The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts

The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown Twenty legends of saints who have been befriended by birds and beasts. "Delightful.... Here is an unworked mine of moral tales of great beauty and delicate charm. Many of the medieval saints were so simple and childlike, like Saint Francis and his school, others were so sensible and efficient, like Saint Theresa and Saint Elizabeth, and still others, like the Irish Saints, had so much quaint poetry in their natures." -The Homiletic Review "Entertaining and attractive...legends of man and beast, joining the fanciful charm of the fairy tale with the practical zest of reality, and a pleasant spirituality, purity, and peace with the ruder phases of mediaeval times. Written ostensibly for children it must appeal to many older readers, and its tender dedication 'in loving memory of a friendly beast' will give it a sure place in many a heart." -The Literary World "From the many quaint and beautiful legends which blossomed during the Christian Age of Credulity, Miss Brown has selected twenty tales of beasts, birds and fishes that were fortunate in having a patron saint. The stories are told simply and directly. The writer reflects well the delightful mingling of naivete, severity and gentleness which characterized one phase of medieval thought. Many books of recent date express the growing sympathy of the modern mind with animal life. These stories will in their own quite different way reinforce that feeling. Miraculous and incredible tho they be, taken literally, they are nevertheless true at the core.... We must own to a strong feeling of sympathy for the vegetarian lion who for love of Gerasimus learns to eat porridge and greens." -The Kindergarten for Teachers and Parents "In this book Miss Brown tells in story or in ballad of the Saints who have had beasts and birds for attendants or helpers. They are very attractive stories, bordering closely on the tales of Fairyland; and Miss Brown tells them in a simple style which cannot fail to win the heart of childhood.... Altogether, it is a singularly attractive book for children, and parents will enjoy it perhaps just as much." -Publishers Weekly "A group of old legends retold for the young.... The idea of the book is a good one, and well carried out." -The Critic "Most delightful.... Has given a world of pleasure to hosts of young people." -The Christian Work and the Evangelist "Told in the simplest and most charming manner." -The Journal of American Folklore We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.