Ra - Ancient Egyptian

Hello, little sunbeams. My name is Ra. Have you ever looked up at the big, bright sun warming your face? That’s me. Every single morning, while the world is still tucked in and sleepy, I climb aboard my magnificent golden boat to sail across the sky and bring you the daylight. My boat is called the Solar Barque, and it glitters more brightly than any star, a truly dazzling sight. But my journey isn’t just a peaceful cruise; a great serpent of darkness is always trying to stop me and keep the world in night forever. This is the story of my daily adventure, the ancient myth of Ra and the Sun.

As my journey begins in the east, my morning boat, the Mandjet, lifts into the air. The sky slowly turns from a sleepy dark blue to a soft pink and then a brilliant gold. It's like I'm painting the sky just for you. Down below, I see the mighty Nile River sparkle like a ribbon of diamonds, and the great pyramids point up to the sky to say hello. As I sail higher and higher, the whole world wakes up. Flowers open their petals to feel my warmth, birds begin to sing their cheerful songs, and children like you run outside to play in my golden light. I am the guardian of the day, making sure the crops in the fields grow tall and the world is full of life and happy energy. At noon, I am at the very top of the sky, shining my brightest for everyone to see. Then, as the day gets ready for bed, I switch to my evening boat, the Mesektet. It carries me gently toward the west, and I paint the clouds with beautiful orange, red, and purple colors as the sun sets.

My journey isn’t over when you see the sun disappear. Now, I must travel through the Duat, the mysterious and shadowy underworld, to get back to the east for the morning. This is the most dangerous part of my trip. The Duat is dark and filled with strange things, and a giant serpent named Apep waits for me there. Apep is the spirit of darkness and chaos, and he wants to swallow my boat and keep the sun from ever rising again. Imagine a world without sunlight. That is what he wants. But I am not alone. Other brave gods travel with me on my boat, and together, we fight the giant serpent. He hisses and tries to trap us, but our magic is strong. With our combined strength, we always defeat Apep, pushing back the darkness so he cannot win. After twelve long hours of traveling through the night, my boat finally emerges from the Duat, and I rise once again in the east, bringing a brand new day to the world.

For thousands of years, people in ancient Egypt told my story. It wasn't just a tale; it helped them understand why the sun rose and set each day in a perfect circle. My daily victory over Apep gave them hope, showing them that even after the darkest night, light and goodness would always return. Today, the myth of Ra still inspires people to be brave and to believe in new beginnings. Artists paint my journey across the sky, and storytellers share my battle against the darkness. My story reminds us all that every sunrise is a promise of a fresh start and a new adventure waiting just for you.