Huni (original reading unknown) was an ancient Egyptian king and the last pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. Following the Turin king list, he is commonly credited with a reign of 24 years, ending c. 2600 BC.
Huni's chronological position as the last king of the third dynasty is seen as fairly certain, but there is still some uncertainty on the succession order of rulers at the end of 3rd dynasty. It is also unclear under which Hellenized name the ancient historian Manetho could have listed him in his historical writing Aegyptiacae. Most possibly he is to be identified with the Hellenized name Aches, as Winfried Barta proposes. Many Egyptologists believe that Huni was the father and direct predecessor of king Sneferu, but this is questioned by other scholars. Huni is seen by scholars as a confusing figure in Egyptian history, because he was long remembered in Egyptian traditions, but only very few documents, objects or monuments have endured.
Huni is not a well attested pharaoh; most of the attestations only point indirectly to him. There are only two contemporary objects with his name.
Wenn die bunten Fahnen wehen, geht die Fahrt wohl über's Meer.
Woll'n wir ferne Lande sehen, fällt der Abschied uns nicht schwer.
Leuchtet die Sonne, ziehen die Wolken,
klingen die Lieder weit über's Meer.
Sonnenschein ist unsere Wonne, wie er lacht am lichten Tag.
Doch es geht auch ohne Sonne, wenn sie mal nicht scheinen mag.
Blasen die Stürme, brausen die Wellen,
Hei, die wilden Wandervögel ziehen wieder durch die Nacht
singen ihre alten Lieder, daß die Welt vom Schlaf erwacht.
Kommt dann der Morgen, sind sie schon weiter,
über die Berge wer weiß wohin?
Wo die blauen Gipfel ragen, lockt so mancher steile Pfad,
immer vorwärts, ohne Zagen, bald sind wir dem Ziel genaht.
Schneefelder blinken, schimmern von ferne her,