Mara, Daughter of the Nile facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Eloise Jarvis McGraw |
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| Cover artist | Derek James |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Publisher | Coward McCann |
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Publication date
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1953 |
| Pages | 279 |
Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is an exciting historical fiction children's book. It tells the story of Mara, a brave young Egyptian girl. She takes on a very risky job as a double spy. She works for two different masters at the same time. Her mission is set in ancient Egypt, a time of great change.
Contents
Characters in the Story
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in Mara, Daughter of the Nile:
Mara's Connections
- Teta: A servant who works with Mara. She often complains and scolds Mara.
- Zasha: Mara's first master. He is a rich jewel trader. He is often mean to Mara and his other servants. He is afraid of Mara's unusual blue eyes.
- Nahereh: Mara's second master. He buys Mara from Zasha. He is a mysterious and serious man. Mara later learns he is connected to Queen Hatshepsut's inner circle.
- Sheftu: A man Mara meets on a boat. He is working to replace Queen Hatshepsut. He is secretive but can be charming. He recruits Mara to help his cause.
- Nekonkh: The captain of the boat. He soon becomes a friend to Sheftu's plan.
- Inanni: A princess from Babylon. Mara pretends to be her translator. They become good friends and share secrets.
Royal Figures and Others
- Hatshepsut: The woman Pharaoh of Egypt. The book shows her as someone who wastes gold. She is later replaced by Thutmose.
- Thutmose: The prince who wants to be Pharaoh. He is seen as the rightful ruler of Egypt.
- Sahure: A juggler who works in different places. He turns out to be a traitor to Sheftu's group.
- Djedet: A priest involved in mummification and burial rituals.
The Exciting Plot
The story of Mara, Daughter of the Nile is full of adventure and danger. It takes place in ancient Egypt during the rule of Queen Hatshepsut.
A Journey Begins
The story starts with Nekonkh, an Egyptian river boat captain. He is sailing on the Nile River towards Thebes. He carries his usual goods and a special passenger. This passenger is Sheftu, who claims to be a scribe's apprentice. Sheftu seems more important than he lets on. He sometimes hints at replacing Queen Hatshepsut with her younger half-brother, Thutmose. Even mentioning this idea is very risky. Nekonkh waits in Menfe for Sheftu to return before the boat leaves.
Mara's Cleverness
Mara lives as a slave in the ancient city of Menfe. She has special talents. She can read and write, and she speaks Babylonian. She also has bright blue eyes, which are rare in Egypt. Mara's master does not feed his slaves well. So, she often sneaks away to steal bread in the marketplace.
One day, she does this right near Sheftu. Mara shows how clever she is. Her master catches her, and she reveals she speaks Babylonian fluently. Sheftu is in Menfe to convince an old general to join their cause. He wants the general to lead the Pharaoh's bodyguard. Sheftu succeeds in his mission.
A Dangerous Offer
Another man also sees Mara in the marketplace. He stops her master from punishing her. This man buys Mara completely. He then offers Mara an amazing chance. She can pretend to be a translator for a Babylonian princess. This princess is set to marry Prince Thutmose. Mara's real job would be to spy on Thutmose. If she helps uncover a plot to make Thutmose Pharaoh, she will gain her freedom and wealth. If she is caught, she will die. Mara accepts this dangerous offer right away. She is given gold to travel up the river to Abydos. There, she will start her disguise as an interpreter.
Mara's Double Life
Mara gets a spot on Nekonkh's boat. She becomes friends with Sheftu. Nekonkh suspects Sheftu is part of a rebellion. He asks Sheftu if he can join. Sheftu agrees and reveals he is a very rich and powerful man in Egypt. Sheftu lets Mara overhear their conversation. He guesses Mara is a runaway slave. Sheftu plans to use Mara as a messenger for the rebellion. Mara eagerly agrees. She even suggests pretending to be the Babylonian princess's interpreter. Sheftu gives Mara a ring. She is to use it to bribe a friend (whom Mara made up) to help her become the interpreter.
Mara enjoys her life at court. She decides to delay betraying Sheftu to her new master, Lord Nahereh. She carries messages for Sheftu. She also gives small bits of information to Nahereh. This keeps him thinking she is useful, but she doesn't reveal too much about Sheftu. Sheftu invites Mara to an inn in Thebes. There, he meets with other rebels. It's easier for him to pass messages to her there. They spend a lot of time together.
Suspicions and Traps
Mara accidentally tells Nahereh the name of the inn. But he tells her to visit it. He wants her to make friends with the rebels and learn more. As time passes, Mara starts to support Sheftu and Prince Thutmose's cause more and more. She also slowly falls in love with Sheftu.
A plan to get more gold for the rebellion almost goes wrong. After this, Sheftu tells Mara he loves her. But he also sees that Mara still has the ring he gave her on the boat. Sheftu starts to suspect Mara is playing both sides. He decides to set a trap to confirm his suspicions. Unfortunately for Mara, someone else falls into the trap. This leaves Sheftu feeling he has no choice but to stop Mara. Mara manages to escape him in an alley. She flees back to her rooms at the palace.
The Truth Revealed
At the same time, Mara's cover with Nahereh is broken. He tells her he had another spy watching her. He knows she was visiting the rebels' meeting place before he told her to go. She is locked in her rooms at the palace. But not before she learns Nahereh's plans to raid the inn.
Mara escapes the palace with help from the Babylonian princess. They have become good friends. Mara runs back to the inn to warn the others. Her warning comes just in time. Everyone escapes the inn except Mara. She is captured when Nahereh's soldiers arrive.
A New Day for Egypt
Mara is taken to the palace for questioning. She claims not to know the leader of the rebellion. This is true even after a harsh beating and offers of freedom and riches. Elsewhere, Sheftu realizes that Mara has been loyal to the rebellion all along, even while playing both sides. He goes to her questioning. He plans to convince Hatshepsut that it's pointless.
Sahure, the juggler, also appears at the questioning. He reveals himself as the spy who fell into the trap meant for Mara. Sahure identifies Sheftu as the leader of the rebellion. He proves it by describing a bracelet Sheftu always wears. All seems lost. Then, the army storms the palace. This army is led by the general Sheftu convinced to return. Many nobles and priests also join them. The rebellion is successful! Thutmose takes the throne. Hatshepsut chooses to die by drinking poison. The sun rises on a new day for Egypt. Sheftu and Mara go home to Sheftu's grand house by the river.
