Il Lupo di Gubbio (The Wolf of Gubbio)
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Francesco e Il Lupo di Gubbio C'era una volta......
Once upon a time....
It was the bitterly cold winter of 1220.
In the Italian town of Gubbio, the snow was falling heavily and the ground was covered in ice.
The animals in the woods and countryside were starving. They could find no food in the freezing conditions. One day, a hungry wolf arrived in the town. Just like the other animals, he was searching for food. The wolf continued to visit the town. He killed some of the animals. The people decided that something should be done about it! A group of brave men searched the woods, hoping to find and kill the big, bad wolf.
One day, a young man called Francesco arrived in town. He came from the nearby town of Assisi. Francesco loved animals and he knew how to speak their language. In the forest, the wolf jumped out from behind the trees, growling and showing his sharp teeth. He tried to frighten Francesco but it did not work. Instead, Francesco just stood calmly and said, "Brother Wolf, be good! " The wolf stood still, listening to Francesco's words. The young man continued to speak: "The people of Gubbio wish to live in peace. They are very frightened of you. If they promise to feed you every day will you promise to be their friend and to stop killing the animals?" The wolf listened carefully.
Every day, during the next two years, the wolf visited the town of Gubbio, but the people were no longer afraid! The people of Gubbio lived peacefully with the wolf for two years, until a tragedy occurred! The wolf died! The people of Gubbio were heart-broken and they all wept with great sadness. The wolf, who was once their enemy, was so terribly missed. Arrivederci, carissimo frate lupo! |
