INTENDING to visit the Holy Sepulchre, Nicholas boarded an Egyptian ship headed for Jerusalem. One night during his voyage, he dreamt that the ship was caught in a terrible storm, and that Satan had cut the rigging and broken the wheel.
Next day, he told the ship’s captain that should a storm arise, he must not be afraid, because it was the devil’s work and God would help them.
Sure enough, a great storm arose and his fellow-passengers, who were expecting to be drowned at any moment, clustered helplessly around Nicholas. He took to his knees, and soon the raging wind dropped, and the sea grew calm.
But an unlucky sailor who had climbed the mast to mend the sail slipped, and fell to his death on the deck far below.
Rushing to his side, Nicholas called on God once again, and before their astonished eyes the passengers saw him wake as if from a refreshing sleep, and return to work.
Précis
Nicholas was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem when his ship was struck by a savage storm. At his prayers, the storm subsided, but as repairs were beginning one unlucky sailor was killed in a tragic accident. St Nicholas’s prayers restored him to life, just as if nothing had happened. (49 / 60 words)