gradually spread all over the country, and people began to understand
that the great robber had now become a great Saint. And so from far and
near, the people flocked to him. But one thing more about him I will
tell you.

Though he had now no human companions, and chose to set all his love on
God, he had a wonderful friendship with the wild animals that shared the
island with him. In those days there were many wild beasts in England,
such as wolves. These would come to St. Guthlac and eat out of his hand.
Even the fishes would come to him; and as to the birds, they did not
fear him at all. The swallows, which are very timid birds, would come
and settle all about on him, and there were some ravens which were a
trouble because they were so tame and would come and steal things from
his house. Once a holy man called Wilfrith, who had come to see St.
Guthlac, was surprised to see the swallows settle on him, and (as the
old book says) asked him "wherefore the wild birds of the waste sat so
submissively upon him." St. Guthlac explained to him in these words:
"Hast thou never learnt, Brother Wilfrith, in Holy Writ, that he who
hath led his life after God's will, the wild beasts and wild birds have
become the more intimate with him? And the man who would pass his life
apart from worldly men, to him the angels approach nearer."

So it was that the wild place called Croyland became a place of God, and
St. Guthlac, through God's power, was able to do more good to his
fellow-men than ever he had done them harm in his wild days. But though
St. Guthlac was doing miracles as wonderful as those of the Old
Testament prophets, and preaching in his wilderness as wonderfully as
St. John the Baptist did in his, God did not mean to leave him there
very long, for He wished to have His brave and true friend in heaven.
After fifteen years St. Guthlac, who was still almost a young man, fell
ill. Knowing that God was calling him to Heaven, he gladly began to
prepare. His illness lasted only seven days, and he himself knew that he
would die on the eighth. But he had nothing to fear, for he had so
truly repented of his sins that night when God spoke to him first that
they had been all washed away. So he lay in his little house waiting.
And when one of his faithful servants, who was some way off, at his
prayers, chanced to look up, he saw the house with a kind of bright
cloud of glory round it. And this brightness stayed there till day
broke. And a