Nut

Humanity turned against Ra and spoke blasphemously against him. Ra became angry and wished that more of the rebels had been killed. The gods around him begged him to endure, saying that his power matched his will. Ra remained distressed. He said that his limbs had become weak for the first time in his life.

Nu then told Shu to help Ra. Shu ordered Nut to carry the great god on her back. Nut asked how this could be done, then changed herself into a cow. With Shu’s help, Ra climbed onto her back. Men and women saw Ra above them on the Cow of Heaven. They became afraid and repented. They called to Ra to remain with them and promised to destroy those who had blasphemed against him.

The Cow continued on her way and carried Ra away from the earth. One account says that Ra set out for the Great House, while the gods who travelled with him remained among the people. Another says that Nut carried him to Het-Ahet, a town in the nome of Mareotis. Darkness covered the land during Ra’s departure. When morning came, the people emerged with bows and weapons and prepared to shoot Ra’s enemies.

Ra then commanded the creation of the Field of Reeds and the stars. Nut trembled throughout her body, and Ra feared that she might fall. He caused four pillars to come into being to support the heavens. He ordered Shu to protect the pillars, place himself beneath Nut and hold her up. Shu therefore supported the sky, while Ra lived in the heavens. Shu also became the new sun god in Ra’s place, and humanity lived in the light of the new sun.

Ra forbade Nut to give birth on any day of the year. Nut had conceived children by her brother and consort, Geb, the earth god. They embraced so closely that nothing could exist between them, and Nut could not give birth. Shu, the air god and their father, forced them apart. He held Nut above the earth, where her body became the starry heavens.

Thoth won five extra days from the moon by playing a game of dice. He gathered the portions of the days that he had won and joined them into five complete days. These were added to the former year of three hundred and sixty days. They became known as the epagomenal days, or the superadded days, and were kept as the birthdays of the gods.

Nut gave birth during these five days. The births produced Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys, with one child born on each day. Some traditions include Horus the Elder among the five children. One account gives the order as Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis and Nephthys. Through the additional days, Nut fulfilled the births that Ra had forbidden during the ordinary year.