206 
NATURE NOTES. 
artists. Its record, as it stands in the Fioretti* — that charming 
collection of traditions brought together in the first half of the 
fourteenth century — brought the occurrence into literature. 
Here it is, in all its simplicity : — 
“ And going without taking thought of the way or the road 
he came to a village called Savurniano. And St. Francis began 
to preach ; and first of all he commanded the swallows who 
were singing that they should keep silence, until he had done 
preaching ; and the swallows obeyed him, and he preached with 
so much fervour, that all the men and women in that village 
were minded to go forth and abandon the village ; but St. Francis 
suffered them not . . . And he left them much comforted ; 
and he departed thence, and went by Cannaio and Bevagno. 
“ And passing along in fervour of soul, he lifted up his eyes 
and saw many trees standing by the way, and filled with a 
countless multitude of little birds, at which St. Francis won- 
dered, and said to his companions : ‘ Wait a little for me in the 
road, and I will go and preach to my sisters the birds.’ And he 
entered into the field, and began to preach to the birds that were 
on the ground. And suddenly those that were in the trees came 
around him, and together they all remained silent, so long as it 
pleased St. Francis to speak ; and even after he had finished 
they would not depart until he had given them his blessing. 
And, according as Brother Masseo afterwards related to Brother 
James of Masso, St. Francis went among them and touched 
them with his cloak, and none of them moved. 
“ The substance of the sermon was this : ‘ My little sisters, 
the birds, you are much beholden to God your Creator, and in 
all places you ought to praise Him, because He has given you 
liberty to fly about in all places, and has given you double and 
triple raiment. Know also, that He preserved your race in the 
ark of Noe that your species might not perish. And again, you 
are beholden to Him for the element of air, which He has 
appointed for you ; and for this also, that you neither sow nor 
reap, but God feeds you, and gives you the brooks and fountains 
for your drink, the mountains and valleys also for your refuge, 
and the tall trees wherein to make your nests. And since you 
know neither how to sew nor to spin, God clothes you, you and 
your young ones. Wherefore your Creator loves you much, 
since He has bestowed on you so many benefits. And therefore 
beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study 
always to please God.’ 
“ As St. Francis spoke thus to them, all the multitude of these 
birds opened their beaks, and stretched out their necks ; and 
opening their wings, and reverently bowing their heads to the 
earth, by their acts and by their songs they shewed that the 
words of the holy father gave them the greatest delight. And 
* The selection of the Fioretti from which these legends are taken, may be 
obtained from the Editor, 18, West Square, S.E., price /d., post free. 
