Chapter LXXVII. Of the baleful sow that devoured a lamb

111. That his word even when addressed to brutes was of wondrous power appears plainly enough elsewhere: but I will here touch on a case which occurs to me.

It chanced that a certain ewe brought forth a lamb one night when the servant of the Most High was lodging in the monastery of S. Verecondo, in the diocese of Gubbio. But a cruel sow that was there spared not the innocent creature's life, but ravenously bit the lamb to death. When men arose in the morning they found the lamb dead, and knew of a truth that the sow was guilty of that crime. When the tender father heard it he was moved to wondrous pity, and, at the recollection of another Lamb, bewailed before all who were present this lamb that had been killed, saying: "Alas, brother lamb, innocent creature, who representest the everlasting advantage of mankind! Cursed be the pitiless one that slew thee, and let no man nor beast eat of her! "Wonderful to relate, that baleful sow immediately sickened, and after suffering torments for three days, at length paid the penalty of death. It was cast into the monastery ditch, where it lay for a long time dried up like a board, nor furnished food to any famished creature.