One story tells how during a terrible famine, a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he killed them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, saw through the butcher's lies and resurrected the pickled children by making the sign of the cross.

[–] ophy 29 points 1 year ago (2 children)

pickled children

Well there's a phrase I didn't expect to hear, well, ever

[–] XTornado@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

That's what I will call anything pickled now.

[–] Rubanski@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

"pickle me, Elmo!" were the children's last words

[–] Finite@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Elves are pickled children?

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks!

[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What book is that from?

[–] janAkali@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Wikipedia cites this one: Ferguson, George (1976) [1954], "St. Nicholas of Myra or Bari", Signs and Symbols in Christian Art, Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, pp. 135–136

You can "borrow" this version for free: https://archive.org/details/signssymbolsinch0000unse/ The story is at page 81. But there're no more details, just the same short paragraph.