[1] This novella is not in the Gualteruzzi edition, but is to be found in that by Papanti founded on the Panciatichiano MS. [↑]
LVIII
The Wisest of the Beasts
The most understanding beasts are monkeys, dogs and bears. These are the most understanding beasts that there are. God has given them more cleverness than all the others.
So we find in the book of Noah Servus Dei that when he was in the ark during the deluge, these three beasts kept closer to him than all the others.
And when they came out of the ark, they were the last to leave him, for out of their cleverness, they feared that the deluge might begin again[1].