We came upon this one on a web site named, "New Liturgical Movement." Of the many instances we have of miracles at the hand of St. Nicholas, this was not one in our known list, and so we offer it to you to add to your own treasures.
The account occurs after the falling asleep in the Lord of St. Nicholas, and speaks of a man who had borrowed a sum of money from a certain Jew, and who attempted to cheat his benefactor by falsely claiming that he had repaid the sum.
In the story, the Jew took the man to court to refute the man's claim. As he was called to court, the thief took a walking staff, and hollowed it out. Into the opening he placed small pieces of gold before sealing it. When in court, the man handed his staff to his accuser, and swore to the court that he indeed had given the man what he owed him, and more. This was in a technical sense true, in that the amount of gold the Jew was then holding was in fact worth more than the debt owed.
While returning from court, however, the cheat was run over by a chariot at a crossroads, and he was killed. In the process, his staff was broken, and the gold spilled, revealing fully his fraud and treachery.
When it was suggested to the Jew that he reclaim the money that was his, he refused. He said that he would not "unless the dead man should return to life through the intercessions of St. Nicholas," whom the Jew had come to know of. This indeed did occur, and resulted in the Jew's accepting baptism.
Holy Father Nicholas, pray to God for us!
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