Judith and the Holy Ferns

In David Hewson's darkly humorous short story, "The Holy Ferns," Mary Mackenzie, long a servant to men, is brought to Rome by her elderly employer, Mr. Carstairs. At the Babington Tea Rooms, she encounters the history of a painting depicting Judith and Holofernes, leading her to reflect on her own submissive life. As she contemplates this tale of one woman's struggle against tyranny, Mary begins to question if there are lessons she can apply to her own situation.