摘自《靈花：聖法蘭西斯行傳》二十一章「聖法蘭西斯感化凶狼」（張伯懷譯，香港：基督教文藝，1998，頁108-111）
當聖法蘭西斯住在古比歐城（Gubbio）的時候，鄰近出現了一隻大狼，形狀可怕，性情兇猛，不但要吞吃家畜野獸，而且時常吃人。那狼既常到城跟下來，城中的人就非常擔心自己的性命。每逢出城的時候，總要結伙成羣，帶上武器，好像臨陣作戰一樣。偶爾有人單獨與狼相遇，必難免於受害。最後情形惡化到一種程度，簡直沒人敢出城了。
聖法蘭西斯對於那城的人大發憐憫，決意要出去與狼交涉，雖然全城的人都一般勸阻，他卻毅然作了十字架的記號，將一切交託給上帝，就帶著他的同伴出城去了；他的同伴們因為懼怕不願意走得太遠，於是聖法蘭西斯就獨自一人向著野狼所在的地方走去。看哪，野狼在那許多前來看奇事的人面前，張牙舞爪地一直向著聖法蘭西斯猛撲過來。聖法蘭西斯便走向前去，向牠作了最聖潔的十字架記號，大聲對牠說：「狼弟兄，請到這裡來，我奉基督之名吩咐你不要傷害我，也不要傷害任何人。」說也奇怪，當聖法蘭西斯一作了聖十字架的記號，那可怕的狼便閉上口站住了。他的命令一出口，狼就走到他的跟前，如同羊羔一般地馴順，伏在他的腳前。然後聖法蘭西斯就這樣對牠說：「狼弟兄，你在這裡已經作孽不少，而且為患甚深；你不得上帝的許可而擅自摧殘了他的受造之物；你不但傷害了田間的野獸，並且也傷害並殺戮了照上帝形象造出來的人；你既是一個最可惡的盜賊和殺人的凶犯，就應該被處死刑；所有的人都在怨恨你，這城中的人都在與你為敵。但是，狼弟兄，我巴不得能在他們和你中間成立和約，好叫你不再害他們，也叫他們饒恕你以往的過犯，無論是人是犬都不再追趕你。」
聖法蘭西斯說了這些話，那狼便擺動頭尾和兩耳，低下頭來，表明牠已接受這番教訓，而且也願意遵守。於是聖法蘭西斯說：「狼弟兄，你既願意成立和約，而且確實遵守，我應許為你促成這事：在你活著的時候，由城中人供給你的需要，叫你不再挨餓，因為我很知道你所作的孽都是為了充飢。但是在我為你求得了這恩典之後，狼弟兄，我切望你能應許不再傷害人類，也不再傷害牲畜，你能應許麼？」狼點著頭，表示牠應許了這些事。聖法蘭西斯又說：「狼弟兄，我願意你給我一個信誓的把握，證明你確實要遵守所應許的事，好叫我完全信你。」當聖法蘭西斯將手伸出來，去接受牠的信誓的時候，狼便將牠的右爪舉起來，輕輕地放在聖法蘭西斯的手中，這樣就將牠確守信誓的誠心盡力表明出來。聖法蘭西斯說：「狼弟兄，我奉耶穌基督之名吩咐你與我同來，不要害怕，我們要奉上帝之名去訂定這個和約。」狼就很馴順地在他旁邊走，如同一隻羊羔一樣。城裡的人看見這事，就大大驚訝希奇。這件奇事很快地傳遍了全城，所有的人，無論男女老少，都來到市場，要觀賞聖法蘭西斯和那隻狼。當眾人都聚集的時候，聖法蘭西斯就站近前來對他們講道。除了別的道理之外，他向他們說明，上帝是如何因了他們的罪而容許這種災難臨到他們，並且那被詛咒的人在地獄裡所要忍受的不滅的烈火，比這單能殺肉身的凶狼還要危險得多。又說，倘若一隻小小野獸的爪牙曾使這麼多的人恐懼戰兢，地獄的爪牙便更當懼怕了。「親愛的兒女們，你們要轉向上帝，為自己的罪作適當的悔改，這樣上帝就叫你們脫離今世的豺狼和來是不滅的烈火。」
講道結束後，聖法蘭西斯又說：「弟兄們，你們請聽，站在你們面前的這位狼弟兄已經應許，並且對我立了信誓：你們若肯應許供給牠每天所需要的食物，牠就不再加害於你們了；我站在這裡為牠擔保，叫牠確實遵守這和平條約。」於是眾人異口同聲地應許在狼還活著的時候餵養牠。聖法蘭西斯又在眾人面前對狼說：「你也要在這眾人面前應許恪守和約的條件，永不再傷害任何人命、牲畜或其他有生命的東西麼？」狼便跪在地上，低下頭，輕輕擺動尾巴、身體和耳朵，用各種可能的記號表明他要履行和談的一切條件。聖法蘭西斯說：「狼弟兄，你在城門外既然對我作過信誓的表示，證明你要恪守你的諾言，我願意你現在再在眾人面前重新表示一番，應許絕不反覆，不向我這為你作保的人失信。」於是狼弟兄便將右爪舉起來，放在聖法蘭西斯手上。這事和以上所說的事情，使在場的眾人都大大驚嘆欣慰——不只是因為奇事本身的罕見，也是為了對狼和約的成立——甚至人人都高聲向天歡呼，讚美上帝，因他差遣聖法蘭西斯前來，藉著他的功德使全城的人脫離凶狼之害。那狼在古比歐住了整整的兩年，常常出入於各家戶，如同一隻馴良的家畜一樣，既不害人，也沒有人害牠，人們都好好地餵養牠。牠在城中往來，連狗也不咬牠，最後，過了兩年，狼弟兄就老死了，城中的人都為此不勝傷感，因為他們每逢看見牠如此馴良地在城中往來的時候，就會想起聖法蘭西斯的德行和聖潔。
OF THE MOST HOLY MIRACLE OF ST FRANCIS IN TAMING THE FIERCE WOLF OF GUBBIOAt the time when St Francis was living in the city of Gubbio, a large wolf appeared in the neighbourhood, so terrible and so fierce, that he not only devoured other animals, but made a prey of men also; and since he often approached the town, all the people were in great alarm, and used to go about armed, as if going to battle. Notwithstanding these precautions, if any of the inhabitants ever met him alone, he was sure to be devoured, as all defence was useless: and, through fear of the wolf, they dared not go beyond the city walls. St Francis, feeling great compassion for the people of Gubbio, resolved to go and meet the wolf, though all advised him not to do so. Making the sign of the holy cross, and putting all his confidence in God, he went forth from the city, taking his brethren with him; but these fearing to go any further, St Francis bent his steps alone toward the spot where the wolf was known to be, while many people followed at a distance, and witnessed the miracle. The wolf, seeing all this multitude, ran towards St Francis with his jaws wide open. As he approached, the saint, making the sign of the cross, cried out: "Come hither, brother wolf; I command thee, in the name of Christ, neither to harm me nor anybody else." Marvellous to tell, no sooner had St Francis made the sign of the cross, than the terrible wolf, closing his jaws, stopped running, and coming up to St Francis, lay down at his feet as meekly as a lamb. And the saint thus addressed him: "Brother wolf, thou hast done much evil in this land, destroying and killing the creatures of God without his permission; yea, not animals only hast thou destroyed, but thou hast even dared to devour men, made after the image of God; for which thing thou art worthy of being hanged like a robber and a murderer. All men cry out against thee, the dogs pursue thee, and all the inhabitants of this city are thy enemies; but I will make peace between them and thee, O brother wolf, is so be thou no more offend them, and they shall forgive thee all thy past offences, and neither men nor dogs shall pursue thee any more." Having listened to these words, the wolf bowed his head, and, by the movements of his body, his tail, and his eyes, made signs that he agreed to what St Francis said. On this St Francis added: "As thou art willing to make this peace, I promise thee that thou shalt be fed every day by the inhabitants of this land so long as thou shalt live among them; thou shalt no longer suffer hunger, as it is hunger which has made thee do so much evil; but if I obtain all this for thee, thou must promise, on thy side, never again to attack any animal or any human being; dost thou make this promise?" Then the wolf, bowing his head, made a sign that he consented. Said St Francis again: "Brother wolf, wilt thou pledge thy faith that I may trust to this thy promise?" and putting out his hand he received the pledge of the wolf; for the latter lifted up his paw and placed it familiarly in the hand of St Francis, giving him thereby the only pledge which was in his power. Then said St Francis, addressing him again: "Brother wolf, I command thee, in the name of Christ, to follow me immediately, without hesitation or doubting, that we may go together to ratify this peace which we have concluded in the name of God"; and the wolf, obeying him, walked by his side as meekly as a lamb, to the great astonishment of all the people. Now, the news of this most wonderful miracle spreading quickly through the town, all the inhabitants, both men and women, small and great, young and old, flocked to the market-place to see St Francis and the wolf. All the people being assembled, the saint got up to preach, saying, amongst other things, how for our sins God permits such calamities, and how much greater and more dangerous are the flames of hell, which last for ever, than the rage of a wolf, which can kill the body only; and how much we ought to dread the jaws of hell, if the jaws of so small an animal as a wolf can make a whole city tremble through fear. The sermon being ended, St Francis added these words: "Listen my brethren: the wolf who is here before you has promised and pledged his faith that he consents to make peace with you all, and no more to offend you in aught, and you must promise to give him each day his necessary food; to which, if you consent, I promise in his name that he will most faithfully observe the compact." Then all the people promised with one voice to feed the wolf to the end of his days; and St Francis, addressing the latter, said again: "And thou, brother wolf, dost thou promise to keep the compact, and never again to offend either man or beast, or any other creature?" And the wolf knelt down, bowing his head, and, by the motions of his tail and of his ears, endeavoured to show that he was willing, so far s was in his power, to hold to the compact. Then St Francis continued: "Brother wolf, as thou gavest me a pledge of this thy promise when we were outside the town, so now I will that thou renew it in the sight of all this people, and assure me that I have done well to promise in thy name"; and the wolf lifting up his paw placed it in the hand of St Francis. Now this event caused great joy in all the people, and a great devotion towards St Francis, both because of the novelty of the miracle, and because of the peace which had been concluded with the wolf; and they lifted up their voices to heaven, praising and blessing God, who had sent them St Francis, through whose merits they had been delivered from such a savage beast. The wolf lived two years at Gubbio; he went familiarly from door to door without harming anyone, and all the people received him courteously, feeding him with great pleasure, and no dog barked at him as he went about. At last, after two years, he died of old age, and the people of Gubbio mourned his loss greatly; for when they saw him going about so gently amongst them all, he reminded them of the virtue and sanctity of St Francis.
From LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCISTHE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, CHAPTER XXI
http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/flowers1.htm
Photo by Christopher John SSF on Flickr.com（CC:by）（攝於義大利Gubbio鎮的Vittorina教堂）
