I can’t believe today is already day 14 of the Camino. The first week is always the hardest, and I seemed to forget that from last time. But now that I’m a solid two weeks in, I feel like I’m finally getting my “Camino legs“. Each day‘s effort is no longer taking more than I have. I’m tired by the end of each day, but not completely depleted, so I’m encouraged by that. Today was a lot of sunshine and beautiful wide open spaces.

I am in a little town tonight called Santo Domingo de la Calzada. There are many legends connected to the Camino and perhaps none as interesting as the story connected to this town. So, for those who don’t know, here it is:

In the Middle Ages, a young German pilgrim arrived in the Spanish town with his parents while walking the Camino de Santiago. They spent the night at a local inn, where the innkeeper’s daughter took a liking to the young man. After he rejected her advances, she sought revenge by hiding a silver cup in his bag and accusing him of theft.

The authorities sentenced the traveler to death by hanging. Devastated, his parents prayed for help and continued their pilgrimage. On their return journey, they stopped by the gallows for a final goodbye, only to find their son miraculously alive. He told them that a saint had been holding him up the entire time to save his life.

The parents ran to the local magistrate’s house to share the news. The magistrate was just sitting down to dinner and mocked their story, declaring that the boy was as alive as the roasted rooster and hen on his plate.

At that very moment, the cooked birds grew feathers, jumped off the dish, and began to crow. The shocked official ordered the young man cut down immediately, finding him completely unharmed.

To honor this legacy, to this day, there is a hen and a rooster who live in a beautifully designed enclosure right within the cathedral. The rooster has even been known to crow at an inopportune times such as during Mass!