How the Martyrs Made Soap

All along the river road the sacrificial fires blazed away, fueled by the flesh of heretics, sinners, saints and a whole ocean of unfortunate dupes caught in the middle of a reformation and the subsequent reaction, the unwitting martyrs made a fine soap. The subcutaneous fat melted from the burning scapegoats and melded with the highly alkaline wood ash beneath the pyres. The next day of rain loosened the greasy cake and rivulets of foaming suds made there way to the river. The peasant women gathered along the banks to wash out the rough fabric that comprised their clothing found that the foaming mess loosened the dirt, filth and oily stains that infected the vulgar cloth and after rinsing in the clear water the formerly stinking garments smelled quite sweet. The first rainy day following a mass execution was called ‘laundry day’.