''The Cat of Bubastes, A Tale of Ancient Egypt'' is an 1889

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

for young people by British author G.A. Henty. It is the story of a young prince who becomes a slave when the Egyptians conquer his people, then is made a fugitive when his master accidentally kills a sacred cat. The book was illustrated by

John Reinhard Weguelin John Reinhard Weguelin (23 June 1849 – 28 April 1927) was an English painter and illustrator, active from 1877 to after 1910. He specialized in figurative paintings with lush backgrounds, typically landscapes or garden scenes. Weguelin em ...

, a notable Victorian painter.

Setting

The novel takes place in the Middle East, particularly in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

, during the reign of Thotmes III.

Plot

After his father, the king of the Rebu, is killed in battle with the Egyptian army and the Rebu nation is conquered by the Egyptians, the young prince Amuba is carried away as a captive to Egypt, along with his faithful charioteer, Jethro. In Thebes, Amuba becomes the servant and companion to Chebron, the son of Ameres, high priest of

Osiris Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was ...

. The lads become involved in a mystery as they begin to uncover evidence of a murderous conspiracy within the ranks of the priesthood. However, before they are able to prevent it, they are forced to flee for their lives when they accidentally cause the death of the successor to the Cat of Bubastes, one of the most sacred animals in Egypt. With Jethro as their guide and protector, the boys make plans to escape from Egyptian territory and return to Amuba's homeland.

Reception

The London Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. ...

'' said that the story "affords Mr. Henty the opportunity of giving a few graphic and picturesque sketches of the inner life of the ancient Egyptians, their religion, their domestic and social customs, and their family life in town and country... The love interest in this charming story is, of course, subordinate to the more manly and exciting incidents, but it is not overlooked... The whole story is a vivid and attractive picture of Egyptian life, and the effect is heightened by a number of well-executed full-page illustrations." Comparing the book to Henty's ''The Lion of St. Mark'', the ''

Bristol Mercury The Bristol Mercury is a British nine-cylinder, air-cooled, single-row, piston radial engine. Designed by Roy Fedden of the Bristol Aeroplane Company it was used to power both civil and military aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s. Developed from ...

'' said, "Mr. Henty's characteristic style is seen to even better advantage. His picture of the life of the Egyptian people is the feature of the book, and forms a picturesque setting to a most fascinating tale."

References

External links

Text on Project Gutenberg

* 1889 British novels 1880s children's books 19th-century British children's literature Victorian novels British children's novels Children's historical novels British historical novels Novels set in the 15th century BC Novels set in the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt Novels by G. A. Henty British children's books British young adult novels Children's books set in the 15th century BC Children's books set in the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt {{1880s-child-hist-novel-stub