Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/124

116 ticularly afraid of a certain deity, Neck. Besides Nicor and Neck, who remind us of St. Nicolas as a sea-monster, the very name of Nicolas is used in a similar signification, but only in its diminutives. For instance, in Germany the sea-deity is sometimes called Nickel or Nickelmann, and in England Old Nick is a familiar name of the Evil Spirit. The third diminutive of St. Nicolas, Klaus, is only found in the child-cult of our saint—"der böse Klaus."

Artemis of Ephesos, as most sea-deities, is sometimes represented on horseback ; so is also sometimes St. Nicolas, he being a patron of horses.

After all that has been said, we may, I think, draw the conclusion that the Christian cult of St. Nicolas has, as a whole, replaced that of Artemis of Ephesos. We must bear in mind that the position of the town of Myra as a sea-station between Antioch, Alexandria, and Jaffa from one side, and Constantinople and Italy from the other, was particularly favourable to a sea-cult.

In the description of sea-miracles ships are generally supposed to sail from Venice, Antioch, Alexandria, or Constantinople, laden with corn; they sail from east to west, passing Myra on the way. St. Paul was twice in Lycia, and on both occasions saw at Myra, or at Patara, ships