Tale of Two Brothers
also known as Anpu and Bata
Betrayal within a family can be answered with supernatural transformation rather than simple revenge, carrying the wronged brother through death and rebirth to eventual kingship.
- betrayal and reconciliation between brothers
- repeated death and magical rebirth of the protagonist
- shapeshifting folkloric motifs across tree, bull, and king
- preserved in the only known copy, Papyrus D'Orbiney
Preserved on Papyrus D'Orbiney and copied by the scribe Ennana under Seti II, this tale follows two brothers, Anpu and Bata, whose bond is broken when Anpu's wife falsely accuses Bata of assault. Bata mutilates himself to prove his innocence, then dies and is magically reborn in several forms, a tree, a bull, and finally a king, while his brother repeatedly intervenes to save him. The tale ends with Bata's ascension to the throne and Anpu's reconciliation as his heir, rich in folkloric motifs of shapeshifting and resurrection.
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