LEGEND OF AN APRON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 31, 20 March 1942, Page 6

LEGEND OF AN APRON

If you go into the smithy to watch a horse- being shod you will see the blacksmith wears a leather apron with an uneven edge. All smith's aprons are the same, and an old story tells the reason Avhy the blacksmith 3ias this ragged fringe. Once upon a time when King Alfred ruled England he called all the trades together to compete for the one who should be king among" craftsmen and workers. Butchcr, baker, wcodraan, they came, and by reason of the fine embroidered coat lie Avore the tailor was, acclaimed king of all the trades. This made the blacksmith very angry, so he shut up his forge and went away into the forest. Soon afterwards King Alfred needed new shoes for his horse,, but could not find the smith;, the other workers broke their tools and could find none to mend them; even the j tailor found that his shears would' not cut, and all of them were in despair. St. Clement, the patron saint of blacksmiths, came to their aid. He the}' welcomed gladly. Finding himself neglected, a new king of trades in his stead, the tailor grew jealous and he, being a little man, crept beneath the table and, seizing the blacksmith's leather apron dangling beneath, took out his new shears and cut it all uneven along the bottom. So ever since that day blacksmiths have worn their leather aprons thus mutilated#,