At the last, having ended the preaching, St. Francis
made over them the sign of the cross, and gave them leave to go away;
and thereby all the birds with wondrous singing rose up in the air; and
then, in the fashion of the cross that St. Francis had made over them,
divided themselves into four parts; and the one part flew toward the
East, and the other toward the West, and the other toward the South, and
the fourth toward the North, and each flight went on its way singing
wondrous songs; signifying thereby that even as St. Francis, the
standard-bearer of the Cross of Christ, had preached unto them, and made
over them the sign of the cross, after the pattern of which they
separated themselves unto the four parts of the world: even so the
preaching of the Cross of Christ, renewed by St. Francis, would be
carried by him and the brothers throughout the world; the which
brothers, after the fashion of the birds, possessing nothing of their
own in this world, commit their lives wholly unto the providence of God.

HOW ST. FRANCIS CONVERTED THE FIERCE WOLF OF AGOBIO

What time St. Francis abode in the city of Agobio, there appeared in the
country of Agobio an exceeding great wolf, terrible and fierce, the
which not only devoured animals, but also men, insomuch that all the
city folk stood in great fear, sith ofttimes he came near to the city,
and all men when they went out arrayed them in arms as it were for the
battle, and yet withal they might not avail to defend them against him
whensoe'er any chanced on him alone; for fear of this wolf they were
come to such a pass that none durst go forth of that place. For the
which matter, St. Francis having compassion on the people of that land,
wished to go forth unto that wolf, albeit the townsfolk all gave counsel
against it: and making the sign of the most holy cross he went forth
from that place with his companions, putting all his trust in God. And
the others misdoubting to go further, St. Francis took the road to the
place where the wolf lay. And lo! in the sight of many of the townsfolk
that had come out to see this miracle, the said wolf made at St. Francis
with open mouth: and coming up to him, St. Francis made over him the
sign of the most holy cross, and called him to him, and bespake him
thus: "Come hither, brother wolf: I command thee in the name of Christ
that thou do no harm, nor to me nor to any one." O wondrous thing!
Whenas St. Francis had made the sign of the cross,