by postodave » January 5th, 2009, 10:16 pm
St. Nick like many saints had a remarkable posthumous career. The three balls outside a pawn shop honour him as a symbol of help in times of need - based on the story of the three sisters - however I am fairly sure there would have been no chimney involved - later, pictures depicting this miracle were reinterpreted as the bags of gold looked like heads the story grew up that he had resurrected three boys whose heads had been pickled in brine. He is associated with many stories of rescue at sea and one of these is depicted in a window of our cathedral in Lincoln. Benjamin Britten wrote a cantata about him. Later still in the USA he is combined with a Norse god of plenty to become Santa Claus.
So I drew my sword and got ready
But the lamb ran away with the crown