204 ^Sf Hittlr iFlotorra of 



bough whereon he Hood, and defcending 

 downwards through all the boughs, did hide 

 himfclf amid the great limbs of the tree 

 clofe to the trunk, and there abode in pen- 

 five mood : and a certain Brother, which 

 had taken a portion of the Cup and had 

 fquandered a part, mounted up to that 

 branch and that twig whence Brother 

 John did defcend. And being on the faid 

 twig, the nails of his hands were changed 

 to fharp and piercing fteel, like unto razors : 

 upon which he did move from that place 

 whither he had climbed, and with force and 

 fury would fain have thrown himfelf upon 

 the faid Brother John to do him an injury ; 

 but Brother John feeing this, cried out in a 

 loud voice, and confided himfelf to the care 

 of Chrift, which fat upon the throne ; and 

 Chrift at his call fummoned Saint Francis, 

 and gave him a fharp flint ftone, and faid 

 to him : * Go with this ftone and cut the 

 nails of yonder Friar, with which he would 

 fain claw Brother John, to the end that he 

 may do no manner of harm to any man.* 

 Then Saint Francis came and did even as 

 Chrift did command him. And this done, 

 there came a whirlwind, and ftiook the 

 tree fo fore that the Brothers fell to earth ; 



and 



