00 | Introduction

[humming, footsteps]

MUSEUM PA: Attention visitors, the Museum is now closed. Please make your way to the exit. Thank you for visiting.

CLEO: Oh no, I’m too late. I really wanted to see the ancient Egypt exhibition.

I wanted to find out about the pyramids and the gods and all the stories from people who lived thousands of years ago.

[flapping]

CLEO: Ah! Get off me! Get off me! Me-owwww!

AHMOSE: Did I hear you say ancient Egypt?

CLEO: I’ll tell you if you get your claws out of my shoulder.

AHMOSE: It’s just that I know quite a bit about ancient Egypt.

I’m a ‘ba’ bird, you see? Ta-da! CLEO: And I’m a cat, meow. Don’t you know cats don’t like birds?

They’re like mortal enemies.

AHMOSE: I’m a special bird. Notice I have a human head.

That’s pretty unusual, right?

Maybe we can be friends? A cat called …

CLEO: Cleocatra.

AHMOSE: And a ‘ba’ bird called Ahmose.

CLEO: Ohhhh, I’ve heard of ‘ba’ birds. ‘Ba’ means soul, right, in ancient Egyptian?

AHMOSE: Right. And bird means, well, bird.

CLEO: Meow, really? See, this is why cats don’t like birds.

AHMOSE: But you don’t even know me. I’m pretty great.

CLEO: Well, I’m named after an ancient Egyptian, the famous ruler Cleopatra.

And ancient Egyptians worshipped cats, so that’s why I’m Cleo-catra.

AHMOSE: I’ll just call you Cleo.

CLEO: Yeah, I get that a lot.

[sighing] I was about to go into the exhibition, but it’s just closed.

AHMOSE: Don’t worry. I come from ancient Egypt. I know heaps about it, like the ancient Egyptian rulers, statues and amulets, as well as everyday objects like lamps, games and toys. I can tell you all about them.

CLEO: Hmm … Or we could sneak through that hole in the wall and have a look for ourselves.

AHMOSE: Hmm … Yes, that sounds quite fun.

CLEO: So we’re going to be friends?

AHMOSE: Yes.

CLEO: Not mortal enemies?

AHMOSE: No!

CLEO: Hm, we’ll see. AHMOSE: Shall we sneak in?

CLEO: Me-ow! Absolutely! Let’s enter the world of ancient Egypt!

[both grunting] BOTH: Oh, ah. Ow, your wings.

CLEO: Me-wow! AHMOSE: So these are the actual items people used thousands of years ago.

I’m excited to see them again after all this time.

Let’s go!