The Legend takes place in 15th century Barcelos. Citizens have become upset by an unsolved crime so terrible that people were scared to leave their houses. An impoverished pilgrim had been passing through Barcelos, in order to fulfill a promise he made during a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Despite his explanation for being in Barcelos, he was still arrested and condemned to hang. He refused to go quietly and asked to be taken to the judge that sentenced him to death. The authorities granted his wish and brought him to the magistrate’s house, while he was having a banquet with friends.

The pilgrim swore his innocence and pointed to cooked rooster on the table. He claimed that the rooster would crow at the hour of his hanging as proof. The statement caused a large amount of laughter and mockery. The judge ignored the statement of innocence, but still set aside the rooster as he had lost his appetite. When the time for judgement came, the pilgrim went to the gallows to accept his punishment. 

Right before the executioner could deliver his judgement, the roasted Barcelos rooster appeared and crowed in front of the crowd just as the pilgrim had predicted. The judge realized his mistake and rushed to save the pilgrim. The cord was not correctly tied, and the pilgrim was easily saved from his undeserved fate.