eautiful children. The marriage contracted and consummated,
many sons were born to him. When they were grown up, their
mother spoke to them thus: "My sons, you have no cause to blush,
for you are the sons of the king; go, therefore, to his court,
and he will give you everything you need."

When they arrived at the court the king admired their beauty,
and finding in them his own likeness he asked, "Whose sons are
you?" And when they replied that they were the sons of a poor
woman who lived in the desert, the king clasped them to his
heart with joy saying, "Have no fear, for you are my sons; if
strangers eat at my table, much more shall you who are my lawful
sons." Then the king sent word to the woman to send to his court
all the sons which she had borne, that they might be nourished
there.

"Very holy father," added Francis, "I am this poor woman whom
God in his love has deigned to make beautiful, and of whom he
has been pleased to have lawful sons. The King of Kings has told
me that he will provide for all the sons which he may have of
me, for if he sustains bastards, how much more his legitimate
sons."[19]

So much simplicity, joined with such pious obstinacy, at last conquered
Innocent. In the humble mendicant he perceived an apostle and prophet
whose mouth no power could close. Successor of St. Peter and vicar of
Jesus Christ that he felt himself, he saw in the mean and despised man
before him one who with the authority of absolute faith proclaimed
himself the root of a new lineage of most legitimate Christians.

The biographers have held that by this parable Francis sought above all
things to tranquillize the pope as to the future of the brethren; they
find in it a reply to the anxieties of the pontiff, who feared to see
them starve to death. There can be no doubt that its original meaning
was totally different. It shows that with all his humility Francis knew
how to speak out boldly, and that all his respect for the Church could
not hinder his seeing, and, when necessary, saying, that he and his
brethren were the lawful sons of the gospel, of which the members of the
clergy were only _extranei_. We shall find in the course of his life
more than one example of this indomitable boldness, which disarmed
Innocent III. as well as the future Gregory IX.

In a consistory which doubtless was held between the two audiences some
of the cardinal