Jesus, that you do no manner of evil either to me o any other man."

Wonderful to relate! Immediately that St. Francis made the Cross, the terrible Wolf closed his jaws and gave over running; and hearing this command, he came meekly as any lamb, and laid himself down at the feet of St. Francis.

And whereupon St. Francis addressed him in these words, saying: "Brother Wolf, you do much harm in these parts, and you have done great evil, killing and devouring God's creatures without His sovereign leave. And not only have you killed and devoured beasts, but you have dared to kill men, made in the image of God; for the which thing you are worthy of the gallows, like any thief and villainous murderer; and all the people cry out and murmur against you, and all the land is hostile unto you. But I desire, Brother Wolf, to make peace between you and them, so that you may offend no more, and they shall forgive you all your past offenses, and neither men nor dogs shall pursue you any more."

Having uttered these words, the Wolf by the motions of his body and his tail and his eyes, and by bowing his head, set forth that he accepted that which St. Francis said, and desired to observe it.

Then St. Francis began again: "Brother Wolf, inasmuch as it pleases you to make and to keep this peace,

I promise you that I will see to it that your living shall be given you continually, so long as you shall live, by the men of this country, so that you shall not suffer hunger; forasmuch as I am well aware that hunger has caused your every crime. But since I get for you this grace, I require, Brother Wolf, your promise never again to do harm to any human being, neither to any beast. Do you promise?"

And the Wolf, by bowing his head, plainly gave sign that he promised. And St. Francis said further: "Brother Wolf, I desire you to give me some token of this your promise, although I have full faith in your loyalty."

And St. Francis stretching forth his hand, the Wolf lifted up his right paw and confidingly laid it in the hand of St. Francis, giving him this pledge of his faith, as best he could. And then St. Francis said: "Brother Wolf, I charge you in the name of Christ Jesus that you now follow me, nothing doubting, and we will go forth and conclude this peace in God's name."

And the Wolf obediently followed after him, like any lamb; so that the citizens, seeing this, marveled greatly.

And suddenly the news was spread throughout all the city so that the people, men as well as women, great as well as small, young as well as old, flocked to the market place to behold the Wolf with St. Francis.

And all the people being gathered together, St. Francis rose up and began to preach to them, saying among other things: "Inasmuch as for your sins, God hath permitted certain evil things and sundry pestilences; and far more dangerous as are the flames of Hell, which endure eternally for the damned, than is the wrath of the Wolf, which can but kill the body, so much more therefore should ye fear the jaws of Hell, when the mouth of one small animal can terrify and alarm so vast a multitude! Turn then, my Beloved, unto God, and repent worthily of your sins, and God shall rid you of the Wolf in this present time, and of the fires of Hell in time to come."

And having preached, St. Francis said: "Hearken, my Brethren: Brother Wolf, who stands here before you, hath promised and given me a token of his good faith to make peace with you, and never to offend you more in anything whatsoever; and you must promise henceforth to give him daily all that is needful to him, and I will be bailsman for him, that he will firmly hold to his compact of peace."

Then all the people with one accord promised to feed him continually. And St. Francis, before them all, said to the Wolf: "And you, Brother Wolf, do you promise to keep the peace with these people, and to offend no more against men, neither against beasts, nor any other creatures?"

And the Wolf knelt before him, and bowed his head, and with submissive motions of body and tail and ears showed, in so far as he was able, that he would keep his every promise.

Saint Francis said: "Brother Wolf, I desire that even as you gave me a pledge of this your promise outside the gates, so here before all these people you shall give me a token of your good faith, and that you will not cheat me of my promise and security which I have given for you." Then the Wolf, lifting up his right paw, laid it in the hand of St. Francis. Upon this action and upon those which had gone before, there was much rejoicing, and all began to cry aloud unto Heaven, praising and blessing God, that had sent unto them St. Francis, who by his great merits had freed them from the mouth of this cruel beast.

And the said Wolf lived two years in Gubbio, and entered meekly into every house, going from door to door, doing no manner of mischief to any man, and none being done to him. Finally, after two years, Brother Wolf died of old age; at the which the citizens mourned much, inasmuch as seeing him moving so meekly through the city, they were the more mindful of the virtue and sanctity of St. Francis.