Panel 14 - During a famine, Nicholas begs passing ships for some of their grain
© Stuart Whatling, 2008
Description:
According to the Golden Legend, when the province of Myra is beset by
famine, St Nicholas learns that there are some Imperial grain ships moored
in the harbour. He begs the sailors to spare one hundred measures of grain
from each ship but they tell him their cargo was carefully measured on
departure from Alexandria and they are afraid of the consequences should
it be found short on reaching Constantinople. Nicholas promises them that
no harm will come to them and the crews hand over the much needed grain
(see next panel). Sure enough, on reaching the Imperial granaries, the
cargo is found to be undiminished, despite each ship having given a hundred
measures to the starving people of Myra. According to the legend, the
grain given to Nicholas not only fed all his people for the two years
of the famine but also provided sufficient for seed corn when the drought
ended.
