Shabaka, thus stands our wager.

If I kill more lions than you do this day, or, should but two be slain, I kill the first, or should none be slain, I plant more arrows in their bodies, I take your slave, Bes the dwarf, to be my slave.

But should you have the better of me in any of these ways, then I give to you this girdle of rose pearls and the weight of the dwarf Bes in gold and the six hunters free of harm, to do with what you will.

Let it be recorded, and to the hunt." Soon Bes and I were in our chariot which by command took place in line with that of the King, but at a distance of some thirty steps.

Bending over the dwarf who drove, I spoke with him, saying, "Our luck is ill to-day, Bes, seeing that before the end of it we may well be parted." "Not so, Master, our luck is good to-day seeing that before the end of it you will be the richer by the finest pearls in the whole world, by my weight in pure gold (and Master, I am twice as heavy as the king thought and will stuff myself with twenty pounds of meat before the weighing, if I have the chance, or at least with water, though in this hot place that will not last for long), and by six picked huntsmen, brave men as you thought, who will serve to escort us and our treasure to the coast." "First I must win the match, Bes." "Which you could do with one eye blinded, Master, and a sore finger.
Kings think that they can shoot because all the worms that crawl about them and are named men, dare not show themselves their betters.