> The Fioretti, or "Little Flowers", is not a biography, btu a collection of episodes, or, as the title itself describes it, the fairest and choicest flowers of the seraphic life of S. Francis and his companions.
These stories remind me of a fully Western version of the Eastern writings of the episodes of the "Desert Fathers".
Text: https://archive.org/details/littleflowersof00fran/page/230/mode/2up
Excerpt:
> CHAPTER XXIII How S. Francis delivered the brother that was in sin with the devil
> As S. Francis was on a time at prayer in the House of Portiuncula, through divine revelation he saw the whole House surrounded and besieged by devils, as it were by a great army, but no one of them could win an entrance into the House; for the brothers were of so great sanctity, that the devils could find none in whom to enter. But as they so continued, it happened on a day that one of these brothers was offended with another, and thought in his heart how he might accuse him and take vengeance upon him; for the which cause, while his heart was devising this wicked thought, the devil, finding the door open, entered into the House and set himself upon the neck of that brother. But the heedful and pitying Shepherd, who was ever keeping watch over his flock, seeing that the wolf had entered to devour his little sheep, at once let call to him that brother, and bade him forthwith disclose the venom of hate he had conceived against his neighbour, through the which he had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Whereat he being affrighted at seeing that the holy Father knew the secret of his heart, discovered unto him all its venom and malice, and acknowledged his fault, and humbly begged for penance and mercy; and this done, whenas he was absolved from his sin and had received penance, immediately, before the face of S. Francis, the devil was away; and the brother thus set free from the hands of that cruel beast, through the loving-kindness of the good Shepherd, gave thanks to God; and going back, corrected and admonished, to the flock of the holy Shepherd, he lived there-after in great sanctity.
