man, with great diligence and devotion, made ready
the ass and brought it to St. Francis, and with great reverence let him
mount thereon, and they went on their way, and he with them behind his
ass. And when they had gone on a little way, the peasant said to St.
Francis, 'Tell me, art thou Brother Francis of Assisi?' Replied St.
Francis, 'Yes.' 'Try, then,' said the peasant, 'to be as good as thou
art by all folk held to be, seeing that many have great faith in thee;
and therefore I admonish thee, that in thee there be naught save what
men hope to find therein.' Hearing these words, St. Francis thought no
scorn to be admonished by a peasant, and said not within himself, 'What
beast is this doth admonish me?' as many would say nowadays that wear
the habit, but straightway threw himself from off the ass upon the
ground, and kneeled down before him and kissed his feet, and then humbly
thanked him for that he had deigned thus lovingly to admonish him. Then
the peasant, together with the companions of St. Francis, with great
devotion lifted him from the ground and set him on the ass again, and
they went on their way.... As they drew near to the foot of the rock of
Alvernia itself, it pleased St. Francis to rest a little under the oak
that was by the way, and is there to this day; and as he stood under it,
St. Francis began to take note of the situation of the place and the
country around. And as he was thus gazing, lo! there came a great
multitude of birds from divers parts, the which, with singing and
flapping of their wings, all showed joy and gladness exceeding great,
and came about St. Francis in such fashion, some settled on his head,
some on his shoulders, and some on his arms, some in his lap and some
round his feet. When his companions and the peasant marvelled, beholding
this, St. Francis, all joyful in spirit, spake thus unto them: 'I
believe, brethren most dear, that it is pleasing unto Our Lord Jesus
Christ that we should dwell in this lonely mountain, seeing that our
little sisters and brothers, the birds, show such joy at our coming.' So
they went on their way and came to the place the companions had first
chosen."

It is not in any other words than those of the writer of the _Fioretti_
that we should care to read of that journey.

"Arrived there not long after, Orlando and his company came to visit
Francis, bringing with them bread and wine and other victuals; and St.
Francis met him gladly and gave him thank