SAINT FRANCIS AND THE WOLF by KATHARINE TYNAN

This wolf for many a day
This wolf for many a day
Had scourged and trodden down
Had scourged and trodden down
The folk of Agobio town;
The folk of Agobio town;
Old was he, lean and grey.
Old was he, lean and gray.

Dragging a mildewed bone,

Down from his lair he came,
Dragging a mildewed bone,
Saw in the sunset flame
Down from his lair he came,
Our father standing alone.
Saw in the sunset flame
Dust on his threadbare gown,
Our father standing alone.
Dust on his blessed feet,

Faint from long fast and heat,

His light of life died down.
Dust on his threadbare gown,
This wolf laid bare his teeth,
Dust on his blessed feet,
And growling low there stood;
Faint from long fast and heat,
His lips were black with blood,
His light of life died down.
His eyes were fires of death.

So for a spring crouched he;

But the Saint raised his head-
This wolf laid bare his teeth,
Peace, Brother Wolf, he said,
And growling low there stood;
God made both thee and me.
His lips were black with blood,
And with the Cross signed him:
His eyes were fires of death.
The wolf fell back a-stare,

Sat on his haunches there,

Forbidding, black, and grim.
So for a spring crouched he;
Come nearer, in Christ's name,
But the Saint raised his head-
Said Francis, and, so bid,
"Peace, Brother Wolf," he said,
Like a small dog that's chid,
"God made both thee and me."
The fierce beast fawning came,

Trotting against his side,

And licked the tender hand
And with the Cross signed him:
That with soft touch and bland
The wolf fell back a-stare,
Caressed his wicked hide.
Sat on his haunches there,
Brother, the Saint said then,
Forbidding, black, and grim.
Who gave thee leave to kill?

Thou hast slain of thine own will

Not only beasts but men.
"Come nearer, in Christ's Name,"
And God is wroth with thee:
Said Francis, and, so bid,
If thou wilt not repent
Like a small dog that's chid,
His anger shall be sent
The fierce beast fawning came,
To smite thee terribly.

See, all men hate thy name,

And with it mothers fright
Trotting against his side,
The froward child by night:
And licked the tender hand
Great are thy sin and shame.
That with soft touch and bland
All true dogs thee pursue;
Caressed his wicked hide.
Thou shouldst hang high in air,

Like a thief and murderer,

Hadst thou thy lawful due.
"Brother," the Saint said then,
Yet, seeing his hands have made
"Who gave thee leave to kill?
Even thee, thou wicked one,
Thou hast slain of thine own will
I bring no malison,
Not only beasts but men.
But blessing bring instead.

And I will purchase peace

Between this folk and thee,
"And God is wroth with thee:
So love for hate shall be,
If thou wilt not repent,
And all thy sinning cease.
His anger shall be sent
Say, wilt thou have it so?
To smite thee terribly.
Thereat, far off, we saw

The beast lift up his paw

His tail a-wagging go.
"See, all men hate thy name,
Our father took the paw
And with it mothers fright
Into his blessed hand,
The froward child by night:
Knelt down upon the sand
Great are thy sin and shame.
Facing the creature's jaw.

That was a sight to see:

Agobio's folk trooped out;
"All true dogs thee pursue;
They heard not all that rout,
Thou shouldst hang high in air,
Neither the beast nor he.
Like a thief and murderer,
For he was praying yet,
Hadst thou thy lawful due.
And on his illumined face

A shamed and loving gaze

The terrible wolf had set.
"Yet, seeing His hands have made
When they came through the town,
Even thee, thou wicked one,
His hand that beast did stroke,
I bring no malison,
He spake unto the folk
But blessing bring instead.
Flocking to touch his gown.

A sweet discourse was this:

He prayed them that they make
"And I will purchase peace
Peace, for the Lord Christ's sake,
Between this folk and thee,
With this poor wolf of His;
So love for hate shall be,
And told them of their sins,
And all thy sinning cease.
How each was deadlier far

Than wolves or lions are,

Or sharks with sword-like fins.
"Say, wilt thou have it so?"
Afterwards some came near,
Thereat, far off, we saw
Took the beast's paw and shook,
The beast lift up his paw,
And answered his sad look
His great tail wagging go.
With words of honest cheer.

Our father, ere he went,

Bade that each one should leave
Our father took the paw
Some food at morn and eve
Into his blessed hand,
For his poor penitent.
Knelt down upon the sand
And so, three years or more,
Facing the creature's jaw.
The wolf came morn and even,

Yea, long forgiven and shriven,

Fed at each townsman's door;
That were a sight to see:
And grew more gray and old,
Agobio's folk trooped out;
Withal so sad and mild,
They heard not all that rout,
Him feared no little child
Neither the beast nor he.
Sitting in the sun's gold.

The women, soft of heart,

Trusted him and were kind;
For he was praying yet,
Men grew of equal mind;
And on his illumined face
None longer stepped apart.
A shamed and loving gaze
The very dogs, 'twas said,
The terrible wolf had set.
Would greet him courteously,

And pass his portion by,

Though they went on unfed.
When they came through the town,
But when three years were gone
His hand that beast did stroke,
He came no more, but died.
He spake unto the folk
In a cave on the hillside;
Flocking to touch his gown.
You may count each whitening bone.

And then it came to pass

All gently of him spake,
A sweet discourse was this:
For Francis his dear sake,
He prayed them that they make
Whose Brother Wolf this was.
Peace, for the Lord Christ's sake,

With this poor wolf of His;

And told them of their sins,
How each was deadlier far
Than wolves or lions are,
Or sharks with sword-like fins.

Afterwards some came near,
Took the beast's paw and shook,
And answered his sad look
With words of honest cheer.

Our father, ere he went,
Bade that each one should leave
Some food at morn and eve
For his poor penitent.

And so, three years or more,
The wolf came morn and even,
Yea, long forgiven and shriven,
Fed at each townsman's door;

And grew more grey and old,
Withal so sad and mild,
Him feared no little child
Sitting in the sun's gold.

The women, soft of heart,
Trusted him and were kind;
Men grew of equal mind,
None longer stepped apart.

The very dogs, 'twas said,
Would greet him courteously,
And pass his portion by,
Though they went on unfed.

But when three years were gone
He came no more, but died
In a cave on the hillside;
You may count each whitening bone.

And then it came to pass
All gently of him spake,
For Francis his dear sake,
Whose Brother Wolf this was.

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