Brother Giles and the Walnuts

One day when brother Giles was in a public place in Rome, a man wanted walnuts beaten, and offered to pay another man for doing it for him, who refused because the place was very far off and the tree very difficult to climb. Quoth brother Giles: 'My friend, if you will give me part of the walnuts I will come with you to beat them'. Having made the bargain, he went, and after first signing himself with the most holy Cross, he got up with great fear on the high walnut-tree to beat it. When he had beaten it so many walnuts fell to his share that he could not carry them in his lap; so he took off his tunic, tied the hood and sleeves together, and made a sack of it, remaining naked but for his drawers, and he put his tunic full of walnuts over his shoulders, carried them to Rome, and gave them all with great joy to the poor for the love of God.

- text taken from Franciscan Days: being selections for every day in the year from ancient Franciscan writings, translated and arranged by Alan George Ferrers Howell