Tikumu’s letter

Press, 6 December 1977, Page 29

Tikumu’s letter

Dear Children, All sorts of people — travellers, doctors, musicians, and others — have a patron saint. But did

I you know that children have one too? His name is j Saint Nicholas and his day j is December 6 — today. St Nicholas lived a long I time ago, in Patara, Asia Minor, and he was the son

of rich parents. When he grew up he decided to share his wealth with others. But he did so in a

most unusual way as this legend about him shows.

In the same city of Patara lived a nobleman who was very sad. He had

three beautiful daughters but he was so poor he could no longer provide for them. They were old enough to be married, but in those days a girl could not hope for a husband, no matter how lovely she was, unless she could bring to the marriage a dowry. And so the poor father grieved about his daughters. He wondered, too, how he could find money to feed them,and feared he would be forced to sell them into the market as slaves.

Then, one evening, as he was pacing up and down his living-room, a heavy object whizzed through the window and fell with a- clinking noise at his feet. It was a bulging purse. Trembling with astonishment, he opened it and could hardly believe his eyes when a stream of gold coins poured out.

He counted them eagerly and found there was enough money for his eldest girl’s dowry. Overjoyed, he hurried to tell her that now she would be saved from a miserable future and could look forward to marriage. The next night, however, the nobleman became unhappy once more as he thought of his two younger daughters. Soon, he knew, he must send them from home and sell them into slavery. But

again, as on the previous night, a fat purse sailed through the window and thudded on to the floor in front of him. He opened it and saw it was full of gold pieces.

The father was now confident that his third daughter would be remembered and decided on the following night to hide outside his house and wait for the mysterious pursethrower. Soon he saw a man, dressed in a long cloak and carrying a heavy purse, approach. The grateful nobleman fell down on his knees and was amazed when he looked up and recognised Nicholas, the richest man in Patara.

Nicholas spoke kindly to the nobleman and told him that he wished to make his three daughters happy as he was fond of young people. However, he asked that no-one should be told that it was he who had given the money. He always liked to surprise people with his presents and send them secretly.

The next day, though, the delighted nobleman could not help telling his friends how his fortune had changed; and so the story of Nicholas’s generosity spread. It became known in many cities and villages, as time passed, how Nicholas loved to give presents in secret, particularly to boys and girls.

Children began to put out shoes for him at night-time and in the morning would find them full of sweets and other r’-? things. Often, instead of leaving out shoes, they hung up stockings. This is still a St Nicholas custom in some parts of the world.

Our own Santa Claus, who climbs down our chimneys when we are asleep, and is seldom seen in our homes, reminds us in some ways of this shy and good-hearted saint. — Tikumu