Silent Signs, Unmarked Paths

A wise old owl sat on an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?     

--Edward H. Richards

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garouMUSH

     "westchenu g'ru" "the ones who stride, silent"

Unfortunately, during my passage to this new land I seem to have lost all copies of this archive which people once found so useful. So I must begin anew. That is the way of our tribe, after all, to lose everything and start over.

The Past

Every journey has a beginning; the best journeys do not end. Here is our beginning, the history of our tribe at the Wheel Renewed as recorded by Anubis Truthcatcher. Someday I may find time to pick up the work where he ended.

Sepdet's Lessons to her cubs

  • Who are the Striders?

    Wealth I ask not, hope, nor love,
    Nor a friend to know me.
    All I ask, the heaven above
    And the road below me.

    --RL Stevenson The Vagabond

  • The Four Paws on the Path

    Stout marches lead to certain ends,
    We seek no Holy Grail, my friends -
    That dawn should find us every day
    Some fraction farther on our way.

    --RL Stevenson

  • The Tale of Two Jackals
  • The Tale of Aswan
  • Khem Resh: a few of our words
  • The Netcheru: ancient gods, sacred spirits
  • Lost homeland: The ancient history of Khem
  • Thoth: God of Wisdom
  • Early Striders of the Wheel Renewed

    • "The ship of fools sails the poison ocean; corruption is their guide. The dead harvest they will reap. The air burns their skin. The water smells offensive. The air smells offensive. Enemy of the feather. They turn their faces away from Maat."

    -- translation of modern illustrated papyrus painted by our kinfolk Richard Deurer. He also retells our mythology with a Galliard's gift

    You may also enjoy the unusually skilled translations of twelve of our favorite stories as told on this Ancient Egypt page.

    Of Writing (netjer medw, sacred words)

    Sepdet's greatest sorrow is that, bane-scarred, she is no longer able to write and teach the sacred writing. But perhaps you may learn from other sources. Here is a guide to pronunciation of the simplest letter-signs, those which stand only for one sound. Below the chart are paths to lessons in "beginning Egyptian", which is what they call our Khem Resh. You will also need to learn the two-sound signs and many others, and may find further help on the Ancient Egyptian Language academy where cubs and kin alike pool their resources to help each other learn the old tongue. And here are some blessings and greetings.

    Of Names

    You may wish to take a Name (, ren) for yourself from one of the gods, as many do, or from one of the Pharaohs. My own small word-list may be helpful in designing deednames. But if none of these feels ma'at for you, then consult this lengthy list of our ancestors, both commoners and kings, and browse to your heart's content.

    Of Anpw (Anubis, Yinepu)

  • Lady mery-Bast tells about Anpw in The Papyrus
  • Pictures of Anpw from Akhet
  • Ancient Egypt-- the Mythology on Anpw
  • House Netjer on Anpw (Wsir=Osiris)
  • Anpw guarding a young king's treasures

  • Anpw brings forth a dead man's ka from Judgement (from Nebsenni's Book of the Dead):
    Anubis the dweller in the mummy chamber, Governor of the Divine House, layeth his hands upon the lord of life, the scribe, the draughtsman of Ptah, Nebseni, the lord of fealty, begotten of the scribe and mason Thena, born of the lady of the house Mut-rest, whose word is truth, and devoting himself to him as his guardian, saith:- Homage to thee, thou happy one, lord! Thou seest the Utchat. Ptah-Seker hath bound thee up. Anpu hath exalted thee. Shu hath raised thee up, O Beautiful Face, thou governor of eternity. Thou hast thine eye, O scribe Nebseni, lord of fealty, and it is beautiful. Thy right eye is like the Sektet Boat, thy left eye is like the Atet Boat. Thine eyebrows are fair to see in the presence of the Company of the Gods. Thy brow is under the protection of Anpu, and thy head and face, O beautiful one, are before the holy Hawk. Thy fingers have been stablished by thy scribe's craft in the presence of the Lord of Khemenu, Thoth, who hath bestowed upon thee the knowledge of the speech of the holy books. Thy beard is beautiful in the sight of Ptah-Seker, and thou, O scribe Nebseni, thou lord of fealty, art beautiful before the Great Company of the Gods. The Great God looketh upon thee, and he leadeth thee along the path of happiness. Sepulchral meals are bestowed upon thee, and he overthroweth for thee thine enemies, setting them under thy feet in the presence of the Great Company of the Gods who dwell in the House of the Great Aged One which is in Anu.

    Of Wepwawet

    kindred spirit of Anpw, the Opener of the Ways, guardian of the Valley of the Dead, dread guide and stern teacher...more, I am not permitted to speak.

    Under the wide and starry sky
    Dig the grave and let me lie.
    Glad did I live and gladly die,
    And I laid me down with a will.     		This be the verse you grave for me;
    Here he lies where he longed to be,
    Home is the sailor, home from sea,
    And the hunter home from the hill.
    -- RL Stevenson

    Art and Rebirth

    Many of our people's ancient treasures have been brought to light in the last hundred years, and humans now claim to hold our secrets in their hands! Thankfully, they do not. Sometimes they give a measure of life back to buried images long forgotten, and give reverence to our ancestors' memories. Sometimes they destroy that which they hope to preserve. Here is a survey of our art, compiled by a human teacher, which celebrates the beauty of our ancient heritage.

    The Road Continues...

    Lastly, I invite you to browse my long-honed list of Egypt sites on the web. May your explorations be fruitful and varied.

    Light the fires
    And close the door.
    To the old homes,
    To the loved shore,
    The far-farers
    Return no more.

    --RL Stevenson, The Far-Farers

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