Family Life

    The Ancient Egyptians valued family life. Children were regarded almost as a blessing.  The parents would pray to the gods and goddesses if they could not have a child (they could also adopt a child if they needed to). The women often took care of the children, but they were equal to men in many ways. They had all sorts of legal rights, they could own land, and they had to represent themselves in court (getting the same penalties as men if they lost the case).
    Here, you will get an opportunity to read about a day in the life of Shuno, a 10 year old boy who lived in Ancient Egypt.

                                   *Note- this story is purely fictional. *

         I woke up to my father's voice calling me. I jumped off my mat and put on my fine new linen kilt. My father came into the room. "Good-bye, Shuno. I am going to the scribe's shop early today. Do well in school!"
    I said bye and leaped down the stairs in our fine home and kissed my mother good morning. "The slave has your breakfast ready," she said as her pretty dyed dress with glass beads sown in sparkled in the early sunlight.
    I strode down our painted hall and sat down at a wooden stool. My sister, Lau, came into the kitchen with Bassie, our tabby kitten in her arms. She set Bassie down and we both began eating our tasty meal of bread with butter, roasted duck, and a melon. I finished quickly and raced out the door.
    At school, I learned all about a new letter and we all practiced writing it on clay tablets. Then we did some math and learned about fractions.
    When I got home, Jyla and Khufy, our two dogs, licked me to death and then went with me to go fishing in the Nile. Khufy is named after King Khufu, who is getting his pyramid built right now. He is almost finished with it. Anyway, Khufy is a troublemaker. He jumped out of the boat to get a fish. He caught it- and got all of us soaking wet!
    Finally I came home triumphantly with 6 flopping fish in my basket. I gave them to the slave, then ran outside. I played with Lau and showed her how to write a few letters in the dust of the street. We saw workmen coming down the road to go build the pyramid, and we saw people dragging blocks far down the road.
    At last, my father came home and my mother cried," We have dinner guests coming over tonight! We have to get ready!"
    The guests came and we had delicious fish, meat, fruit, baked bread, and even wine. Lau and I were finally sent to bed. With Khufy snoozing at the foot of my mat, I fell asleep.

                     -written by Coco