Fredrik B. Wallem. [No. 13 



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The two upper figures, the Angel (properly Wmg^ed Man) and the 

 Eagle, are well preserved, whereas the two others, the Ox and 

 the Lion, are badly injured, only parts of their wings being yet 

 visible. 



The top division on the left side is occupied by two 

 scenes, as Mr. Bendixen has remarked. The scenes, however, do 

 not refer to the legend of St. Olav but to that of St. Nicholas, 

 and contain two episodes of a miracle performed by the latter 

 saint. There exist several versions of this well known legend, 

 but the main contents are about as follows: Three youths 

 who had piit up at an inn, are murdered and plundered by 

 the landlord and his wife. In order to conceal the crime, 

 the corpses are dismembered and thrown into a vat contain- 

 ing salted meat. St. Nicholas, coming to the same inn, is helped 

 to this meat, and detecting the crime, he resurrects the three 

 youths. This legend is connected with the widely spread story of 

 the inn in the forest, where travellers are robbed ånd murdered, 

 but became so specially attached to St. Nicholas, that one of his 

 distinguishing attributes was a vat out of which the youths — 

 generally three, but sometimes only two — arise. The miracle of 

 this resurrection, together with another legend about St. Nicholas' 

 great generosity towards three poor young maidens, whom he saved 

 from dishonour, made him the patron saint for children — the 

 Santa Claus of Christmas. 



The Frontal from Kaupanger shows the two most dramatic 

 scenes of this legend. On the left, the three sleeping youths; 

 their bedclothing and pillows are clearly depicted. The landlady 

 in the background is stealing their clothes and purses, while the 

 landlord is hending over the bed slaying them with his ax. On the 

 right, St. Nicholas is performing the miracle of resurrecting the 

 three youths who arise from the vat as the saint in his bishop's 

 robes lifts his right hand to benediction. 



St. Nicholas, a bishop af the -ith century, in the small town 

 of Myra, in Minor Asia, is one of the chief saints of the Greek 

 Cathohc Church. Until the end of the llth century, his cult was 

 generally confined to this church. But, in 1089, the relics of St. 

 Nicholas were cunningly stolen by some merchants who carried 

 them to their native town of Bari in Apulia, where a church, which 

 later became renowned, was constructed in honour of the saint. 

 From the beginning of the 12th century the fåme of St. Nicholas 



