of ambition. When the king of Upper Egypt went to war against the wild
Berber tribes, he volunteered his services.

He fought so bravely that the king appointed him Collector of the Royal
Revenue for three hundred villages.

Often it happened that certain farmers could not pay their tax.

Then young Fish offered to give them a small loan.

Before they knew it, they were working for the Royal Tax Gatherer, to
repay both the money which they had borrowed and the interest on
the loan.

The years went by and the Fish family reigned supreme in the land of
their birth. The old home was no longer good enough for such
important people.

A noble hall was built (after the pattern of the Royal Banqueting Hall
of Thebes). A high wall was erected to keep the crowd at a respectful
distance and Fish never went out without a bodyguard of armed soldiers.

Twice a year he travelled to Thebes to be with his King, who lived in
the largest palace of all Egypt and who was therefore known as
"Pharaoh," the owner of the "Big House."

Upon one of his visits, he took Fish the Third, grandson of the founder
of the family, who was a handsome young fellow.

The daughter of Pharaoh saw the youth and desired him for her husband.