This hooly monk, this abbot, hym meene I,
His tonge out caughte, and took awey the greyn,
And he yaf up the goost ful softely.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Prioress’ Tale. The monk removes the grain on the young boy’s tongue, placed there by the Virgin Mary that enabled him to speak and sing despite his throat being cut. This allows the boy to die and go to heaven.