Hieroglyphics of Horapollo: Book I: LV. How They Represent Gratitude

Hieroglyphics of Horapollo, tr. Alexander Turner Cory, [1840], at sacred-texts.com

LV. HOW THEY REPRESENT GRATITUDE.

To represent gratitude, they delineate a CUCUPHA, because this is the only one of dumb animals, which, after it has been brought up by its parents,

p. 76

repays their kindness to them when they are old. For it makes them a nest in the place where it was brought up by them, and trims their wings, and brings them food, till the parents acquire a new plumage, and are able to assist themselves: whence it is that the Cucupha is honored by being placed as an ornament upon the sceptres of the gods.

Footnotes

75:1

The top of the sceptre placed in the hands of the gods is ornamented with a crated head which appears to be that of some beast, but was evidently considered by Horapollo to be the Hoopoo of Egypt. See Ch. 8. and title page.

Next: LVI. How an Unjust and Ungrateful Man