geronimo stilton graphic novels/ N o m
THE SECRET |
OF THE SPHINX P A P E R C U T
G E R O N I M O
ST IL
TO N
(
I CIRCLE THE GLOBE MAKING DOCUMENTARIES
PROTECT AND SAVE
AND I AM TRAP STILTO GERONIMO'S COUSI I LOVE TO COOK W
PLAY PRANKS. ESPECIALLY ON THAT R SCAREDY MOUSE GERONIMO!
\
ES!

THIS TIME MACHINE FOR THE STIL
SION IS TO DEFEAT THE PIRATE CATS
LET - j LETS LOOK FOR WAY TO GET
/ THAT WED PROMISED VOLT
CATS AND WE'RE ae
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THE SECRET Graphic Novel #1 OF THE SPHINX _ “The Discovery of America”
Graphic Novel #2 “The Secret of the Sphinx”
Coming Soon: Graphic Novel #3
“The Coliseum Con”
available in hardcover for $9.95 each.
Please add $4.00 for postage and
handling for the first book, add $1.00 for each additional book. Please make check
payable to NBM Publishing. Send to:
Papercutz, 40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308,
New York, NY 10005 or call 800 866 1223 (9-6 EST M-F)
MC-Visa-Amex accepted.
By Geronimo Stilton
New York
© EDIZIONI PIEMME 2007, S.p.A.
Casale Monferrato (AL), Italy
Geronimo Stilton names, characters and related indicia are copyright, trademark
and exclusive license of Atlantyca S.p.A
All rights reserved.
Text by Geronimo Stilton
Script by Demetrio Bargellini
Graphics by Sara Baruffaldi and Marta Lorini
Cover art and color by Flavio Ferron
Interior illustrations by Gianluigi Fungo
Coloring by Mirko Babboni
Historical Advisory on Ancient Egypt by Dr. Marcella Trapani, Piedmont Department
of Archeological Heritage and the Egyptian Museum of Turin
© 2009 – for this work in English language by Papercutz.
Original title: Geronimo Stilton | Segreto Della Sfinge
Translation by: Nanette McGuinness
www.geronimostilton.com
Stilton is the name of a famous English cheese. It is a registered trademark of the Stilton Cheese Makers’
Association. For more information go to www.stiltoncheese.com
No part of this book may be stored, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
written permission from the copyright holder.FOR INFORMATION PLEASE ADDRESS ATLANTYCA S.p.A.
Via Leopardi 8 20123 Milan Italy tel. 0039 02 43001025 - fax 0039 02 43001020
Lettering and Production by Ortho
Michael Petranek — Editorial Assistant
3/F Phase | Leader Industrial Centre
188 Texaco Road, Tsuen Wan, N.T.
Hong Kong
IT ALL BEGAN ON A VERY COLD
WINTER MORNING. NEW MOUSE CITY HAD BEEN PARALYZED BY A THREE
FOOT BLANKET OF SNOW FOR DAYS...

« I WAS STAYING IN THE COZY WARMTH OF MY HOUSE, FULLY DRESSED, TO KEEP MY
WHISKERS FROM FREEZING!!!
par:
BUT HOW CARELESS OF ME! I'VE FORGOTTEN TO INTRODUCE MYSELF: MY NAME IS STILTON, GERONIMO STILTON! AND I EDIT THE ROPENT'S GAZETTE, THE MOST FAMOUS PAPER ON MOUSE ISLAND!
WHO KNOWS WHO IT COULD BE IN THIS MISERABLE
WEATHER...

: “
MAN...
DREAMED I HEARD THE DOORBELL!
, HA, ... LIKE THE TRICK, COUSIN? COME , LET'S HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT!
« I SHOULD'VE
YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE SNOW VERY MUCH AND WINTER
EVEN LESS!
“ THE FALL, THERE ARE TOO MANY 3 WELL, IF YOU DON'T
LEAVES ON THE GROUND." < WANT TO PLAY... YOU CAN WHAT YOU WANT, ALWAYS OFFER ME A CUP JUST COME INTO DOF HOT CHOCOLATE! THE HOUSE...
BRRRRR!
HI, KIDS! ARE YOU
GOING SOME- PLACE NICE?
THE SCHOOLS ARE SPEAKING › CLOSED, SO I'M TAKING OF HIM GERONIMO? HE BENJAMIN AND PANDORA WHERE'D HE WAS HERE JUST A FOR A RIDE ON MY NEW 1 GO? > MOMENT AGO! SNOWMOBILE! I WANT- ;
ED TO ASK G IF...
INDEED! HE ALWAYS MANAGES TO GET HIMSELF
INTO A FIX!
| OUR GERONIMO ISN'T HAPPY ATTENTION! = IF HE'S NOT IN A JAM! ATTENTION! A CALAMITOUS CATS!
MESSAGE FOR THE 5 860 THAT SNOWMAN a STILTON FAMILY! TALKS!
I REPEAT, A MESSAGE FOR THE PROFESSOR VOLT!
STILTON FAMILY! IS THAT YOU? MORNING, > MISS SPRING!
! I KNOW THAT VOICE!
SORRY FOR GETTING IN TOUCH WITH YOU
IN THIS WAY, BUT THE CITY IS COMPLETELY BLOCKED
SNOW AND PUTTING A TV CAMERA AND A TRANSCEIVER INTO
A SNOWMAN...
OCCUPIED!
TO CONTACT GERONIMO!
ARE YOU, PROFESSOR?
THANKS! I NEED TO SEE GERONIMO AND YOU ALL URGENTLY!
SORRY FOR THE DELAY, BUT WE RAN INTO SOME
DIFFICULTIES!
I'LL GIVE YOU THE DIRECTIONS TO MY SECRET LABORATORY RIGHT NOW! BUT I
DON'T SEE GERONIMO: WHERE IS HE?
BY THE BONES N IT'S A LONG OF | | STORY! ANYHOW, WHAT HAPPENED 4 WE JUST NEED TO
TO POOR WARM HIM UP A „ GERONIMO? 4 | BIT... R
IN THAT CASE, I'VE GOT ó OH, THAT'S HANG IN THERE, COUSIN! SOMETHING THAT WILL THE | PERFECT. YOU'LL BE FREE IN TRICK ...A SOLAR ! ! FEW MINUTES...
FOR MELTING METAL! PROFESSOR 22 É
AH, YES... IT'S BECAUSE OF THE WHY DID YOU WANT TO TEMPOGRAPH, THE INSTRUMENT I INVENT- SEE US, PROFESSOR? ED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE PAST! EVER
SINCE THIS MORNING, THE DISPLAY HAS BEEN INDICATING A CHANGE...
SOMEONE IS TRYING TO | CHANGE HISTORY!
—
MEANS THE PIRATE AGAIN AND, KNOWING THEM, HISTORY TO
CATS ARE BACK IN THEIR JOURNEY CAN ONLY BENEFIT THEM!
ACTION, RIGHT? HAVE ONE GOAL...
MEMPHIS, THE CAPITAL OF HAVE TO LEAVE CIENT !
THE PIRATE CATS HEADED?
TO SOME SCHOLARS HE ALSO FINISHED ONE OF THE MOST
FAMOUS MONUMENTS IN HISTORY:
WHATEVER THE CATS’ GOAL MAY BE, WE'LL ONLY - DISCOVER IT BY GOING ANOTHER WELCOME BACK,
THERE. HURRY UP, JOURNEY INTO . GERONIMO!
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AY TA I THIS TIME PERIOD?
==) —
WAIT, T'LL HELP BENJAMIN? UNCLE FINE! V ' NO YOU PUT OUT PROFESSOR GERONIMO! BUT WHAT IME TO a YOUR TAIL! I DOING IN . TELL YOU
GERONIMO, PROFESSOR /\ “EVERYTHING ARE YOU ALL A, THE WAY!
ON THE WAY? WHAT WAY? I LEAVE, I HAVE A NEWSPAPER TO RUN!

UM... DON'T FORGET SPECIAL FROM ANCIENT EARPIECES THAT LET YOU SPEAK lg yee ALREADY IN AND UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE X THE TIME MACHINE!
IT'S REALLY RAT-TASTIC!
BE SURE TO TAKE DON'T WORRY, PROFESSOR, CARE OF THIS SITUATION, ; | WE'LL STOP THE PIRATE BECAUSE IF THE PIRATE < CATS! >508< GOODBYE, CATS ALTER THE PAST, | FESSO
THEY'LL ALSO CHANGE THE PRESENT -- AND THAT
MUST NEVER HAPPEN!
GOODBYE, PROFESSOR...
4 , GOOD FASTEN YOUR PATTY... I'VE LUCK, MY SEAT BELTS! CHANGED MY MIND... FRIENDS!
=
IN 3000 BC, THE LEGENDARY KING, MENES, UNIFIED ALL THE TRIBES THAT HAD UP TO THEN LIVED SEPARATELY FROM EACH
OTHER ALONG THE BANKS OF THE NILE RIVER AND SO BEGAN THE FIRST OF THE THIRTY DYNASTIES OF PHARAOHS. FROM THEN ON, EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION DEVEL- OPED UNTIL IT REACHED A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: IT WAS REALLY THE EGYPTIANS WHO CREATED ONE OF THE FIRST FORMS OF WRITING. IN ADDITION, THEY DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO POETRY,
SCULPTURE, ARCHITECTURE, MATHEMATICS AND MEDICINE.
~ —
MYSELF?
I CAN'T GET MY PAWS DIRTY!
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
WITH SAND,
. MEMPHIS ~ FOUNDED AROUND THE END OF THE FOURTH MILLENNIUM BC, THE CITY OF MEMPHIS WAS THE CAPITAL OF EGYPT DURING THE PREDYNASTIC PERIOD (2920-2575 BC) AND THE OLD KINGDOM (2575-2134 ).
MEMPHIS
>/< 72 THINK? WHAT ABOUT, TERSILLA?
GOAL,
WE'LL USE OUR TYPICAL CAT
SHREWONESS!
THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS WORSHIPPED A NUMBER OF DIVINITIES, INCLUDING RA, THE SUN GOD, OSIRIS, THE GOD OF DEATH, HIS WIFE ISIS, THEIR SON HORUS, WHO HAD THE HEAD OF
A FALCON, AND BASTET, DAUGHTER OF THE GOD RA. BASTET HAD THE HEAD OF A CAT.
NATURALLY!
HA, HA, ... OF COURSE!
THE SPHINX, YOU IDIOT... THE SPHINX! WE'RE GOING TO CON- VINCE PHARAOH GIVE IT THE FACE OF ! THAT WAY WE'LL
BE REMEMBERED FOREVER!
,
rw
ANP HOW WILL WE MANAGE TO CONVINCE
ON! LET'S PUT ON OUR MOUSE MASKS. THEN YOU CAN DRESS UP AS
PRIESTS OF THE GODDESS BASTET, THE PATRON GODDESS OF CATS... I'LL BE A TEMPLE DANCER!
NO, DADDY DEAR, YOU'VE
HMPH! MASK MUST HAVE SHRUNK OVER THE PAST FEW
MONTHS!
THAT THE IS HIDDEN UNDER
THIS SAND MASTERPIECE!
NOW THAT THE IS WELL HIDDEN AND WE ARE DRESSED LIKE MICE FROM ANCIENT EGYPT, LET'S SWING INTO
TERSILLA DOESN'T GIVE COM- MANDS! SHE RESTRICTS HERSELF TO JUST EXPRESSING
)
THE BOSS?
DO YOU WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE COME FROM THE
FUTURE?!? SKYSCRAPERS DON'T EXIST YET HERE!
DESTROY THIS MOUSURDITY!*
DUMMIES LIKE THESE TWO?!?
A LITTLE LATER, AT THE / NOBLE VIZIER RAT- ROYAL PALACE IN MEMPHIS... [KARUE, TWO PRIESTS
THE GODDESS BASTET ARE REQUESTING AN AUDIENCE!
PRIESTS? ALL RIGHT,
SEND THEM IN!
IN ANCIENT EGYPT, PRIESTS CELEBRATED THE RELIGIOUS
I AM CAT-SINUHE AND THIS 15 BON-ZETET. WE ARE PRIESTS OF THE
RITES FOR WORSHIPPING THE GODDESS BASTET. DIFFERENT DIVINITIES. AS A RESULT, THERE WERE MANY TO
KEEP UP WITH AND THEY ENJOYED NUMEROUS PRIVILEGES.
TELL ME EVERYTHING! THAT WILL BE ENOUGH TIME UNFORTUNATELY I CAN TO SHOW YOU THE MOST
ONLY GIVE YOU INCREDIBLE A LITTLE TIME! MIRACLE
THE VIZIER WAS THE PHARAOH'S PRIME
MINISTER AND WORKED WITH THE PHARAOH IN DIRECTING NUMEROUS AFFAIRS OF STATE. HE WAS, THEREFORE, IN CHARGE OF CONVEYING THE ORDERS OF THE KING, COLLECTING TAXES, ADMINISTERING JUSTICE,
CHECKING ON THE PROGRESS OF PUBLIC PROJECTS AND
THE FLOW OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE RIVER.
WHATEVER THE REASON FOR THEIR VISIT, IT'S BETTER TO TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT
AND NOT ANNOY THE GODS.
1, ON THE OTHER HAND, RAT-SHEPSUT, - PLE DANCER FOR THE GODDESS
BON-ZETET HAS RECEIVED A GIFT FROM THE GODDESS BASTET.
| |

AND THAT 157? THE APPEARANCE OF INTELLIGENCE, IT SEEMS TO !
HMM... HOW CAN BE SURE THIS ISN'T
SOME KIND OF
HMM... THE GODDESS
BASTET... WHO SPEAKS...
ONE NIGHT, BON-ZETET FELL ASLEEP NEXT TO A STATUE A YOL HAYES OF THE GODDESS BASTET, AND EVER SINCE THEN, ON HIS : WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT LIKE THIS! THE GODDESS SPEAKS |
THROUGH HIM...
/
“.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US, MOST ILLUSTRIOUS VIZIER, TRY IT YES, MOST
< ILLUSTRIOUS VIZIER, JUST
AS A MATTER FACT, SHE ALONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF THE GODDESS!
AND HAS
ABOUT ME?
PHARAOH'S AND THE WHOLE ROYAL FAMILY.
OKAY, I'LL TAKE YOU INTO MY SERVICE! YOUR ARRIVAL AND THE FAVOR OF BASTET
WILL BE A BLESSING FOR ALL OF EGYPT!
THE GODDESS EVER SPOKEN
IT, OH MOST ILLUS-
MIRACLE, MOST ILLUS- RIOUS RAT-KARUE?
YES. ACTUALLY, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT HE'S
SAYING!
BUT OF COURSE, MOST ILLUSTRIOUS
VIZIER! IT WAS ACTUALLY THE GODDESS BASTET WHO ORDERED US TO COME HERE!
THE GODDESS GAVE YOU A SPECIAL GIFT, TOO?
>5/< I PREDICT HARD TIMES FOR TAIL!
TRIOUS VIZIER!
IT'S BETTER THAT WE DON'T! BUT IF YOU TAKE US IN YOUR SERVICE, OUR DANCER WILL TRANSLATE THE MESSAGES ,
THE GODDESS!
SHE SAID, "GO TO MEMPHIS AND TAKE MY ADVISERS TO
RAT-KARUE, VIZIER TO CHEPHREN, A RODENT WHOSE INTELLIGENCE
IS GREATER THAN ANYONE ELSE'S!”
STRANGE... I HADN'T NOTICED
MORE INTELLIGENT THAN PHARAOH CHEPHREN AND THE ROYAL FAMILY! THE GODS HAVE BIG
PLANS FOR ME...
SORRY ABOUT THE LANDING!
BRUISED!
THE SHIP COMPLITER \/ MOLDY IT’S LIKELY THERE'S AN ERROR IN
SAYS WE ARE 1 MOZZARELLA! THE SHIP COMPUTER FROM WHEN TRAP
MILES NORTH WE LANDED SUBSTITUTED FOR ME AS DRIVER!
OF MEMPHIS! IN THE DESERT!
7 YOU'RE THE ONE WHO REPRO- ITA 69 22205 secacse || TEK MAYBE WEN > YOU WANTED STOP OFF
WITH ME? IN THE MIDDLE AGES THE PLACE JUST BECAUSE FOR A SNACK! I TICKLED YOU!
THE FACT REMAINS THAT ' IT'S NOT MY one l WELL, MAYBE IT'S TICKLISH! IN A DESERT MORE THAD,
DESERTED THAN ! LOOK!
NORTH OF MEMPHIS, IT WAS CHOSEN BY
THE PHARAOH CHEOPS, CHEFHREN'S FATHER, AS THE SITE FOR HIS OWN PYRAMID. AT 480 FEET IN HEIGHT AND 656 FEET ALONG EACH SIDE AT THE BASE, THE PYRAMID OF CHEOPS IS THE
LARGEST PYRAMID IN ANCIENT EGYPT. IT
TOOK OVER 20 YEARS TO BUILD AND MORE
THAN 2,000,000 BLOCKS OF STONE
THAT WEIGHED AROUND 2.5 TONS EACH.
THE PYRAMIDS OF CHEPHREN, HIS SON MICERINO, AND THE SPHINX WERE ALSO
BUILT AT GIZA;
OF COURSE, WE LANDED ON THE GIZA PLATEAU! THIS HAS TO BE THE PYRAMID
OF CHEOPS!
AND GET OURSELVES
GERONIMO YOU'RE ALWAYS \ / RIDICULOUS, DON'T YOU KNOW
THAT? EVEN WHEN YOU'RE WEARING NORMAL CLOTHES!
I HOPE WE MEET SOMEONE WE CAN
ASK FOR DIRECTIONS. OTHERWISE WE MAY GET LOST!
THANK YOU, TRAP!
ANOTHER
IT DEFINITELY HAS BE CHEPHREN'S. HE'S THE PHARAOH WHO RULED IN
THIS ERA!
UNLIKE MY KILT! I FEEL RIDICULOUS,
PATTY!
COLD OF NEW MOUSE CITY! BENJAMIN!
DID YOU NOTICE, UNCLE G? TO THE RIGHT OF THE
PYRAMID IS ANOTH- ER MONUMENT... BUT IT'S ALL COVERED UP...
THAT HAS TO BE THE SPHINX, WHICH HASN'T BEEN FINISHED
LET'S TURN ON THE EARPIECES PROFESSOR VOLT GAVE US AND GET CLOSER!
HELLO! YOU SHOW US THE WAY TO GET TO MEMPHIS?
SO WE WENT CLOSER TO THE PYRAMID
CONSTRUCTION SITE...
OF THE DAY!
AND WHO ARE YOU? I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU AT THE SITE BEFORE!
"RE V OR NAME IS RATTY-ATUM
AWAY! MY wae Te SCRIBES AND I'M THE CHIEF ARCHITEC!
57...--! ANCIENT EGYPT, OF THE DIVINE PHARAOH I'M A SCRIBE! SCRIBES WERE AMONG CHEPHREN!
< T THE FEW WHO KNEW HOW TO WRITE. THEY WROTE ON SHEETS OF PAPYRUS, USING
NIBS MADE FROM REED OR CANE THAT WERE FIRST SOAKED IN WATER AND THEN DIPPED IN INK.
I'M IN CHARGE OF THE WORK ON HIS PYRAMID!
THESE ARE MY FRIENDS PAT-NEFRET, THE STONE, MY COUSIN RAT-TRAP, THE STONE! MY NEPHEW BEN-JA- | PET AND HIS FRIEND
--...
YES, B , BUT... WAIT A MINUTE! WHERE IS UNCLE GERON-
ANKH-AMON?
PHONOGRAMS (DRAWINGS THAT REPRESENT SOUNDS AND IDEAS), AND DETERMINATIVES (PRAWINGS THAT REPRESENT IDEAS AND COMPLETE THE MEANING OF A WORD).
THERE ARE OVER 700 HIEROGLYPHS, MADE UP OF IMAGES OF ANIMALS, BODY PARTS,
AND OBJECTS FROM DAILY LIFE.
>6/< À
~ 4 4 “4.
LUCKILY, I CAME OUT ALL RIGHT, WITH ONLY A FEW BRUISES ON MY FOREHEAD
AND SOME DENTS IN TALL...
I OWE YOU MY LIFE! WHAT CAN I
DO FOR YOU?
WELL, FOR : STARTERS, YOU PE MTI ( THE NIGHT, , AND TWENTY-COURSE
COULD SHOW US THE FACT, TLL DINNER, AND WE'LL BE EVEN! YOU THERE
ROAD TO MEMPHIS! MYSELF! W-W-WITH PLEASURE...
TSK... HIS USUAL RUDE BEHAVIOR!
MY COUSIN RAT-TRAP IS DEVOURED ALL INSATIABLE! IF HE HAD
TWENTY COURSES! HIS WAY, ? NEVER STOP EATING!
ON THE OTHER POOR LITTLE MOUSELINGS, HAND, THE KIDS \ THEY WERE SO TIRED BARELY TOUCHED 4 THAT THEY FELL THEIR PINNER! 4 RIGHT ASLEEP!
WE'RE HERE TO VISIT THE
COURSE! THE PHARAOH THE ROYAL : WILL BE HAPPY TO MEET PALACE? THE RODENTS WHO
SAVED My LIFE!
SINCE THE TWO PRIESTS
MEMPHIS?
COULD TAKE YOU TO VISIT THE ROYAL
THEY SAY THE YOU'RE VERY KIND, RATTY-ATUM, BUT WE WANT
BOTHER YOU!
VIZIER RAT-KARUE DOES EVERYTHING THOSE PRIESTS ORDER AND DRAWS FROM THE ROYAL
COFFERS TO SATISFY THEIR EVERY REQUEST!
"THEY ASKED FOR SOLID GOLD STATUES |] ODDI T.. .„ OFFERED THE GODDESS BASTET FRESH
FISH DELIVERED DAILY FROM THE COAST...”
\ „
WHAT'S MORE, THEY THE ONE THAT EXACTLY! ACCORDING EVEN WANTED TO HAS THE BODY TO THE PRIESTS, IT
DEDICATE THAT GIGANTIC OF AN ANIMAL BUT SHOULD HAVE THE MONUMENT NEAR NO FACE CARVED / HEAD OF A CAT RATHER
THAN 5 TO THE GODDESS! gig FACE!
HMM... THE HEAD OF N A CAT... I SMELL THE RIGHT, IT CANT BE A STINK OF THE COINCIDENCE!
HORRIFYING, DON'T YOU THINK?
2 2 2) d
NO, ACTUALLY, WORK BUT I PIPNT SEE ANY WORK HAS STOPPEP...
BEING ON THE NEW MONUMENT!
=".
THE PHARAOH AND THE VIZIER! THE PROBLEM
IS REALLY ABOUT FINISHING THE FACE...
“ONE DAY, I SAT IN ON DEMAND THAT
ONE OF THEIR THE MONUMENT WITH
DISCUSSIONS THE BODY OF A LION ABOUT ..." SACRED TO US i 2
HAVE ! RELIGION, SOME ANIMALS / WERE CONSIDERED SACRED,
INCLUDING CATS, CROCO- DILES, FALCONS, SNAKES,
LIONS, AND JACKALS. SCRIBES ALSO USED THE IMAGES OF ANIMALS AS SIGNS FOR WRITING.
BUT, DIVINE PHARAOH, IT’S THE SON BASTET WHO HAS ASKED THAT IT OF THE SUN! HAVE THE OF . IF WE ALSO A GOD! THE 4
DON'T CARRY OUT HER - GODDESS BASTET : ANCIENT EGYPTIANS MANDS, THE GODDESS MAY BELIEVED THAT THE AVENGE HERSELF ON US! ,
OF THE GOD HORUS, A GOD WITH THE
HEAD OF A FALCON AND THE SON OF THE SUN GOD.
WHICH THE VIZIER DIDN'T N/ OH, BUT I'VE BEEN BORING DARE ANSWER BACK TO! THANK YOU WITH ALL MY CHATTERING! OF FACT, IT CENTURIES
ANYHOW, FOR THE MOMENT, A GOODNESS! I'LL BET YOU'RE ALL WORN FEELS LIKE THE ar THE PROJECT IS BLOCKED! OUT FROM YOUR JOURNEY! JOURNEY TOOK
CENTURIES!
YOU'D DO WELL TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF YOUR
FRIENDS AND GET SOME REST! WE HAVE A BIG DAY AHEAD
OF US TOMORROW!
THE NEXT MORNING, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE WORRIED BY RATTY-ATUM'S
STORIES, WE AGREED TO TOUR
... ROSE AND LAVENDER OIL: WHAT A DELIGHTFUL
DATES, FIGS, EGGS... I
COULD CREATE SO MANY RECIPES!
THEN IN THE AFTERNOON, WE WENT TO THE ROYAL PALACE TO MEET THE PHARAOH CHEPHREN,
LORD AND MASTER OF ALL OF EGYPT!
PHARAOH FROM THE FOURTH DYNASTY
CROUGHLY 2588- 2563 BC). IT'S NOT KNOWN EXACTLY HOW
LONG HE REIGNED. HE BUILT HIS
PYRAMID ON THE PLATEAU OF GIZA,
NEXT TO THE SPHINX AND THAT OF HIS FATHER, CHEOPS. LATER ON, CHEPHREN'S SON, MICERINO, ALSO BUILT HIS PYRAMID NEXT TO HIS FATHER'S.
~

Iš Scr N MIC , - - WHO DIDN'T HAVE FRIENDS GERON-ANKH
AMON, 1 ! COULD PLAY WITH AT THE PALACE. NAME
ROYAL SCRIBE!
MY FAITHFUL VIZIER HAS SUGGESTED I PUT YOU TO WORK IMMEDIATELY AND COMMISSION YOU TO WRITE A HYMN TO
PSST, PSST, PSST...
BASTET, WHERE » ARE THE PRIESTS?
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU MY NEW GUESTS! -
>GULPI< THAT'S
BOW DOWN! THE GREAT GODDESS
BASTET HAS SPOKEN!
THE WORDS OF THE GODDESS BASTET!
GERON-ANKH-AMON, I WANT THE HYMN FOR THE GODDESS BASTET
READY BY NEXT WEEK, FOR THE FESTIVAL IN HONOR OF ANNUAL VOYAGE DOWN
THE NILE RIVER!
WE THANKED RATTY-ATUM, PROMISING TO SEE HIM AGAIN SOON, AND THEN WENT TO OUR ROOMS.
AS ALWAYS, BASTET WISHES THE PHARAOH LONG LIFE! IN ADDITION, SHE SENDS A WARM GREETING TO
HIS NE : FRIENDS!
EXCELLENT! THANK HER FOR HER
YOUR ORDERS, GOOD, NOW DIVINE MY SERVANTS ! WILL SEE YOU
AND YOUR FRIENDS TO YOUR ROOMS!
PATTY AND I TOLD EVERYONE WHAT WE'D REALIZED ABOUT THE SPHINX AND ITS CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN WE GOT TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER.
THE "MEOW" OF THAT PRIEST
WAS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS... AND NOT THE GODDESS BASTET! IN MY
OPINION, THAT WAS REALLY A CAT!
RIGHT! THAT | THERE'S NO DOUBT ; 3 PRECIOUS WORD A) ABOUT IT: THOSE THREE x WE'VE GOT WAS ABSOLUTELY AN ! 1 ARE THE PIRATE CATS f TO UNMASK
AUTHENTIC HOWL 2 DISGUISED AS A THEM! = ; RODENTS! a
BUT WE NEED PROOF! WITH THE YOU'RE A REGULAR , 6 IS RIGHT! LET'S WATCH THEM FAVOR THEY ENJOY AT COURT, WE RUN SCAREDY CAT, FROM A DISTANCE! SOONER OR THE RISK OF HAVING THE PHARAOH GERONIMO! LATER, THEY'LL MAKE FALSE
AND THE VIZIER AGAINST US! STEP AND THEN
AT THE SAME TIME, IN ANOTHER SORRY, = WING OF THE PALAC WHEN 7 SAW 2
GERONIMO, MY PRESENCE AT — 1] COURT IS A
| | ] : PROBLEM!
Fs a, YOU AND YOUR BIG MOUTH!
YOU ALMOST GOT US DISCOVERED!
LUCKILY TERSILLA
QUESTION!
OF COURSE! WHAT USUALLY L“ HAPPENS WHEN GERONIMO CESNSI STILTON AND HIS FRIENDS
| STEP INTO OUR PLANS?
RAT-KARUE: BY HOOK OR BY CROOK, THE SPHINX WILL HAVE
THE FACE OF A FELINE! A
MEOW DOWN®, DADDY DEAR! KEEP AN EYE ON THEM AND TRY TO THINK OF A WAY TO GET RID OF THEM WITHOUT ANYONE
SUSPECTING US!
GOING TO
THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE FOCUSEP OUR TASKS, AND THERE WAS LITTLE TIME LEFT
OVER FOR US TO INVESTIGATE... |
WOE 15 ! A JOURNALIST, NOT A WEAVER! ~
3
NS a
THE CLOTHES WORN IN ANCIENT EGYPT WERE MOSTLY
MADE OUT OF VERY FINE LINEN, ALMOST VOILE. THE FABRIC WAS MADE FROM THE FIBERS AND STEMS OF THE LINEN PLANT, WHICH WAS
THEN TWISTED INTO YARN AND WOVEN ON A WOODEN LOOM.
YOU'VE NIBBLED ON EVERYTHING!
i ! Y
FRIGHT!
BY THINKING OF SOMETHING ELSE?
IT'LL BE HARD PUT A LONG HYMN ON A SINGLE PAPYRUS! EVEN
MORE SO WITH HIEROGLYPHICS -- I
DRAW VERY BADLY!
I COULD THINK OF A TART OF SMOKED CHEESE... OR MAYBE
OF SOMEONE SPECIAL!
HYMN IS FOR BASTET, BUT
IN REALITY . DEDICATE IT TO...
MEANWHILE, EVEN TERSILLA HAD HER PAWS IN ACTION...
4777.
IS A PLANT WITH A LONG STEM AND
LEAVES THAT GROWS IN THE SWAMPS ALONG THE NILE RIVER. IT WAS USED PRIMARILY TO MAKE SHEETS FOR WRITING, WHICH WERE MADE BY SOAKING THE
LEAVES IN WATER AND THEN DRYING THEM IN THE SUN.
OH, NOBLE FELINE GODDESS, WHEN I LOOK
UPON YOU, I THINK, "YOU HAVE EYES THE COLOR OF THE SKY AND A HEART FILLED
WITH LOVE...”
THE MONUMENT MUST BE « . FINISHED WITH THE FACE AIT! BASTET 1 OF A ! OTHERWISE THE
VERY DISPLEASED GODDESS WILL STOP WITH You! FAVORING YOU!
BUT, BUT... I DO ANYTHING! THE IF CHEPHREN IS BASTET THINKS PHARAOH DOESN'T REALLY WANT HEAR THE OBSTACLE... YOU'D BE A BETTER ANYTHING ABOUT THE FACE OF A CAT! THE GODDESS ORDERS
YOU HAVE A DAY TO THINK
IT OVER, RAT-KARUE...
REBELLING AGAINST WHAT ARE YOU WORRYING HMM... FIRST EASY! THE GODDESS THE PHARAOH IS ABOUT? BASTET IS WITH YOU ALL, I WILL NEED ALREADY KNOWS HOW
A RISKY THING TO AND 50 YOU'LL WIND UP WITH TO IMPRISON AND WHERE TO DO. I COULD ALL OF EGYPT! CHEPHREN AND DO IT! LISTEN... LOSE MY FUR! 29 ) HIS FAMILY!
~ 5 os
~
!
EA
e" EVENING OF THE GRAND FESTIVAL ARRIVED AND WE FINALLY SAW OUR DEAR FRIEND AGAIN...
THE
THE MOMENT FOR TO READ THE HYMN THAT I COMPOSED IN HONOR OF THE GODDESS BASTET.
"OH, NOBLE FELINE GODDESS : WHEN I LOOK YOU, I THINK: — torre YOU HAVE A FACE OF FONTINA, whores A NOSE OF SOFT CHEESE...”
I ASKED YOU HOW COULD W TO WRITE A HYMN, YOU OFFEND 245 NOT INSULTS! YOU BASTET?!? SHALL PAY FOR
THIS OUTRAGE!
THAT HAS YOUR PAW PRINTS ALL OVER IT, HUH? I RECOGNIZE
YOUR STYLE...
.
OF THE FESTIVAL, WITHOUT ANYONE
NOTICING, WE SUBSTI- TUTED A PAPYRUS I WROTE IN THE PLACE
OF STILTON'S!
DIVINE PHARAOH, I ASSURE YOU THAT IT WAS AN ERROR!
THEY DRAGGED US UNDER PALACE AND LOCKED US UP
WOULD YOU MIND Ñ / HOW MANY TELLING ME WHAT YOU HAD IN MIND WHEN YOU WROTE THOSE WORDS?
IF YOU ARREST HIM,
TOOL
SO BE IT! THE PRISON AIR WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR
THEN WHO COULD IT
HAVE BEEN?
BUT WE PROVE MAYBE TRAP IT! LET'S TRY TO FIND COULD EAT UP THE A WAY GET OF PRISON WALLS! THIS CELL, INSTEAD!
YOU'RE SO FUNNY, COUSIN!
CATARDONE III!
DURING HIS ANNUAL JOURNEY DOWN THE NILE, CHEPHREN WILL HAVE AN UNPLEASANT
WH-WHAT YOU MEAN?
SECRET PASSAGE!
CHANGED... IN FAVOR OF CATS, OBVIOUSLY!

THAT THE PHARAOH WILL BE IMPRISONED BY - AND FORCED TO SURRENDER HIS
REIGN TO THE VIZIER!
/ , BUT IS! ALL I WAS EASY THE VIZIER...
WITH YOU, MOUSE! A TRAITOR? HIM WAS PROMISE HIM HE TITLE OF PHARAOH,
IMPOSSIBLE!
| 4 YOU GOT IT, SWEETIE!
WAG 77 YOU WHO | Bar or THe wat . pe To, | Tr way weve Become SUBSTITUTED THE POWERFUL AND
PAPYRUS?!?
GOODBYE, RATLINGS! I v | „. BE IF HOPE YOU LIKE YOUR CELL, SOME ARCHAEOLOGIST
BECAUSE YOUR ONLY STUMBLES UPON YOU CHANCE OF LEAVING IT... IN A FEW MILLENNIA!
WE SPENT THE REST OF THE NIGHT LOOKING FOR A WAY TO ESCAPE...
LET'S LOOK FOR A WAY OUT! WE PROMISED VOLT
THAT WE'D STOP THE PIRATE CATS AND WE'RE GOING
TO SUCCEED!
- HEY, LISTEN! THIS STONE ECHOED!
YOU'RE A TRUE FRIEND, RATTY-ATUM!
OH, YES, THE PALACE UNDERGROUND IS FULL OF THEM! CHEPHREN'S ANCESTORS HAD THEM BUILT SO THEY COULD
ESCAPE ANY 9
THE GODS REALLY WANTED
ME TO BE THE ONE IN CHARGE OF LAST YEAR'S RESTORATION
T COMES OUT RATTY-ATUM, YOU'VE ON THE BANKS GOT TO LISTEN
! US... THE OF THE NILE! PHARAOH TS IN
CATS! I MUST RUN Y AND SAVE THE WE'LL
, TOO!
EVEN NARROWER FARTHER ALONG!
MEANWHILE, CHEPHREN'S SHIP WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE NILE TOWARDS GIZA, THE FIRST STAGE OF A JOURNEY
THAT WOULD TAKE THE PHARAOH AND HIS FAMILY TO THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER AT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA...
THE NILE IS THE LONGEST RIVER
IN THE WORLD: ITS COURSE IS SOME 4,145 MILES LONG CINCLUDING ITS FIRST BRANCH, THE NILE KAGERA), ENDING AT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. IN ANTIQUITY, ITS PERIODIC FLOODS MADE THE FIELDS FERTILE
SINCE THEY DEPOSITED PRECIOUS MUD SILT ONTO THE GROUND.
6 GOING ON, MICERINO? YOU'VE BEEN SAD EVER SINCE YESTERDAY EVENING! DO YOU
MISS YOUR FRIENDS?
Ñ 6
IK ax
1, . MICERINO, ONE DAY YOU WILL REIGN OVER EVERYTHING IN MY 1 1 SO WHY YOU CON-
PLACE! YOU MUST LEARN THAT THE 1 TINUE OPPOSE THE PHARAOH CANNOT ALLOW THE : WILL OF BASTET!
EXACTLY, CHEPHREN!
RAT-KARUE, HOW W DARE BECAUSE DARE YOU ADDRESS BASTET GAVE ME AR cour ME IN THAT TONE? THE RIGHT TO WANT TO WIND UP
PO 50! LIKE THE SCRIBE AND HIS FRIENDS!
PRIESTS, TELL ON THAT OF HIM WHOSE SIDE i “ THE GODDESS RAT-KARUE...
IS ON! DEAREST EX-PHARAOH!
WHAT ARE THESE WORDS?
YOU'RE WASTING YOUR BREATH, CHEPHREN... EGYPT WILL ONLY KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAD AN
ACCIDENT DURING THE TRIP!
|N Y f
125 | k
EVEN WHEN YOU'RE FAVORED BY THE GODS, IT'S NOT WISE

WE CAN JUMP INTO THE WATER AND PUSH THE BOAT!
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? THAT'S TOO
DOING IT ALL MYSELF!
RIGHT...THIS BOAT IS TOO SLOW!
YOU'RE A REGULAR CHEESE- 16 COME ON! IT'S HEAD! ALL YOU HAVE TO THE ONLY WAY TO DO IS GRAB THE SHIP AND GO FASTER! MOVE YOUR LEGS A BIT!
COME ON, COUSIN, APPLY SOME GRIT! LEARN FROM
THOSE CROCODILES!
——— — ——
YES, NOW HEE, HEE,
PERFECT! NOW YOU CAN EVEN SLOW DOWN!
- Os ÑU ai .
< OUR PLANS ONCE AGAIN!
SORRY, DADDY DEAR, BUT THIS TIME BONZO'S RIGHT!
YOU WON, RATS IN BOOTS! WE'LL SEE THEY ALWAYS RIGHT, BUT TLL
|| Peat asain BY THE WORD OF SLIP AWAY!
TERSILLA!
I'LL EXPLAIN WELL, WHERE OTTED RATTY-ATUM, EVERYTHING TO YOU! DID THE TRAITOR- HIDING THONG THE YOU WON'T BELIEVE YOU SAVED ! 046 VIZIER YOUR EARS! DISAPPEAR? HOW DID YOU — — KNOW THAT...
EXTRA FRUIT!
EXCELLENT DANCER! YOU SHOULD TAKE ME DANCING IN NEW MOUSE CITY, TOO!
TO THANK US, CHEPHREN ARRANGED TO N HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTY AT THE PALACE!
>SNIFFI< WE WON'T EITHER, RATTY-ATUM!
IN NEW MOUSE CITY, FRIEND WAS WAITING TO TOAST US WITH CHEESE MOUSSE!
COME ON THANKS f WERE CORRECT: THE , THE PHARAOH
¿PAYA Mal CATS' GOAL REALLY OFA IT STILL HAS THE CHEPHREN! WAS THE SPHINX! ae
ALTHOUGH, IF YOU YES, IF THE SPHINX HAD LOOK HARD... YUM, A PAIR OF GLASSES, IT
YUM... THE OF THE ~ WOULD LOOK A LOT YOU REALLY SPHINX LOOKS A | LIKE YOU, COUSIN! THINK 507 ITTLE FAMILIAR!

OF COURSE NOT, I MY DEAR RODENT FRIENDS, WAS JUST KIDDING! FAREWELL UNTIL THE NEXT
ADVENTURE... ANOTHER Be) © WHISKERFUL OF AN
00 ADVENTURE WRITTEN 2 \ BY STILTON... 4 ° ~ ^ 4
N \
“
WATCH OUT FOR
PAPERCUT/j You know, I'm really jealous of Geronimo Stilton! You see, both
Geronimo and I are Editors-in-Chief. He edits the Rodent Gazette, the
most famous paper on Mouse Island, and I edit Papercutz graphic nov- els, the most famous graphic novels published at 40 Exchange Place, on Manhattan Island. But Geronimo can do something I can't do - he can travel through time!
Wow! If I could travel through time, none of our graphic novels
would ever be late! Not that Stefan Petrucha, Sarah Kinney, and Sho
Murase are ever late writing or drawing our NANCY DREW graphic
novels, but I’m sure they’d all love to take a break and travel back in time to witness some of history’s most famous unsolved mysteries.
Scott Lobdell and Paulo Henrique would probably want to stop time, catch their breath from writing and drawing THE HARDY BOYS graph- ic novels, and get together to create a movie, with Scott writing and directing and Paulo starring and performing the score.
Greg Farshtey would secretly love to take a little time off from writ- ing every BIONICLE story ever published, including our graphic nov-
els, to actually have time to play with the amazing constructible action figures from LEGO that star in all his stories.
Of course, if you’re a real comicbook fan like me, you couldn’t resist
going back in time and picking up the original CLASSICS ILLUSTRAT- ED and TALES FROM THE CRYPT comicbooks right off the newsstands for only 15 cents or 10 cents each. Today the comics are worth a whole lot more! Who knows, maybe one day our Papercutz CLASSICS ILLUS- TRATED and TALES FROM THE CRYPT graphic novels will be worth a small fortune too?
Well, I may not be able to travel through time, but I can show you a little bit of the future! On the following pages we have a special sneak preview of GERONIMO STILTON #3 “The Coliseum Con.” It’s the next exciting GERONIMO STILTON graphic novel from Papercutz, and it’s
coming soon to booksellers everywhere. In the meantime, visit me at
www.papercutz.com and tell us what you think of this graphic novel. We really want to hear from you, and I hope you post your comments on our Papercutz Blog for all your fellow Geronimo Stilton fans to see!
Of course, there’s always lots of fun awaiting you at www.geronimostil- ton.com, but I bet you already knew that!
Until next time, here’s wishing Professor
Bolt can whip up a time machine that will help me get into the Papercutz offices before editorial Assistant Mike Petranek!
Thanks,
at the Art Fest.
IS STILTON, GERONIMO STILTON, AND I EDIT THE 5 GAZETTE, THE MOST FAMOUS PAPER ON MOUSE ISLAND.
3 š s > “ 23 = { 2 11! ï - “ = 8 = = BUT THAT VERY MORNING, ALARM CLOCK DIDN'T GO OFF AND I WAS VERY LATE!
SO AS I WAS SAYING, I WAS RUNNING WHEN. |
ERONIMO, A VERY IMP VISITOR
=—)
L Ú
I INTEND TO PUBLISH MY BIOGRAPHY AND I WANT YOU TO
BE GONE, OH RAT! ~
R. STILTON?
ne (;
IT WAS MY GRANDFATHER, WILLIAM SHORTPAWS, NICKNAMED "TANK"... ACTUALLY, THAT'S
SALLY RATMOUSEN'S PAPER. MINE'S
RATIDO? THAT'S ODD... WAS HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO!
POMINGO'S CON- || CERT, BUT THERE'S
AFTER A DAY LIKE THAT, I DIDN'T = WANT TO PO ANYTHING BESIDES V4 ROTTEN ROQUEFORT! GO HOME AND NIBBLE ON SOME THE REFRIGERATOR'S
CHEESE AND CRACKERS... EMPTY!
L. s —— ik

WHO KNOWS WHO p THAT IS! LET'S HOPE SORRY IT'S NOT SOMEONE TO DISTURB ELSE WHO WANTS PROFESSOR! YOU, YOU
MUST COME EAR! LMA TO MY
; | RATORY
07522
INTO THE PAST!
YOU INTO PREDIC , TAKE YOU INTO EVICT a | .
( YOUR ARRIVAL TAIL! | , IS! ALL I
MY SERUM OF BASTE HAD TO TO CONVINCE AND THE 5 BLESSING =. WAS PROMISE HIM 25 "~ ALL OF 7 x — | TITLE PHARAOH! . 12 |

12116 PHARA | |
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4
CH AND FAMOUS. BUT GERONIMC
TO UNMASK THEM!
CAN CHANGE HISTORY BECOME RI
AND THE STILTON FAMILY ALWAYS MANAGE
, ELF’!
IF YOu p — DON’T : + ——_. ILLUSTpTOL C "LIEVE us VIZIER 2.
— _.⁄
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— MINUTE! ) 4
HIM
Geronimo Stilton ~
HAS HIS WORST ENEMIES, THE PIRATE CATS, WHO HAVE DISCOVERED A WAY TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME CHANGE HISTORY... .. THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE FACE OF THE GREAT SPHINX INTO A 5 ! THEY POSSIBLY TRICK THE PHARAOH CHEPHREN INTO MAKING THIS HAPPEN? AND HOW CAN GERONIMO STILTON POSSIBLY STOP THEM?
$9.95 US / $10.95 .