to face all. He came out and walked straight towards home. Soon the
townsmen of Assisi caught sight of him.

"A madman," they yelled, throwing stones and sticks at him. All the
boys of Assisi came out and hooted and threw pebbles.

His father heard the riot and rushed out to join in the fun. Imagine
his horror when he found that it was his own son. He yelled with
rage, dashed at him and, clutching him by the robe, dragged him along,
beating and cursing him. When he got him home he locked him up. But
some days later Francis' mother let him out, when his father was
absent; and Francis climbed the hill to the Church.

The bishop called in Francis and his father to his court to settle the
quarrel.

"You must give back to your father all that you have," said he.

"I will," replied Francis.

He took off all his rich garments; and, clad only in a hair-vest, he
put the clothes and the purse of money at his father's feet.

"Now," he cried, "I have but one father. Henceforth I can say in all
truth 'Our Father Who art in heaven.'"

A peasant's cloak was given to Francis. He went thus, without home
or any money, a wanderer. He went to a monastery and slaved in the
kitchen. A friend gave him a tunic, some shoes, and a stick. He went
out wandering in Italy again. He loved everybody; he owned nothing; he