First published 1931
St. Francis faces a fearsome wolf that terrorizes the town of Gubbio. The saint must find a way to make peace between the hungry beast and the frightened townspeople. In another tale, the foolish Calandrino stumbles through Florence in pursuit of an escaped pig, creating chaos wherever he goes. These stories draw from medieval Italian sources spanning centuries. The opening tale comes from the beloved legends of St. Francis recorded in the Fioretti. Boccaccio's mischievous spirit lives in the Calandrino adventure taken from the Decameron. Three additional stories spring from Florentine folklore. Each tale captures the humor, wisdom, and wonder of old Italy through characters both sacred and silly.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, folklore, fairy-tale-retellings
Vibes: atmospheric, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Gubbio, Florence, Italy
Period: Medieval, Centuries
125 pages · Hardcover · Harcourt, Brace and Co.