| Original Papyrus "Tale of the Doomed Prince" | |
|---|---|
| |
|
Origin |
"Tale of the Doomed Prince" |
|
Type |
Papyrus |
|
Effects |
Bestial Conjuration |
|
Downsides |
Animals are hostile |
|
Activation |
Opening |
|
Collected by |
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Section |
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Aisle |
536648-1959 |
|
Shelf |
22487-336-41 |
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Date of Collection |
June 5, 2013 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
"Tale of the Doomed Prince" is an ancient Egyptian folk tale thought to have originated in the 18th dynasty (circa 1550-1292 B.C.E.); it is largely known because it was documented (along with other stories and poems) on Papyrus Harris 500, a scroll collected by noted papryi collector Anthony Charles Harris and purchased after his death by the British Museum.
The story describes the son of a King of Egypt whose death was foretold at birth, at the hands of either a snake, a crocodile, or a dog, and the lengths to which his father and eventual wife took to keep the prince safe and alive. Many motifs that would appear later in European fairy tales are present in this story, including talking animals, young royalty locked in a tower, seeking one’s destiny, and cheating death.
Unfortunately, Papyrus Harris 500 was partially destroyed in an unspecified explosion in Alexandria where the document was stored, and the ending of this story is now lost, though rumors of a complete copy transcribed by Harris persist.
Effects[]
Presumambly intended as a magical tool for a unknown pharaoh ascending into the afterlife, when the scroll is opened it summons a crocodile, serpent, and jackal. These animals act as wild and hostile obstacles to those not in control of the artifact.
Collection[]
This hitherto unknown complete copy of the "Tale of the Doomed Prince" was originally collected by Marie Guichon at some unspecified point.
Guichon would use the artifact as a trap against H.A.R.P. consultant Tyler Lepido when she had penetrated the Warehouse’s defense systems in 2013. After she was apprehended and captured, the papyrus was catalogued and stored in the Warehouse.