Apparently the #MythologyMonday theme is #relics, which reminds me of the many myths of #SaintCuthbert in #Northumberland.

Years after Cuthbert's death on Inner Farne, his body was exhumed to find that it hadn't decomposed. This miracle led to the early Medieval cult of Cuthbert, and many made the #pilgrimage to his resting place on #Lindisfarne.

Later, under threat of #Viking raids, the monks decided to move Cuthbert's body to safety. Several places, including Cuddy's Cave near Lowick, are said to be spots where the group of four monks rested with the coffin as they wandered the countryside.

It's told that the monks ran short of food as they travelled, having only a single block of cheese between them. One monk, Eilaf, woke while the others were sleeping, and was so hungry that he ate the cheese.

When the others discovered the loss, they prayed to the saint to know who had taken the cheese, and for a curse to fall on the thief. In response, they heard the word 'fox' come from the coffin, and turned to see a red dog fox run off into the wood. Then they found that Eilaf was missing, and guessed that he was both the fox and the thief.

The monks took pity on him and asked for the curse to be lifted, which it was. Eilaf returned, ashamed, but from that day was known as Eilaf Dodd, which means fox.

It's said that the Dodd/s family (of which my 3x great-grandmother was one) are his descendants, although how a monk had descendants isn't recorded!

#folklore #storytelling

St Cuthbert's Parish Church, Blyth, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon.
#Church #ParishChurch #StCuthbert #SaintCuthbert #Blyth #Northumberland