Muti's Necklace: The Oldest Story In The World

by Louise Hawes, Rebecca Guay-Mitchell (Illustrator)

Thousands of years ago in Egypt, a girl named Muti receives a beautiful necklace from her father. He has carved it himself—from “turquoise as blue as a dragonfly’s wing, and carnelian, as red as the inside of a pomegranate.” Muti wears it every day as she grows from a small child into an independent young woman.

When at the age of thirteen she is sent to work for King Snefru, the mighty Pharaoh of Egypt, Muti finds out just how precious her necklace really is. And in the process, she learns the value of standing up for what she treasures most.

With Louise Hawes’s clear, evocative prose and Rebecca Guay’s rich, powerful illustrations, Muti’s tale from thousands of years ago burns brightly alive today.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Egypt, Ancient History, Fantasy, Folklore, Fairy Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 26, 2006

About the author

I live in North Carolina, where time moves more slowly than it did in New York. That means my day can include writing, working with new writers, yoga, and hanging OUT with my sweet teacher, Mother Nature.

I have two grown children, both teachers. They are, deliciously and, to me always surprisingly, among my two best friends on the planet.

I'm a teacher as well as an author, serving proudly on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program, and at Mainely Writing, an intensive week-long writing retreat on the coast of you know which beautiful New England state.

What's new? A collaborative graphic novel, A FLIGHT OF ANGELS, comes out from Vertigo/DC Comics in November!

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Louise Hawes and illustrator Rebecca Guay together retell an ancient Egyptian fairy-tale in this lovely picture-book. Given a beautiful necklace made of turquoise and carnelian by her father, Muti grows up surrounded by his love, and by the love of her mother and brother. Eventually she becomes a servant in the palace of King Snefru, the Pharaoh of all Egypt. When the Pharaoh's whim sees her pressed into service as the leader of his oar-girls, she does her job well, until the necklace is lost in the Royal Lake. Refusing to take up her oar again, Muti defies the captain, the Pharaoh, and the Pharaoh's magician, until finally an awesome act of magic is performed, to allow her to retrieve her beloved necklace...

Originally contained in the Westcar Papyrus - an ancient Egyptian text containing five stories, and dated to between the 18th and 16th centuries BC - this story is indeed one of the oldest recorded fairy-tales in the world. An English translation of it in its original form can be found in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms . Hawes has taken some liberties with the story in her retelling, focusing on the rowing girl, rather than the king, and giving her heroine a name and a family. It's interesting to note that scholars believe the original was an oblique satire and critique of King Snefru, who is covertly mocked for not being able to control a mere oar-girl without the help of a magician. Hawes has chosen to tell her story from the girl's perspective, making her heroic rather than willful, and centering the narrative on the idea of the power and pull of home and family. As hers is a children's retelling, I think this choice makes sense, and it certainly makes for an engaging narrative. It's also interesting to note that the episode in which the court magician causes the waters of the lake to recede, allowing Muti to walk out onto the lake floor and retrieve her necklace, is reminiscent of the parting of the Red Sea, in the biblical book of Exodus. Perhaps this story was an influence on the much-later biblical one, just as the Babylonian Enuma Elish was?

Leaving aside textual issues, Muti's Necklace: The Oldest Story in the World is a gorgeous book, from a visual perspective. The accompanying illustrations from Rebecca Guay are simply breathtaking, capturing the beauty and mystery of Muti's world. Although I am familiar with Guay's work from the cover-art she provided to a number of children's novels - Dia Calhoun's The Phoenix Dance , Jackie French Koller's A Wizard Named Nell , etc. - this is the first of her picture-books I have picked up. I certainly intend to track down more, given how much I enjoyed her work here! Recommended to fairy-tale lovers, and to young children fascinated by Ancient Egypt.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book's presentation is lovely and it is great to have a picture book version of an ancient tale. However, I found the author's modern alterations/additions lessened the story, making it historically inaccurate and less believable - and not as educational in terms of the history and culture of the Egyptians.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is considered by scholars to be the precursor to and inspiration of Mose’s legendary parting of the Red Sea. In that ancient tale, a Pharaoh had topless slave girls rowing a yacht so he could escape cares of state while enjoying the “view”. (It’s good to be the king.) When a girl lost her necklace in the lake, he had his court mage flood over the waters so she could retrieve her bauble. All that magic just to sway a half-naked slave girl!

This child-friendly version isn’t quite so salacious and the unnamed girl is called Muti. The story is about her and her love for her family; the Pharaoh and his magic are quite secondary.

Muti is beautiful (which is why she first catches the Pharaoh’s eye). However, it is her fierceness of character and familial devotion that make her an outstanding character. When her precious necklace—a gift from her beloved father—shatters and the pieces fall into the lake, she refuses to row, causing the other girls to stop rowing as well. She stands her ground even when threatened by the court sorcerer and her bravery causes her to shine in the eyes of the Pharaoh.

Rebecca Guay graces this ageless story with exquisite illustrations, rich with color, especially the titular necklace. It’s a simple but powerful tale, about a brave girl and her devotion to her father that she prizes even over a Pharaoh’s attention.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entertaining story, with lovely illustrations by Rebecca Guay, will please many girls who like romantic tales. Or are inspired by childlike sentiments such as, "Go back home. That's the best possible life you could ever have."

Look, I admire how author Louise Hawes studied the "Tales of Wonder" in graduate school. It's sweet that she found a way to transform this one of those three tales into a picture book for young girls. On the whole, I did like this book.

TWO QUESTIONS, THOUGH

#1. Why did Muti "go to work" for the king?

I'm no historian but from my general knowledge, I thought this to be true: In ancient Egypt, girls 12 or older were MARRIED. They didn't just "work for a king."

So I'm skeptical about this premise for the story.

#2. Why is the subtitle for this sweet book silliness like this? "THE OLDEST STORY IN THE WORLD"

I'm not a fan of telling lies to children -- or grownups, for that matter. Why would Egyptian classics be the oldest stories in the world?

The glory days of ancient Egypt were the era of the New Kingdom. That is, 1570 - 1069 BCE. Wonderful!

According to World Atlas.com

The Maya Civilization was largely made up of the indigenous people of Central America and Mexico. Their hunter-gatherer lifestyle can be traced back to 7000 BCE. What, they didn't have stories?

The Indus Valley Civilization began its urbanization around 3300 BCE. And by 2500 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization was thriving. What, they didn't have stories?

Mesopotamia is widely believed to be Earth's first civilization. For thousands of years, the early people lived in small settlements which eventually transformed into a scattering of farming communities around 8000 BCE. What, they didn't have stories?

Jiahu, in ancient China, flourished from 7000 BCE – 5700 BCE. What, they didn't have stories?

The Indigenous Peoples Of Australia began their civilization circa 50,000 BCE. What, they didn't have stories?

In Conclusion

Louise Hawes, you know far, far more than I do about Egypt and other heights of Egyptian history. I admire your passion for this civilization, as well as your erudition.

Surely you know that it would be impossible to prove that ANY story is "the oldest story in the world."

[charlene.librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated story set in ancient Egypt, based on...

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely stunning. I would like to live inside it.

[Y.Poston]

Gorgeous story and illustrations

[Raj Bowers-Racine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebecca Guay's art is, as always, gorgeous. The story: meh.

[Katey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My view on Social Studies:
I believe that social studies is the study of humans, their interactions with each other and the world around them. As teachers, we must open the eyes of our students to the diverse cultures around us. Every individual is unique and can offer something to the world.
Summary and integration of book:
While this book says it has bases in truth, it has been greatly embellished. This story takes place in ancient Egypt. A beautiful servant girl refuses to work until her necklace is found. A magician comes and parts the water to find her necklace. After the necklace is returned to her, she continues working. What I like about this book is I think it depicts events that might have happened in ancient Egypt. I also like it as an entryway into learning about sources, primary, secondary, historical fiction and nonfiction writing.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, it /isn't/ the oldest story in the world, because we DO, contrary to what the forward says, have 'written stories' from before this one. (hello, folks... really?)

Also, the Author openly admits that the 'real' tale from ancient Egypt around the time of the Pharaoh Snefru, really focused on the magician and his retrieving the precious object of the tale- it didn't actually focus on Muti, as this book does...

Now, DESPITE those things, this book would be a fantastic one to have on your shelf of books for children. It depicts a woman in an era when women were objectified, and yet it is not graphic about that, even tho it also does not dance around it! Muti is in a precarious position, and yet... she stays true to herself!

It is a great tale, gorgeously illustrated, with a strong message: Be True to what you ARE, who you LOVE, and what is IMPORTANT to you!

[Jacqui Pollard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muti, a girl in Egypt, receives a beautiful necklace from her father as a child that she only grows to treasure more as the matures into an independent young woman. Though she is sent to work for the mighty Pharaoh of Egypt with his temptations of more beautiful necklaces and the power that comes with being the queen, Muti holds fast to her values and realizes just how precious her necklace and her family are to her. The part I appreciated most about this story is that Muti was resilient in the face of temptation. It was nice to see a female character not need to be saved by a prince or Pharaoh but to stand her ground and believe in what she holds dear. I thought the illustrations complemented the story nicely. I would consider reading this story in my future classroom if I felt my students would find it interesting and engaging.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pulled as part of the unit on Egypt. The illustrations on this one were gorgeous! And I love the idea of giving my daughter a necklace that would she could wear as she grows. Maybe I'll have a daughter someday and can do this! :) I love that Muti was willing to stand up for her beliefs regardless of the potential penalty. And yet she was never disrespectful, a lesson which I find to be especially valuable in this day and age where we are not trained to respect those in authority. We must teach our children the power of standing up for what is right but to do it in a manner that is always tempered by respect and love for others. And, when it comes right down to it, family really is more important than riches.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muti, a girl in Egypt, has a beautiful necklace, and a family who loves her very much. When she grows older, she works at the palace and is called to lead the rowers on the Pharoh's boat. When her necklace falls in the water, Muti refuses to row until her neckalce is returned to her. The Pharoah, (who is a very attractive man for a picture book character...)after getting over his anger, decides that she is strong and graceful and brave, and he wants to marry her. Muti refuses, choosing to go back to her own life.

Beautiful jewel tone pictures, and a cool story that is apparently true, as it was found in one of the oldest papyrus texts in the world!

[April Helms · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible story, illustrated by one of my favorite artists. The art is what drew me to check out this book in the first place.

Muti, a young girl from Egypt, is hired to work for the pharoah. One day, while on a boat that is taking the pharoah around the lake, Muti loses the necklace her father made for her -- and not even the pharoah himself will get her to leave it behind.

This is based on a very old Egyptian story, believed by some to be one of the oldest recorded stories in the world.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Muti's necklace shows a sense of bravery and confidence. The story itself is not a fascinating one, in my opinion, yet the morals are there to learn from. Many people could relate the story to one from their own life, something they have done to stand up for themselves in a harsh time. Again, the story wasn't entertaining to me, but the "old" vibe you receive from reading it makes you think about the Egyptian times.

[Kelly Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and positive. I enjoyed the characteristics of the lead character Muti. Muti stayed true to herself and family. She did not forget where she came from and through it all her determination and loyalty with the bonding necklace keep her content strong minded! This book is for ages 8 and up. I would allow my students to act out the book and maybe act out how Muti would have given up and not cared!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great simple story with the most gorgeous watercolor and gouache illustrations about a young girl named Muti who values her necklace, which reminds her of her happiness with her family, about everything else in the world, even the Pharaoh and his happiness. Definitely want to check out more works by the illustrator.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca Guay's illustrations are absolutely beautiful.
The story is set in ancient Egypt and while, fictional, Guay's illustrations are accurate to clothing and architecture.
Hawes writes that the source for the story comes from hieroglyphs.
Muit is intelligent and resourceful.

[F. O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really pretty illustration and a strong, stubborn heroine. Yay!

[Rose]

E Haw

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful illustrations. The story, unfortunately, leaves a little to be desired.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful illustrations.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Determined female character.
Strong value of family.
Beautiful illustrations.

Worth reading. Glad I checked it out from the library.

[Rikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! This story tells of a head strong and vibrant woman who holds family and memories more dear than gold. She stays stead fast to her own morals and self unwilling to budge from what she felt was right.
I can say I would have done the same. A handmade gift is worth more than the world to some and to myself. Worth the wordy read.