Chapter XXIX How he made strip himself and his companion that he might clothe a poor woman AtCelano in the wintertime, when the Blessed Francis had a cloth folded
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter XXIX How he made strip himself and his companion that he might clothe a poor woman AtCelano in the wintertime, when the Blessed Francis had a cloth folded
after the fashion of a mantle that a certain friend of the brethren
had lent him, a certain old woman met him and begged an alms. Whereupon he straightway loosed the cloth from his neck, and albeit that it were another’s, gave it to the poor woman, saying: “Go and make thee a kirtle thereof, for thy need is sore enough.”
The old woman laughed thereat, and in amazement, I know not whether of fear or joy, took the cloth from his hands, and for fear lest, if she should wait, there might be danger of the same being asked for back, ran as fast as she could and cut the cloth with her shears. But when she found that there was not enough cloth for a kirtle, she came running back to the first kindness of the holy father, pointing out to him that the piece of cloth was too scanty for a kirtle. The saint turned his eyes toward his companion that wore such another piece of cloth on his back, and said unto him: “Thou hearest what this poor woman saith: For the love of God let us bear with the cold and give that piece of cloth to the poor woman, so that her kirtle may be whole.” And straightway as he himself had given, the companion gave also. Thus did both of them abide bare, that the poor woman might be clad.