As heralds of the flood, the sacred ibis that now populate the river are held in high esteem. As they probe for snails they resemble scribes dipping pens into ink, so are also credited with the power of knowledge. But in reality they are important for a more practical reason. Evidence from autopsies on mummies has shown that Egyptians suffered from bilharzia, a liver parasite carried by water snails. As the ibis eat the snails they make pools safe for the villagers to bathe. The sacred ibis symbolise the god Thoth, god of wisdom and master of time. Before long, Thoth will play a pivotal role in the pharaoh's destiny.


作为洪水前导而拥有崇高地位的圣鹮现在成群地聚集在大河之上 。它们捕食蜗牛时的动作就像作家拿笔在蘸取墨水一样，因此人们认为它们拥有知识的力量。但在现实中它们其实发挥着更实际的重要功能。木乃伊的验尸结果证明埃及人饱受血吸虫的侵害。血吸虫是水生蜗牛体内的寄生虫。圣鹮捕食蜗牛的同时也维护了水域的安全，从而使村民们得以在水中沐浴。圣鹮是埃及神托特的化身，托特是司掌智慧和时间之神。不久之后，托特将在法老的命运中扮演重要的角色。