Customer Reviews

Brother Wolf of Gubbio: A Saint Francis Legend

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The cover of this book caught my attention at once, and as soon I opened it, I found myself tyransported to another world, one I couldn't wait to share with my children. The story is simply yet beautifully told and is complemented so well by the rich tapestry of the illustrations. The book is filled with heart and immediately captured the imagination and interest of my two children, ages 5 and 8. I would reccommend this book to anyone who is looking for a story that will touch you, whether you are 5 or 95.

An old wolf no longer has the energy to hunt with the pack, so he uses the cleverness of age to hunt tame game near a village. As their lambs, chickens and goats disappear, the villagers become frightened and round up their livestock and stay in their homes. In desperation, they turn to the gentle man Francis, who gave away his wealth in order to live in brotherhood with all creatures.
Francis visits the wolf and explains how he understands his need to eat, so they reach an agreement. As long as the wolf receives food, he will not harm the livestock and in fact begins to guard the people. When the wolf finally dies of old age, he was deeply mourned as the villagers have grown to consider him a member of the village.
The moral of this story is rather simple, sometimes we can turn our enemy into a friend if we only will take the time to understand their position. It is also a metaphor for the domestication of the dog, which was most likely the first domesticated animal. In exchange for regular food, the wolf became an integral part and defender of the human camp.

This beautifully illustrated book fleshes out the story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gobbio, and makes it meaningful to any faith. St. Francis's loving spirit and his fairness are emphasized, and the parable of approaching your "enemy" with love and a fair spirit is told simply and without tedious moralizing. I would recommend it for any child, but I also loved it myself.