Classic quest

The Shipwrecked Sailor is thought to be the oldest short story still in existence. An Egyptian tale, written in the early Middle Kingdom period, around 2000 BC, it also contains the oldest surviving signature on a papyrus according to the 1987 edition of The Guinness Book of Records – the signature being that of the scribe who originally copied the book. The story itself is a classic quest fantasy, complete with a voyage into the unknown, a storm and shipwreck, an enchanted island, an encounter with a monster (in this case, a giant snake), survival and life lessons learned. The tale is intended to be inspirational and show an optimistic result from a negative situation and leave its intended aristocratic audience with an uplifting message – that perceived misfortune can result in its opposite. (The sailor ultimately returned to civilisation with many gifts from the snake). In short, it attempts to show the unpredictable nature of fate. Preserved in a single manuscript, the text is housed in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.