how to tell children stories(如何给孩子讲故事)-第13章
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tabular arrangement below。
The preliminary step in all cases is
Analysis of the Story。
The aim； then； is
to REDUCE a long story or to AMPLIFY a short one。
For the first； the need is
ELIMINATION of secondary threads of narrative； extra personages；
description； irrelevant events。
For the second； the great need is of
Realising Imagination。
For both； it is desirable to keep Close Logical Sequence； Single Point
of View； Simple Language； The Point at the End
CHAPTER IV
HOW TO TELL THE STORY
Selection； and； if necessary； adaptationthese are the preliminaries to
the act of telling。 That； after all； is the real test of one's power。 That is the
real joy； when achieved； the real bugbear； when dreaded。 And that is the
subject of this chapter； 〃How to tell a story。〃
How to tell a story： it is a short question which demands a long answer。
The right beginning of the answer depends on a right conception of the
thing the question is about； and that naturally reverts to an earlier
discussion of the real nature of a story。 In that discussion it was stated that
a story is a work of art；a message； as all works of art are。
To tell a story； then； is to pass on the message； to share the work of art。
The message may be merely one of humour；of nonsense； even； works of
art range all the way from the 〃Victory〃 to a 〃Dresden Shepherdess；〃 from
an 〃Assumption〃 to a 〃Broken Pitcher；〃 and farther。 Each has its own
place。 But whatever its quality； the story…teller is the passer…on； the
interpreter； the transmitter。 He comes bringing a gift。 Always he gives；
always he bears a message。
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This granted； the first demand of the story… teller is not far to seek。 No
one can repeat a message he has not heard； or interpret what he does not
understand。 You cannot give； unless you first possess。 The first demand of
the story… teller is that he possess。 He must FEEL the story。 Whatever the
particular quality and appeal of the work of art； from the lightest to the
grandest emotion or thought； he must have responded to it； grasped it； felt
it intimately； before he can give it out again。 Listen； humbly； for the
message。
I realise that this has an incongruous sound； when applied to such
stories as that of the little pig at the stile or of the greedy cat who ate up
man and beast。 But； believe me； it does apply even to those。 For the
transmittable thing in a story is the identifying essence； the characterising
savour； the peculiar quality and point of view of the humour； pathos； or
interest。 Every tale which claims a place in good fiction has this
identifying savour and quality； each different from every other。 The laugh
which echoes one of Seumas McManus's rigmaroles is not the chuckle
which follows one of Joel Chandler Harris's anecdotes； the gentle sadness
of an Andersen allegory is not the heart searching tragedy of a tale from
the Greek； nor is any one story of an author just like any other of the same
making。 Each has its personal likeness； its facial expression； as it were。
And the mind must be sensitised to these differences。 No one can tell
stories well who has not a keen and just feeling of such emotional values。
A positive and a negative injunction depend on this premise；the
positive； cultivate your feeling； striving toward increasingly just
appreciation； the negative； never tell a story you do not feel。
Fortunately； the number and range of stories one can appreciate grow
with cultivation； but it is the part of wisdom not to step outside the range
at any stage of its growth。
I feel the more inclined to emphasise this caution because I once had a
rather embarrassing and pointed proof of its desirability；which I relate
for the enlightening of the reader。
There is a certain nonsense tale which a friend used to tell with such
effect that her hearers became helpless with laughter； but which for some
reason never seemed funny to me。 I could not laugh at it。 But my friend
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constantly urged me to use it； quoting her own success。 At last； with much
curiosity and some trepidation； I included it in a programme before people
with whom I was so closely in sympathy that no chill was likely to
emanate from their side。 I told the story as well as I knew how； putting
into it more genuine effort than most stories can claim。 The audience
smiled politely； laughed gently once or twice； relapsed into the mildest of
amusement。 The most one could say was that the story was not a hopeless
failure； I tried it again； after study； and yet again； but the audiences were
all alike。 And in my heart I should have been startled if they had behaved
otherwise； for all the time I was telling it I was conscious in my soul that it
was a stupid story！ At last I owned my defeat to myself； and put the thing
out of mind。
Some time afterward； I happened to take out the notes of the story； and
idly looked them over； and suddenly； I do not know how； I got the point of
view！ The salt of the humour was all at once on my lips； I felt the tickle of
the pure folly of it； it WAS funny。
The next afternoon I told the story to a hundred or so children and as
many mothers； and the battle was won。 Chuckles punctuated my periods；
helpless laughter ran like an under… current below my narrative； it was a
struggle for me to keep sober； myself。 The nonsense tale had found its own
atmosphere。
Now of course I had known all along that the humour of the story
emanated from its very exaggeration； its absurdly illogical smoothness。
But I had not FELT it。 I did not really 〃see the joke。〃 And that was why I
could not tell the story。 I undoubtedly impressed my own sense of its
fatuity on every audience to which I gave it。 The case is very clear。
Equally clear have been some happy instances where I have found
audiences responding to a story I myself greatly liked； but which common
appreciation usually ignored。 This is an experience even more persuasive
than the other； certainly more to be desired。
Every story…teller has lines of limitation； certain types of story will
always remain his or her best effort。 There is no reason why any type of
story should be told really ill； and of course the number of kinds one tells
well increases with the growth of the appreciative capacity。 But none the
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less； it is wise to recognise the limits at each stage； and not try to tell any
story to which the honest inner consciousness says； 〃I do not like you。〃
Let us then set down as a prerequisite for good story…telling； A
GENUINE APPRECIATION OF THE STORY。
Now； we may suppose this genuine appreciation to be your portion。
You have chosen a story； have felt its charm； and identified the quality of
its appeal。
You are now to tell it in such wise that your hearers will get the same
kind of impression you yourself received from it。 How？
I believe the inner secret of success is the measure of force with which
the teller wills the conveyance of his impression to the hearer。
Anyone who has watched； or has himself been； the teller of a story
which held an audience； knows that there is something approaching
hypnotic suggestion in the close connection of effort and effect； and in the
elimination of self… consciousness from speaker and listeners alike。
I would not for a moment lend the atmosphere of charlatanry； or of the
ultra…psychic； to the wholesome and vivid art of story…telling。 But I would；
if possible； help the teacher to realise how largely success in that art is a
subjective and psychological matter； dependent on her control of her own
mood and her sense of direct； intimate communion with the minds
attending her。 The 〃feel〃 of an audience；that indescribable sense of the
composite human soul waiting on the initiative of your own； the emotional
currents interplaying along a medium so delicate that it takes the baffling
torture of an obstruction to reveal its existence；cannot be taught。 But it
can and does develop with use。 And a realisation of the immense latent
power of strong desire and resolution vitalises and disembarrasses the
beginner。
That is； undoubtedly； rather an intangible beginning； it sets the root of
the matter somewhat in the realm of 〃spirits and influences。〃 There are；
however； outward and visible means of arriving at results。 Every art has its
technique。 The art of story…telling； intensely personal and subjective as it
is； yet comes under the law sufficiently not to be a matter of sheer
〃knack。〃 It has its technique。 The following suggestions are an attempt to
state what seem the foundation principles of that technique。 The general
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statements are deduced from many consecutive experiences； partly； too；
they are the results of introspective analysis； confirmed by observation。
They do not make up an exclusive body of rules； wholly adequate to
produce good work； of themselves； they do include； so far as my
observation and experience allow； the fundamental requisites of good
work； being the qualities uniformly present in successful work of many
story…tellers。
First of all； most fundamental of all； is a rule without which any other
would be but folly： KNOW YOUR STORY。
One would think so obvious a preliminary might be taken for granted。
But alas； even slight ac
