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SANTO DOMINGO DE
LA CALZADA, WHERE THE ROASTED COCK CROWED AGAIN
Opposite the tomb stands the famous hen cage containing a
live cock and hen, in commemoration of the famous miracle
that Aymeric Picaud places in Toulouse and which happened
at the beginning of the 15th C. The historian,
Huidobro, narrates it as follows: “a Germany couple from
Santu, near Wesel and Res, in the archbishopric of Cologne
decided to keep their promise and make a pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela, accompanied by a son of theirs, a
handsome young man. Having heard about the miracles of the
holy sepulchre, they halted in Santo Domingo and visited
the church, where they prayed devoutly. Tired after their
journey, the pilgrims then sought out an inn where they
stayed for two days: the innkeeper’s daughter fell madly
in love with the young pilgrim, declared her love to him
and was rejected. She therefore decided to get her revenge
and, taking a silver cup, she hid it amongst the young man’s
baggage whilst he was asleep”:
Once on route, the
theft was reported to the Judge. The authorities found the
cup amongst the young man’s possessions and he was
condemned to the gallows. His parents continued their
pilgrimage to Santiago to pray for their son. On their
return, they found their son still hanging but alive
thanks to the intervention of the apostle. When they went
to tell the judge of this miracle, he was just about to
eat two fowls (presumably cock and hen) and said: “Your
son is as alive as these fowls that are on my plate”, at
that very moment the birds “jumped from the plate
started to crow and cluck".
This is the origin of
the saying: “Santo Domingo de la Calzada, cantó la
gallina después de asada” (Santo Domingo de la Calzada,
where the hen clucks after being roasted).
From the book
“Curiosidades del Camino de Santiago”. by Juan Ramón
Corpas Mauleon. Published by Edilesa
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