Little Flowers of Francis of Assisi

October 9, 2006
The collection of folk tales, legends and narratives about the life of Francis of Assisi known as the Fioretti, or Little Flowers, appeared in manuscripts about 75 years after the saint's death, sometime in the early 14th century. As a number of complete translations already exist, Hopcke and Schwartz intend "to highlight Francis of Assisi as a spiritual teacher in the model of Christ by way of storytelling in plain, everyday language." They succeed in telling the tales of Francis's ministry—particularly his dedication to the poor and the sick—in readable and simple language for contemporary American readers. The introductions to each story serve as helpful commentaries, further translating the wisdom and spirit of Franciscan literature. Because the translators include roughly half of the 53 stories in the original collection—picking only the stories that "clearly and forcefully present some sort of discrete spiritual teaching by Francis himself"—some readers, especially those familiar with earlier translations, may miss the other tales, like how Christ appeared to Brother Masseo or how Brother Rufino was one of three chosen souls. However, the compact and nicely translated collection is sure to accomplish its mission of presenting the life of this beloved saint.