The Story of Saint Nicholas

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Saint Nicholas lived hundreds of years ago in the city of Myra, which is in Turkey. He was a bishop and was known to be a very wise, kind old man. One morning, when he was walking through the streets of the city, he saw three pretty girls sitting in the doorway of a house, looking very miserable. The youngest was crying. Saint Nicholas stopped and talked to them. “What is the matter?” he asked kindly. “We’re in terrible trouble,” said one. “We’re sisters and we were all engaged to be married, but because we have no money for our dowries, our fiancés’ families have cancelled the weddings. We have nowhere to go and we’ll have to beg in the streets.” “Oh dear, oh dear, I wish I could help you,” murmured Saint Nicholas, and went on his way, thinking hard. He had no money, but he knew plenty of rich merchants who did. Quietly, he visited them and told them the sad story of the three sisters. When he went home that afternoon, his pockets were heavy with gold. In the evening, after dark, he went out and silently dropped three bags of gold through the window of the house where the sisters lived. In the morning, when they found the gold, they were overjoyed. Now they could get married. Everyone in the city heard about the three bags of gold and was delighted. No one knew where such riches came from. From then on, when anyone had a gift that seemed to come from nowhere, they said it must come from good, kind Saint Nicholas. Though he lived so long ago, we still remember Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas. Now we call him Santa Claus when he brings us presents at Christmas.