THE DISOBEDIENT PANSY. 13 



eyes open as wide as she could. Her brothers 

 and sisters were quietly sleeping around her, 

 and she laughed at what she called their stu 

 pidity. 



By and by she began to grow tired, when 

 suddenly a huge black spider seized her in his 

 claws. She cried out in terror, but no one 

 was awake to hear her. 



He held her so tight that she could scarcely 

 breathe, and tears stood in her large, dark eyes. 

 In the gray dawn he spun a web over her face, 

 and fastened it to a neighboring shrub. 



Her mother awoke early, and lamented over 

 her ; &quot; Oh, my poor daughter, would that I 

 could help you ! Perhaps He, to whom you 

 forgot to pray, who is so good to all, may yet 

 cause these chains to fall from you.&quot; 



Bitterly did the young pansy deplore her 

 disobedience. Her fright, and the spider s 

 cords, with their tight lacing, had so com 

 pressed her heart and lungs, that she turned 

 pale, and panted for breath. 



When the noon-day sun beat fiercely upon 

 her, she drooped and faded away saying, with 

 her last, faint sigh, &quot; Oh ! brothers and sisters, 

 take warning by my sad fate. Never disobey 

 our dear mother, for she is wiser than we.&quot; 



