My Journey To Ambis

by Evelyn Hamer

I am very cross. I am very miserable too.

My name is Muna. I am the Goddess of the Moon. I am only awake during the sleepy night time hours and I live in my temple, a hundred miles from the river Nile. But I do not have any friends. My brother, Re, God of the Sun, has many friends, including Tothuk, God of the Day Creatures. I only see them at cross-over time when the moon goes to sleep and the sun comes up.

I want friends. I need friends. I don't want to be lonely anymore but everyone is asleep when I am in my temple.

One night I was so cross that my anger created a spell which meant the sun didn't come up the next morning. The papyrus trees stayed asleep, the men and women couldn't work the land and the children couldn't play in the warm sunshine.

Re and Tothuk appeared at my temple. "What have you done, Muna?" they asked. I looked at them coldly.

"How would you like to be the only one awake when everyone else is asleep?" I shouted.

Re and Tothuk looked at one another. Tothuk protested. "She does have a good point."

Re looked thoughtful and said confidently, "I know how to solve this problem. Take her to meet your sister, Ambis."

So the three of us started on a long trek to the river Nile where Ambis, the Goddess of the Night Creatures, lived. We marched across the scorching desert, passing a group of scorpions who were about to use their hurtful pinching skills on us when they suddenly stopped. Ambis had appeared.

"Welcome to my home, friends!" she exclaimed. To my amazement I then noticed a group of animals behind her. From big to small, from tall to tiny, I saw swooping bats, a snake slithering along, hooting owl, diving fish, a sleepy mud-drenched hippo, a sly fox and a shaggy wolf. "Why have you come all this way though?" Ambis asked.

Re answered, "We need to find some friends for Muna because she feels so lonely."

Ambis looked kindly at me. "If you stay out of the temple, you will find many things around you," and she winked. "Let me introduce you to your new friends. These swooping bats are really clever creatures. The slithering snake is a little shy but wants to be friends too. The owl will give good advice. The hippo will make you laugh, the fish will be loyal friends forever, the wolf is so kind and fox is super friendly."

I exclaimed, "You are all so lovely! What a happy atmosphere!" I stroked the fox's back softly and I tickled the hippo under her chin. Re grinned. "You no longer need to feel lonely. You will always have friends in the night time creatures."

My spell was broken. The sun started to rise. My heart was full of joy. I had discovered a whole new family. Forever.