Saint Stephen and Herod

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St. Stephen and Herod is Child ballad 22 and a Christmas carol. It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Stephen as occurring, with wild anachronism, under Herod the Great, and claims that that was the reason for St. Stephen's Day being the day after Christmas.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

St. Stephen served Herod as a clerk. He saw the Star of Bethlehem and went to Herod to leave his service. Herod asks him what he lacks, and he affirms that no one lacks anything in his hall, but the child born in Bethelem is better than that. Herod says it is as true as that the cock cooked for his supper would crow again. Immediately it does, and Herod had Stephen stoned to death.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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