Seven Scorpions and the Old Beggar-Woman of the Swamp

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

Em Hotep, friends

According to a legend passed down to the people in the ancient of days, Zep Tepi; the time of the Goddess and the first Gods on the Earth,

After the death of Osiris, Lord of Light by the hand of Sutekh the Serpent God, his brother and co-creator of animals on land and in water respectively, both Gods born of  Nun, their Mother before the beginnings;

Isis was taken by Set and imprisoned in a spinning-mill, to sit alone in the shadows mourning the untimely death of her dearest husband, at the passing of the seasons.

There She was to sit and weave the funereal garments of Azar. Unbeknownst to Saturn, though, who was the Lord of the Earth during the dark half of every year;

Isis was pregnant by Osiris at the time. Luckily for Au-Set; it was only Tehuti who also knew of the pregnancy

Thoth, God of Wisdom, also known under the names of Hermes and Mercury, decided to come to assist the beautiful Queen of Magick; who had taught him all he knew; The Queen of All Sorceries whose excellence in the Natural Arts of Magick was exceeded by no-one in the Heavens and the Earth ~

So Thoth came one evening in secret to spirit Isis away on the wings of a Sphinx, to live in the impenetrable papyrus swamps of the lush river delta.

The seven Scorpion Goddesses who were to take her care whilst expecting and with a sore back and heavier belly, were Tefen, Masetetef, Petet, Tjetet,  Matet, Mesetet and Befen.

These were the Scorpion Maidens who were sworn to protect Isis, no matter what the circumstances.

Later on, Horus was wed to one of the Maidens, as transformed into very beautiful women ~  goddesses, without and within.

Isis journeyed through the swamps, making good friends with the crocodiles of Azar and made invisible as only swamp witches can ever accomplish to do.

When travelling disguised as an old beggar-woman(as Divinities often are) and coming one day upon the abode of a wealthy and high society Lady named Usert; Isis desired nothing more than just a cool drink of water and perhaps some bread so she could live and care for her baby's needs at the same time.

Accompanied as She was by the seven Scorpions, and presenting an image not approved of by society ; The old beggar-woman was thrown out and no help or sustenance was offered.

The Scorpions were literally enraged by this untowards behavior, however Isis and her entourage continued on the way, to the shores of a great and shimmering lake, to the humble abode of a poor fisher-girl; who did not even hesitate before offering Isis, scorpions and all, into her room to rest and share her simple but nourishing fare.

The scorpions, however, were intent on revenging the rude behaviour of the rich woman up on the hillside, and so, decided to combine all of their potent poisons into one stinger.

The leader of the Maidens, Lady Tefen, materialized suddenly and unexpectedly as if by magick in the garden of the rich woman, and stung her son on the ankle with a lethal dose of scorpion venom.

Distraught beyond reckoning, Usert reached for her beloved child and rushed him down as quickly as she could to the nearest settlement, crying loudly for any kind of assistance - which did not at first, seem forthcoming.

Just as suddenly, in a shimmering sparkle of rainbow light, Isis appeared in front of the now totally distraught mother.

Isis took the child and enchanted a spell of magickal healing over him, using the precisely correct intonations, which included the names of the seven scorpions in turn.

Commanding that the poison depart from the veins of his body, Isis miraculously healed the boy in front of Usert's very eyes - but not before transforming again into the appearance of the old beggar-woman, yet again...

And as the story goes, the one inscribed on the famous Metternich Stele, the one which shows Isis the Primordial Androgynous Creatrix with the Scorpions, Serpents and Divinities of Old, the Queen of all Magick astride Her Dragon; the crocodile of Set and Azar and symbolic creatures in either hand, as meaning the power of the Goddess over both life and death; increase and decrease, waxing and waning ~  the power to transmute the potentially harmful poison into the sweetest of waters, or to remove any form of harm caused by other's harmful magic

~ as the story goes, Usert was so overcome with gratitude and and remorseful feelings at how she had initially treated the old beggar-woman ~ never even thinking that it may have ever been the Goddess herself in person ~ that she promptly went and gave of her money and heartfelt assistance to the poor fisher woman's clan; to improve their life and way of existence.

In turn, the fisher-folk supported Usert and everyone was much happier than it was before, when things were out of Balance!

Blessed Be