Palestinian folklore suggests that the feast originated during the Byzantine rule of Palestine. According to the folktale, "the feast came and the young men stood together making their vows. One said, 'I will give a goat,' another 'I will give a sheep.' Then Jirjis, the son of a widow, desired to offer something. They had but one cow. Then he said, 'I will sacrifice a cow,' and he went and killed the cow." At evening time his mother called to him and said, 'Where is the cow?' He said, 'I gave it to El Khadr. (St. George)' His mother said, 'You have cut our lives. Let me not see your face again.' That night, the young man had a vision. A white haired man appeared to him and said, 'Fear not, I am El Khadr: thou shalt go to Constantinople and to the king’s palace. Only each day thou shalt cal