Little Flowers of Francis of Assisi: A New Translation Book

Foreword     XI
Introduction     XIII
In the name of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ and his virgin mother Mary. This book is a collection of little flowers, that is, miracles and examples of devotion given to us by Saint Francis, glorious in his poverty, and by certain of his holy companions. May Jesus Christ be praised. Amen     1
Of Brother Bernardo of Quintavalle, Saint Francis's first companion     3
How Saint Francis, having had evil thoughts against Brother Bernardo, ordered Bernardo to place his foot against his throat and mouth three times     8
How an angel of the Lord put a question to Brother Elias, guardian of a community house in the valley of Spoleto, who responded with arrogance and pride; and how Brother Bernardo encountered the same angel as he returned from San Giacomo     12
How Brother Bernardo of Assisi was sent by Saint Francis to Bologna to found a community there     19
How Saint Francis, while dying, blessed holy Brother Bernardo and named him Vicar of the Order     23
Saint Francis observes Lent on an island in the Lake of Perugia, fasting forty days and forty nights, eating nothing but a bit of bread     27
How, on the road with Brother Leo, Saint Francis taught him concerning the things that make for perfect joy     30
How Saint Francis tried to teach Brother Leo to speak to him, without success     34
How Saint Francis made Brother Masseo twirl around andthen sent him to Siena     38
How Saint Francis and Brother Masseo placed the bread that they had begged on a rock near a fountain, and Saint Francis praised the virtue of poverty. Then, Saint Francis prayed to Saint Peter and Saint Paul to intercede for him with the Lord to inspire him with a deep love for poverty, and there appeared to him Saint Peter and Saint Paul     42
How God appeared to Saint Francis and his brothers while they were speaking with him in prayer     47
Saint Clare comes to dine with Saint Francis and his companions at Santa Maria degli Angeli     49
How Saint Francis was counseled by Saint Clare and Brother Silvester that he should go and preach so as to convert many people, founding the Third Order but also preaching to the birds and making the swallows fall silent in wonder     53
A small boy who entered the Order sees Saint Francis praying by night and conversing with Christ, the Virgin Mary, and many other saints     59
How the vine at the house of the priest of Rieti was trodden underfoot by the crowds of people who came to see Saint Francis while he prayed there, and yet, how miraculously it produced more wine than ever that year, just as Saint Francis had promised. And how God revealed to Saint Francis that he would enjoy paradise in his turn     62
One of Saint Francis's holiest of miracles, taming the fierce wolf of Gubbio     66
How Saint Francis tamed wild turtledoves     71
Saint Francis converted the sultan of Babylon and the prostitute who tempted him to sin     73
How Saint Francis miraculously healed a leper, body and soul, and what the leper's soul said to him on his way to heaven     77
How Saint Francis converted three murderous thieves and made them friars; and the most exalted vision given to one of them, who was a very saintly friar     81
How the Evil One, many times in the form of the Crucified Christ, appeared to Brother Ruffino, telling him that all the good he had done was for naught, since he was not among those chosen for eternal life, but how Saint Francis, by way of revelation, came to know this and showed Brother Ruffino how it was not true and that he had been mistaken in believing it     91
The beautiful sermon Saint Francis and Brother Ruffino preached in the nude     96
How Saint Clare, as commanded by the Pope, blessed the bread before her on the table, and how the sign of the Cross appeared on every loaf     99
How Saint Clare, while ailing, was miraculously brought on Christmas Eve to the church of Saint Francis, where she prayed     101
How Saint Francis explained to Brother Leo the meaning of a vision he had seen     103
Reflections on the Stigmata     105
Chapter Numbering of the Fioretti     159