STORIES OF EGYPT.

THE STORY OF HATHOR.
The sun god Ra saw his temples neglected, his subjects fornicating, fighting, lying, stealing, and telling a dirty joke or two. Women being considered much better at punishment, he assigned the goddess Hathor to the task of chastising his flock of unruly children. Hathor was given a scant three days to complete her task, while Re went about the business of being god-like. Hathor set about her task with a vengeance and turned into Sekhmet, the lioness goddess and descended to Earth...
At the end of the day, Ra looked to see how Hathor had done so far. What he saw, horrified him. The streets of Egypt ran red with the blood of his subjects! A handful of humans survived, huddled in corners, to escape the wrath of the gods. Ra could not stop the work of his surrogate and could not recall her, having given her three days to do her work. So Ra came down to Earth and threw sweet dates and barley on the bloody land.
Next day, the sun dawned on the mixture of blood, barley, and dates. It fermented, and became beer. In her lioness form, Hathor awoke, thinking it was blood, drank it and became so intoxicated that she forgot her assignment. She found it so pleasing that she became stupefied and fell asleep.
Hathor woke two days later, and discovered that her time was up on Earth. Pacified by the beer, she resumed her persona as the beautiful Hathor and returned to Ra. Beer was created, humans drank heavily to celebrate the survival of the species, and Hathor became the goddess of beer, receiving regular beery tributes from her loyal subjects. Everyone lived happily ever after.

ANOTHER VERSION.
It happened in the time of the majesty of Re, the self-created, after he had become king of men and gods together: Mankind plotted against him, while his majesty had grown old, his bones being silver, his flesh gold, his hair true lapis lazuli. When his majesty perceived the plotting of mankind against him, his majesty said to his followers: "Summon to me my Eye, and Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, and the fathers and mothers who were with me when I was in Nun, and also the god Nun; and he shall bring his courtiers with him. But bring them stealthily, lest mankind see, lest they lose heart. Come with them (the gods) to the Palace, that they may give their counsel. In the end I may return to Nun, to the place where I came into being."
The gods were brought, the gods were lined up on his two sides, bowing to the ground before his majesty, that he might make his speech before the eldest father, the maker of mankind, the king of people. They said to his majesty: "Speak to us, that we may hear it." Then Re said to Nun: "O eldest god in whom I came into being, and ancestor gods, look, mankind, which issued from my Eye, is plotting against me. Tell me what you would do about it, for I am searching. I would not slay them until I have heard what you might say about it."
Then he spoke to the majesty of Nun: "My son Re, god greater than his maker, more august than his creators, stay on your throne! Great is fear of you when your Eye is on those who scheme against you." Said the majesty of Re: "Look, they are fleeing to the desert, their hearts fearful that I might speak to them." They said to his majesty: "Let your Eye go and smite them for you, those schemers of evil!" No Eye is more able to smite them for you. Mey it go down as Hathor!"
The goddess returned after slaying mankind in the desert, and the majesty of this god said: "Welcome in peace, Hathor, Eye who did what I came for!" Said the goddess: "As you live for me, I have overpowered mankind, and it was balm to my heart." Said the majesty of Re: "I shall have power over them as king by diminishing them." Thus the Powerful One (Sakhmet) came into being. The beer-mash of the night for her who would wade in their blood as far as Hnes. Re said: Summon to me swift, nimble messengers that they may run like a body's shadow!" The messengers were brought immediately, and the majesty of this god said: "Go to Yebu and bring me red ochre in great quantity!" The red ochre was brought to him, and the majesty of this god ordered the Side-Lock Wearer in On* to grind the ochre, while maidservants crushed barley for beer. Then the red ochre was put into the beer-mash, and it became like human blood; and seven thousand jars of beer were made. Then the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Re came together with the gods to see the beer.

Now when the day dawned on which the goddess would slay mankind in their time of traveling south, the majesty of Re said: "It is good; I shall save mankind by it!" And Re said: "Carry it to the place where she plans to slay mankind!" The majesty of King Re rose early before dawn, to have this sleeping draught poured out. Then the fields were flooded three palms high with the liquid by the might of the majesty of thid god. When the goddess came in the morning she found them flooded, and her gaze was pleased by it**. She drank and it pleased her heart. She returned drunk without having perceived mankind. The majesty of Re said to the goddess: "Welcome in peace, O gracious one!" Thus beautiful women came into being in the town of Imu.