From Domremy and from Vaucouleurs they brought back sure testimony to the humility, the devotion, the honesty, and the simplicity of Jeanne.

But, most important, they had found no difficulty in gleaning certain pious tales, such as commonly adorned the childhood of saints.

To these monks we must attribute an important share in the development of those legends of Jeanne's early years, which were so soon to become popular.

From this time, apparently, dates the story that when Jeanne was in her seventh year, wolves spared her sheep, and birds of the woods came at her call and ate crumbs from her lap.[788] Such saintly flowers suggest a Franciscan origin; among them are the wolf of Gubbio and the birds preached to by Saint Francis.

These mendicants may also have furnished examples of the Maid's prophetic gift.