Saintly Cruelty lyrics

A man holding a newly born child in his hands came to a saint. "What should I do with this child," he asked, "it is wretched, deformed, and has not even enough of life to die" "Kill it," cried the saint with a dreadful voice "kill it, and then hold it in thy arms for three days and three nights to brand it on thy memory thus wilt you never again beget a child when it is not the time for thee to beget." When the man had heard this he went away disappointed ; and many found fault with the saint because he had advised cruelty ; for he had advised to kill the child. "But is it not more cruel to let it live? Asked the saint.