Nut – the Goddess of the Sky and Geb – the God of the Earth married each other and they were about to have children.
The chief of the Gods was Ra. In Ra's palace, Ra created Thoth, the God of Wisdom and Writing. Being extraordinarily wise, Thoth could even predict the future.
"What does the future hold for me?" Ra asked Thoth, as soon as Thoth was created.
"My Lord," Thoth said looking far ahead, his eyes glazed. "You will be powerful and rule over the world. However when your time comes, one of Nut’s children, would take over the throne from you."
Ra unfortunately got very angry when he learnt this. "Only if Nut gives birth, the child will take over my throne." he blazed angrily. "Nut will not be able to give birth to any children, during the day or night of any days of the year."
"My Lord..." Thoth started speaking but Ra silenced him with angry eyes, as Ra huffed away from there.
*****
"...I am sorry." Thoth told Nut, all that had happened with Ra.
"How could Ra do this?" Nut demanded angrily.
She was getting furious when she saw a tiny smile in Thoth’s eyes.
"What?" She snapped angrily as Thoth smiled wider.
"You cannot give birth during the 360 days of the year, right?" Thoth asked.
Nut frowned not saying anything.
"Leave it to me." Thoth said grinning as he walked towards the bright light of the moon, whose light was almost as bright as the Sun God - Ra himself.
******
"Khonsu, my Lord – you are the Lord of the Moon." Thoth said as he walked inside the palace of the Moon God.
"Thoth?" Khonsu said looking surprised at the God of Wisdom.
"Your light is almost as powerful as that of Ra." Thoth said glancing at the powerful God.
Khonsu glanced at Thoth almost realizing that the God of Wisdom, had some secret agenda hidden, but Khonsu was unable to figure out exactly what it was.
"Thoth, what are you doing here?" Khonsu asked the God.
"I have heard that you are the best Senet player. I wish to confirm it, myself." Thoth said looking at the God with awe in his voice.
"You wish to play Senet with me?" Khonsu asked repeating what Thoth had said.
Thoth nodded eagerly. "The Goddess Nut told me that there is no one who is as good as you, when it comes to playing Senet. Please I just wish for a chance to see it myself."
Khonsu became proud of himself. That the God of Wisdom himself should come and appreciate his Senet playing skills was something that was beyond anything he could imagine.
And so it started.
They started playing small. But then not for nothing was Thoth, the God of Wisdom. He won the games.
Khonsu became steadily reckless as the game progressed. Unable to stop himself, Khonsu began to bet more and more.
"I bet a portion of my all-powerful light, in this game." Khonsu pronounced looking more angry and he was not thinking properly.
Not a hair betrayed Thoth’s real feelings as he nodded.
Khonsu lost the game. He kept losing all the games after that.
******
"I have solved your problem." Thoth said as he went to Nut.
"How?" Nut asked completely surprised. She was even more surprised as she saw the moon in the sky looking dull...almost as if.… "What happened?"
"I played with Khonsu and he bet his light." Thoth told Nut the entire story.
Thoth’s plan worked out brilliantly well.
Using the light he had got from Khonsu, Thoth fashioned five extra days. The days were not part of the 360 days of the year. They were from the light of Khonsu.
It was in these five days that Nut was able to give birth to her five children. Osiris was born on the first day. After him were born the four children of Nut on the next four days.
Unfortunately because Khonsu lost his light, the moon became dull in the sky. It was no longer as bright as the sun was during the day.
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