The account of this story is to be found in Breasted, Ancient Records, Vol.II, 810-815. It purported to be a royal inscription of the time of Tuthmosis IV of the Eighteenth Dynasty. However, mistakes in the text led Egyptologists to suppose that it is a later copy. It was found on a large granite slab lying between the paws of the sphinx by Caviglia in 1818.

Once upon a time there was a king called Tuthmosis; he was not the great king of that name who had ruled Egypt, but his grandson. As a young man he was devoted to all kinds of field sports, particularly hunting. He was also good at target practise, shooting at the target with copper bolts while driving past in his chariot. He also loved hunting in the desert, especially in the Valley of the Gazelles near Memphis, which was well known for its large quantity of game. One day, when he was out hunting in the Valley, accompanied by a few followers, the time came for the midday siesta. He was near the sphinx, which in those days was covered by sand right up to its ears, and while he rested in its shade he fell asleep.

The sphinx represented a Sun God called Harakhte meaning 'Horus of the Horizon', which referred to the god rising at dawn to bathe in 'the field of rushes'. Anyway, while Tuthmosis was asleep, he had a dream in which Harakhte appeared to him and asked him to clear away the sand which was covering him and encroaching on him more and more each day. He told Tuthmosis that if he did he would become King of Egypt. Tuthmosis was surprised because at this time he was a younger son not strictly in line of succession. When he awoke, he ordered offerings to be made to the god, and had all the sand cleared away from the sphinx. In due course, Tuthmosis did become King of Egypt and reigned for eight years.