Some Words with a Mummy

"Some Words with a Mummy" is a satirical short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in American Review: A Whig Journal in April 1845. Doctor Ponnonner invites the narrator to his home to take part in a mummy unwrapping at eleven that night. The narrator gets dressed and leaves for the doctor's home at once. Upon arriving at the doctor's house he is met by an excited group of men waiting for the examination to begin. They begin by cutting into the first sarcophagus and removing it. At this point they make their first discovery, the mummy's name, Allamistakeo. They then remove the second and third sarcophagi revealing the body itself, placed in a papyrus sheath and then covered in plaster and decorated with painting and gold gilt. After removing this they examine the body. They find it to be in exceptionally good condition, although it does not seem to have been embalmed in the normal way as the skin is red and there are no incisions. The narrator takes notice of the time as the doctor is laying out his instruments for the dissection and the men agree to adjourn for the night as it is already past two in the morning, until one suggests experimenting with a Voltaic pile. The excitement of using electricity on the body of a mummy dead for thousands of years proves too much of a temptation for the men and they begin preparations at once. The amount of electricity applied causes the mummy to awaken and condemn the men for their abuse of his person. Thoroughly chastised the men make their apologies to Allamistakeo and explain to him why they dissect mummies and the scientific importance of it. Satisfied with the explanation and their apologies Allamistakeo shakes hands with the men, who then proceed to patch up the damage caused by their incisions. They then gather up proper clothes for Allamistakeo and sit down for cigars and wine. As the men talk, Allamistakeo begins to explain how he came to be a mummy - ancient Egyptians had a significantly longer life span