FREE Collections of Saint Stories Online

As it looks like our co-op group may not able to meet in person for the next little bit, I am preparing lessons to send to parents to do at home, giving them specific links to Saint stories to read to their children so that all of the class stays in the same place. My favorite beautifully-written collection of Saint stories, The Giant at the Ford and Other Legends of the Saints by Ursula Synge actually does happen to be available online as a FREE ebook at archive.org. So I will definitely take advantage of that resource!

And as I checked The Baldwin Project / Gateway to the Classics, I found lots and lots more titles, filed under the caption "Saints Faith Stories." These are vintage books that are no longer under copyright and can be shared online as ebooks. The titles are carefully selected to match the Waldorf curriculum (thus the previous URL, mainlesson.com). 

Here are a dozen titles that she recommends!

The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown

The Book of Saints and Heroes by Mrs. Lang

A Child's Book of Saints by William Canton

God's Troubadour: The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett

In God's Garden by Amy Steedman

Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman

Saints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages by George Hodges

Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages by George Hodges

Saints of Italy by Ella Noyes

The Seven Champions of Christendom by F.J. Harvey Darton

Stories of the Saints by Grace Hall

The Story of Saint Christopher and the Story of Saint Cuthbert by Marcy Macgregor

Now of course, the first thing I always want to know is what exactly are the Saints included? I just finished buying Ten Saints by Eleanor Farjeon, even thought I have a lot of collections of these stories, because it had Simeon the Stylite. And I've been looking for a children's story about him for years! (By the way, I'm looking for a story for Saint Moses the Black, if anyone knows of one.)

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Update: I found a great book for Saint Moses the Black.

It is an easy-to-read chapter book for kids and it has large print. Perfect for this age group. And very interesting. I got a copy for each child in my class!

Abba Moses: Notorious Robber, Desert Father
by Andrew Votipka

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Ok, back to the list at hand. The books with Saint names in the title are easy -- St. Francis of Assisi, St. Christopher, St. Cuthbert -- and Saints of Italy only has a few free chapters and they are for St. Niccola (Nicholas).  

Here are the Saints included in the remaining collections above.

You'll want to find the book that suits your own personal style. For my part, I like the one by Andrew Lang's wife the best: The Book of Saints and Heroes.

The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown

• Saint Bridget and the King's Wolf 
• Saint Gerasimus and the Lion 
• Saint Keneth of the Gulls 
• Saint Launomar's Cow 
• Saint Werburgh and Her Goose 
• The Ballad of Saint Athracta's Stags 
• Saint Kentigern and the Robin 
• Saint Blaise and His Beasts 
• Saint Cuthbert's Peace 
• The Ballad of Saint Felix 
• Saint Fronto's Camels 
• The Blind Singer, Saint Hervé 
• Saint Comgall and the Mice 
• The Wonders of Saint Berach 
• Saint Prisca, the Child Martyr 
• The Fish Who Helped Saint Gudwall 
• The Ballad of Saint Giles and the Deer 
• The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe 
• Saint Rigobert's Dinner 
• Saint Francis of Assisi

 

The Book of Saints and Heroes by Mrs. Lang

• The First of the Hermits [Paul and Anthony]
• The Roses from Paradise [Dorothea]
• The Saint with the Lion [Jerome]
• Synesius, the Ostrich Hunter 
• The Struggles of St. Augustine 
• Germanus the Governor 
• Malchus the Monk 
• The Saint on the Pillar [Simeon]
• The Apostle of Northumbria [Cuthbert]
• St. Columba 
• Brendan the Sailor 
• The Charm Queller [Senan]
• Dunstan the Friend of Kings 
• St. Margaret of Scotland 
• St. Elizabeth of Hungary 
• Saint and King [Louis]
• The Preacher to the Birds [Francis]
• Richard the Bishop 
• Colette 
• The Apostle of the Japanese 
• The Servant of the Poor [Juan]
• The Founder of Hospitals [Vincent]
• The Patron Saint of England [George]

 

A Child's Book of Saints by William Canton

• In the Forest of Stone 
• The Song of the Minster 
• The Pilgrim of a Night 
• The Ancient Gods Pursuing 
• The Dream of the White Lark 
• The Hermit of the Pillar 
• Kenach's Little Woman 
• Golden Apples and Roses Red 
• The Seven Years of Seeking 
• The Guardians of the Door 
• On the Shores of Longing 
• The Children of Spinalunga 
• The Sin of the Prince Bishop 
• The Little Bedesman of Christ 
• The Burning of Abbot Spiridion 
• The Countess Itha 
• The Story of the Lost Brother 
• The King Orgulous 
• The Journey of Rheinfrid 
• Lighting the Lamps

 

In God's Garden by Amy Steedman

• Saint Ursula 
• Saint Benedict 
• Saint Christopher 
• Saint Catherine of Siena 
• Saint Augustine of Hippo 
• Saint Augustine of Canterbury 
• Saint Cecilia 
• Saint Giles 
• Saint Nicholas 
• Saint Faith 
• Saint Cosmo and Saint Damian 
• Saint Martin 
• Saint George 
• Saint Francis of Assisi

 

Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman

• Saint Alban 
• Saint Augustine of Canterbury 
• Saint Kentigern 
• Saint Patrick 
• Saint David 
• Saint Molios 
• Saint Bridget 
• Saint Cuthbert 
• Saint Edward the Confessor 
• Saint Columba 
• Saint Margaret of Scotland 
• Saint Hugh of Lincoln 

 

Saints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages by George Hodges

• Cyprian, 200-258 
• Athanasius, 296-373 
• Ambrose, 340-397 
• Chrysostom, 347-407 
• Jerome, 340-420 
• Augustine, 354-430 
• Benedict, 480-543 
• Gregory the Great, 540-604 
• Columba, 521-597 
• Charlemagne, 742-814 
• Hildebrand, 1020-1085 
• Anselm, 1033-1109 
• Bernard, 1091-1153 
• Becket, 1118-1170 
• Langton, 1170-1221 
• Dominic, 1170-1228 
• Francis, 1182-1226 
• Wycliffe, 1320-1384 
• Hus, 1373-1415 
• Savonarola, 1452-1498 

 

Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages by George Hodges

• Luther, 1483-1546 
• More, 1478-1535 
• Loyola, 1491-1556 
• Cranmer, 1489-1556 
• Calvin, 1509-1564 
• Knox, 1505-1572 
• Coligny, 1519-1572 
• William the Silent, 1533-1584 
• Brewster, 1560-1644 
• Laud, 1573-1645 
• Cromwell, 1599-1658 
• Bunyan, 1628-1688 
• Fox, 1624-1691 
• Wesley, 1703-1791

The Seven Champions of Christendom by F.J. Harvey Darton 

• The Prophecy 
• St. George of England 
• St. Denis of France 
• St. James of Spain 
• St. Anthony of Italy 
• St. Andrew of Scotland 
• St. Patrick of Ireland 
• St. David of Wales 
• The Brotherhood of the Seven Champions 
• The Sons of St. George 
• The Last Deeds of the Champions

Stories of the Saints by Grace Hall

• The Palace of Gondoforus 
• St Mary of Egypt 
• The Gentle Giant [Christopher]
• St Patrick 
• St Bridget of Kildare 
• St Elfleda's Ale 
• The Saintly Friends of Assisi 
• St John Gualbert's Crucifix 
• St Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins 
• St Edward's Smile and the Seven Sleepers 
• St Zita's Pilgrimage 
• St Nicholas 
• St Herman-Joseph's Apple 
• St Louis of France 
• The Patience of St Frances the Roman 
• St Margaret of Scotland 
• The Silence of St John of Nepomuk 
• St Charles Borromero 
• St Ruadan's Protection 
• St Gudula's Lantern 
• St Anthony of Padua 
• The Roses of St Rose 
• The Good Almoner's Hat 
• St Gonsalvo's Bridge 
• Saints Stephen, Lawrence, and Hippolytus 
• St Clothilde's Banner 
• St Bernardine of Siena 
• St Raymond's Boat 
• St Elizabeth of Hungary 
• The Dedication of St Francis Borgia 
• St Jeanne D'Arc 
• St Francis and the Birds 
• St Roch and His Dog 
• St Rigobert and His Goose 
• St Deicolus and the Wild Boar 
• St Giles and the Hind 
• St Corentin's Fish 
• St Oringa and the Hare 
• St Spiridion's Mules 
• St Umiliata and the Weasel 
• St Felix and the Spider 
• St Luanomar's Cow 
• St Kentigern and the Robin 
• The Friend of St Gerasimus 
• Chronological Order of the Saints 

You used to be able to make direct links to the book titles and/or chapter titles, but no longer. Now the links all default to the same place, no matter what you type as the URL. They all send you to the main library page, and you have to click on the author to see all of his/her books that are on Gateway to the Classics. Then click on the book title you want to read. The table of contents will pop up on the left hand page, and you can jump straight to the title you want. Not too difficult. And it's FREE!

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