ave heard about
the pious goose who came back to be your dinner, and how you would not
eat him. And so they have sent us a basket of good things instead. And
they promise that never again so long as they have anything to eat
themselves shall we be hungry any more. Oh Father! I am so glad we did
not eat the goose."

And good Saint Rigobert laid his hand on Pierre's head and said, "Dear
lad, you will never be sorry for showing kindness to a friendly bird or
beast." Then the goose came quacking up to them and they all three went
into the house together to eat their good, good dinner.

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

BAREFOOTED in the snow, bareheaded in the rain, Saint Francis wandered
up and down the world smiling for the great love that was in his heart.

And because it grew from love the smile of Saint Francis was a wonderful
thing. It opened the hearts of men and coaxed the secrets of their
thoughts. It led human folk whithersoever Saint Francis willed. It drew
the beasts to his side and the birds to nestle in his bosom. It was like
a magic charm.

Great princes knew his smile and they obeyed its command to be generous
and good. The sick and sorrowful knew his smile. It meant healing and
comfort. Then they rose and blessed God in the name of Saint Francis.
The wretched beggars in the streets of Assisi knew it. To them the smile
of "the Lord's own beggar" meant help and sympathy. Like them he was
poor and homeless, often ill and hungry. They wondered that he could
smile. But he said, "It does not become a servant of God to have an air
of melancholy and a face full of trouble." So they also tried to smile,
poor fellows. But how different it was!

The little lambs to whom he gave his special protection and care knew
the smile of Saint Francis. Once he met two woolly lambkins who were
being carried to market. He never had any money, but taking off his
cloak, which was all he had to part with, he gave it to buy their lives.
And he carried the lambs home in his bosom.

The wilder beasts beyond the mountains, the fierce wolves and shy foxes
of Syria and Spain whom he met in his wanderings knew Saint Francis.
Here was a brother who was not afraid of them and whom they could trust
in return, a brother who understood and sympathized. The birds in the
trees knew also, and his coming was the signal of peace. Then they sang
with Francis, but he was the sweetest singer of them all.

Besides these living things the green fi