20. Tefnut - Tfenis

In Egyptian mythology, Tefnut is a goddess of water and fertility, indeed her name means moist waters (i.e. rain). She was created by Atum (who later was thought to be the same as Ra) from the semen which resulted from his primordial act of masturbation or autofellatio, or from his mucus, a mythology that may be related to the alternative translation of her name - spat waters. Another version states that Atum sneezed once and Tefnut's brother Shu was born, and when he coughed to clear his throat Tefnut was born. With her brother, Shu, she was the mother of Geb and Nut.

In a myth describing the terrible weather disaster at the end of the Old Kingdom (which was responsible for the end of the Old Kingdom), it was said that Tefnut (moisture) and Shu once argued, and she left Egypt. The myth states that Shu quickly decided he missed her, but she fled to Nubia (somewhere much more temperate), and changed into a cat (symbolic of war), destroying any man or god that approached. Thoth, disguised, eventually succeeds in convincing her to return. Tefnut is sometimes depicted as a cat in reflection of this tale.

Shu

In Egyptian mythology, Shu (meaning dryness and he who rises up) is one of the primordial gods, a personification of air, one of the Ennead of Heliopolis. He was created by Atum from his breath, resulting from an act of masturbation or autofellatio in the city of Heliopolis. With his sister, Tefnut (moisture), he was the father of Nut and Geb. His daughter, Nut, was the sky goddess whom he held over the Earth (Geb), separating the two.

As the air, Shu was considered to be cooling, and thus calming, influence, and pacifier. Due to the association with air, calm, and thus Maàt (truth, justice and order), Shu was portrayed in art as wearing an ostrich feather.

In a much later myth, representing the terrible weather disaster at the end of the Old Kingdom, it was said that Tefnut and Shu once argued, and Tefnut (moisture) left Egypt for Nubia (which was always more temperate). It was said that Shu quickly decided that he missed her, but she changed into a cat that destroyed any man or god that approached. Thoth, disguised, eventually succeeded in convincing her to return.

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