with the utmost confidence swallowed it down. She had a bit for every
one of them in turn and they waited patiently until it was given
them. All was well whilst they were nourished with parental
tenderness and prudence, and none other meddled with them, or
ventured to give them other things, which they, being blind, received
and knew not the hand that gave, nor the consequences of eating food
not such as their parent would have provided.

"Here you see Frances, neither prudent nor aware of consequences,
has stuffed these little birds with improper food, both in quality
and quantity. The consequences are fatal; one is dead, another is
dying, and it is very uncertain whether the others also will not die.
She fed them without measure, and their crops and throats were gorged
so as to stop their breathing. They took it greedily, because they
knew not the fatal consequences.

"Frances, you are a greedy girl. You had been suffering for this
offence, and had not the wisdom to leave it to me to apportion your
food. You opened your mouth wide, but you must remember it is not
written that _you_ are to fill it according to your own desires.
'I will fill it,' saith the Lord. He knows what is good for us, and
he will measure his bounty according to his own wisdom."

Frances began to look ashamed and sorrowful.

"I was to you," her mamma continued, "in the affair of the cake,
endeavoring to fulfil this my duty, but you rebelled against my
discretion, and would covet more than was right. You _helped
yourself_, you gorged your stomach. You were cross and peevish,
and ill, and when the medicine had relieved you, as it was designed,