worshipped in the temple of the gods of the Egyptians.  The curse of the God of Israel be on you and that which is born of you.”

I sprang at him but he was gone.  Then we bore Merapi home swooning.

So this trouble passed by, but from that time forward Merapi would not suffer her son to be taken out of her sight.

“Why do you make so much of him, Lady?” I asked one day.

“Because I would love him well while he is here, Friend,” she answered, “but of this say nothing to his father.”

A while went by and we heard that still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.  Then the Prince Seti sent Bakenkhonsu and myself to Tanis to see Pharaoh and to say to him: 

“I seek nothing for myself and I forget those evils which you would have worked on me through jealousy.  But I say unto you that if you will not let these strangers go great and terrible things shall befall you and all Egypt.  Therefore, hear my prayer and let them go.”

Now Bakenkhonsu and I came before Pharaoh and we saw that he was greatly aged, for his hair had gone grey about his temples and the flesh hung in bags beneath his eyes.  Also not for one minute could he stay still.

“Is your lord, and are you also of the servants of this Hebrew prophet whom the Egyptians worship as a god because he has done them so much ill?” he asked.  “It may well be so, since I hear that my cousin Seti keeps an Israelitish witch in his house, who wards off from him all the plagues that have smitten the rest of Egypt, and that to him has fled also Ki the Kherheb, my magician.  Moreover, I hear that in payment for these wizardries he has been promised the throne of Egypt by many fickle and fearful ones among my people.  Let him be careful lest I lift him up higher than he hopes, who already have enough traitors in this land; and you two with him.”

Now I said nothing, who saw that the man was mad, but Bakenkhonsu laughed out loud and answered: 

“O Pharaoh, I know little, but I know this although I be old, namely, that after men have ceased to speak your name I shall still hold converse with the wearer of the Double Crown in Egypt.  Now will you let these Hebrews go, or will you bring death upon Egypt?”

Pharaoh glared at him and answered, “I will not let them go.”