feed your wolf

Reflections related to my most recent post caused me to remember a story about St. Francis of Assissi. Here it is, as I remember it . . .

The people of the small Italian village of Gubio were fond of their home, and therefore they were deeply troubled when something began attacking and killing their livestock. An older woman recounted that late one night she heard a strange sound, peered out the window and saw a shadow that looked like a wolf, heading into a neighbor's livestock pen.

The situation became even more serious when the villagers awoke one morning to find that the creature had entered the village during the night and mauled one of their neighbors. Things had gone too far, so the terrified villagers decided to call on Francis for help. Francis was known for having a gentle way with animals and they hoped he would be able to stop the attacks.

The people had very clear ideas about what they wanted Francis to do. Some wanted him to preach to the wolf and remind it of the peaceful way of the gospel and the commandment against killing, while others wanted Francis to convince the wolf to move on and go some place else.

Francis listened to the people's requests and then went off into the woods in search of the creature he addressed as "Brother Wolf."

After several days Francis returned to the village of Gubio. He said, "Good people of Gubio, the solution to this problem is very simple. You must feed your wolf."

The people were at first shocked, and then many were outraged. "Feed our wolf?! You want us to actually feed this monster?"

"Yes," replied Francis. "Feed your wolf and the attacks will cease."

So the people of Gubio began to feed their wolf, and the killing stopped.