ce,
he departed thence and came unto a place between Cannaio and Bevagno.
And as with great fervor he was going on the way, he lifted up his eyes
and beheld some trees hard by the road whereon sat a great company of
birds well-nigh without number; whereat St. Francis marvelled, and said
to his companions: "Ye shall wait for me here upon the way and I will go
to preach unto my little sisters, the birds." And he went unto the
field and began to preach unto the birds that were on the ground; and
immediately those that were on the trees flew down to him, and they all
of them remained still and quiet together, until St. Francis made an end
of preaching: and not even then did they depart, until he had given them
his blessing. And according to what Brother Masseo afterward related
unto Robert Jacques da Massa, St. Francis went among them touching them
with his cloak, howbeit none moved from out his place. The sermon that
St. Francis preached unto them was after this fashion: "My little
sisters, the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your Creator, and
always in every place ought ye to praise Him, for that He hath given you
liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you double and
triple raiment; moreover, He preserved your seed in the ark of Noah,
that your race might not perish out of the world; still more are ye
beholden to Him for the element of the air which he had appointed for
you; beyond all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap; and God feedeth
you, and giveth you the streams and fountains for your drink; the
mountains and the valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon to
make your nests; and because ye know not how to spin or sew, God
clotheth you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator loveth you
much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you so many benefits; and
therefore, my little sisters, beware of the sin of ingratitude, and
study always to give praises unto God." Whenas St. Francis spake these
words to them, those birds began all of them to open their beaks, and
stretch their necks, and spread their wings, and reverently bend their
heads down to the ground, and by their acts and by their songs to show
that the holy Father gave them joy exceeding great. And St. Francis
rejoiced with them, and was glad, and marvelled much at so great a
company of birds and their most beautiful diversity and their good heed
and sweet friendliness, for the which cause he devoutly praised their
Creator in them.