how to tell stories to children-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and the great alligator were even more vivid images of certain human characters than they now are。 Again and again； surely； the author or authors of the tales must have seen the weak； small； clever being triumph over the bulky； well…accoutred； stupid adversary。 Again and again they had laughed at the discomfiture of the latter； perhaps rejoicing in it the more because it removed fear from their own houses。 And probably never had they concerned themselves particularly with the basic ethics of the struggle。 It was simply one of the things they saw。 It was life。 So they made a picture of it。
The folk tale so made； and of such character； comes to the child somewhat as an unprejudiced newspaper account of to… day's happenings comes to us。 It pleads no cause； except through its contents； it exercises no intentioned influence on our moral judgment； it is there； as life is there； to be seen and judged。 And only through such seeing and judging can the individual perception attain to anything of power or originality。 Just as a certain amount of received ideas is necessary to sane development； so is a definite opportunity for first…hand judgments essential to power。
In this epoch of well…trained minds we run some risk of an inundation of accepted ethics。 The mind which can make independent judgments； can look at new facts with fresh vision； and reach conclusions with simplicity； is the perennial power in the world。 And this is the mind we are not noticeably successful in developing； in our system of schooling。 Let us at least have its needs before our consciousness； in our attempts to supplement the regular studies of school by such side…activities as story…telling。 Let us give the children a fair proportion of stories which stimulate independent moral and practical decisions。
And now for a brief return to our little black friend。 〃Epaminondas〃 belongs to a very large； very ancient type of funny story： the tale in which the jest depends wholly on an abnormal degree of stupidity on the part of the hero。 Every race which produces stories seems to have found this theme a natural outlet for its childlike laughter。 The stupidity of Lazy Jack； of Big Claus； of the Good Man； of Clever Alice； all have their counterparts in the folly of the small Epaminondas。
Evidently； such stories have served a purpose in the education of the race。 While the exaggeration of familiar attributes easily awakens mirth in a simple mind； it does more： it teaches practical lessons of wisdom and discretion。 And possibly the lesson was the original cause of the story。
Not long ago； I happened upon an instance of the teaching power of these nonsense tales； so amusing and convincing that I cannot forbear to share it。 A primary teacher who heard me tell 〃Epaminondas〃 one evening； told it to her pupils the next morning； with great effect。 A young teacher who was observing in the room at the time told me what befell。 She said the children laughed very heartily over the story； and evidently liked it much。 About an hour later； one of them was sent to the board to do a little problem。 It happened that the child made an excessively foolish mistake； and did not notice it。 As he glanced at the teacher for the familiar smile of encouragement； she simply raised her hands； and ejaculated 〃‘For the law's sake！'〃
It was sufficient。 The child took the cue instantly。 He looked hastily at his work； broke into an irrepressible giggle； rubbed the figures out； without a word； and began again。 And the whole class entered into the joke with the gusto of fellow…fools； for once wise。
It is safe to assume that the child in question will make fewer needless mistakes for a long time because of the wholesome reminder of his likeness with one who 〃ain't got the sense he was born with。〃 And what occurred so visibly in his case goes on quietly in the hidden recesses of the mind in many cases。 One 〃Epaminondas〃 is worth three lectures。
I wish there were more of such funny little tales in the world's literature； all ready； as this one is； for telling to the youngest of our listeners。 But masterpieces are few in any line； and stories for telling are no exception； it took generations； probably； to make this one。 The demand for new sources of supply comes steadily from teachers and mothers； and is the more insistent because so often met by the disappointing recommendations of books which prove to be for reading only； rather than for telling。 It would be a delight to print a list of fifty； twenty…five； even ten books which would be found full of stories to tell without much adapting。 But I am grateful to have found even fewer than the ten； to which I am sure the teacher can turn with real profit。 The following names are； of course； additional to the list contained in 〃How to Tell Stories to Children。〃
ALL ABOUT JOHNNIE JONES。 By Carolyn Verhoeff。 Milton Bradley Co。； Springfield； Mass。 Valuable for kindergartners as a supply of realistic stories with practical lessons in simplest form。
OLD DECCAN DAYS。 By Mary Frere。 Joseph McDonough； Albany； New York。 A splendid collection of Hindu folk tales； adaptable for all ages。
THE SILVER CROWN。 By Laura E。 Richards。 Little； Brown & Co。； Boston。 Poetic fables with beautiful suggestions of ethical truths。
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR。 BY Eva March Tappan。 Houghton； Mifflin & Co。； Boston； New York； and Chicago。 A classified collection； in ten volumes； of fairy； folk tales； fables； realistic； historical； and poetical stories。
FOR THE CHILDREN'S HOUR。 BY Carolyn Bailey and Clara Lewis。 Milton Bradley Co。； Springfield。 A general collection of popular stories； well told。
THE SONS OF CORMAC。 By Aldis Dunbar。 Longmans； Green & Co。； London。 Rather mature but very fine Irish stories。
For the benefit of suggestion to teachers in schools where story…telling is newly or not yet introduced in systematic form； I am glad to append the following list of stories which have been found； on several years' trial； to be especially tellable and likable； in certain grades of the Providence schools； in Rhode Island。 The list is not mine； although it embodies some of my suggestions。 I offer it merely as a practical result of the effort to equalize and extend the story…hour throughout the schools。 Its makers would be the last to claim ideal merit for it； and they are constantly improving and developing it。 I am indebted for the privilege of using it to the primary teachers of Providence； and to their supervisor； Miss Ella L。 Sweeney。
STORIES FOR REPRODUCTION
FIRST GRADE Chicken Little The Dog and his Shadow Barnyard Talk The Hare and the Hound Little Red Hen Five Little Rabbits Little Gingerbread Boy The Three Bears The Lion and the Mouse The Red…headed Wood… The Hungry Lion pecker The Wind and the Sun Little Red Riding…Hood The Fox and the Crow Little Half…Chick The Duck and the Hen The Rabbit and the Turtle The Hare and the Tortoise The Shoemaker and the The Three Little Robins Fairies The Wolf and the Kid The Wolf and the Crane The Crow and the Pitcher The Cat and the Mouse The Fox and the Grapes Snow…White and Rose…Red
SECOND GRADE The North Wind The Lark and her Little The Mouse Pie Ones The Wonderful Traveler The Wolf and the Goslings The Wolf and the Fox The Ugly Duckling The Star Dollars The Country Mouse and the The Water…Lil City Mouse The Three Goats The Three Little Pigs The Boy and the Nuts Diamonds and Toads The Honest Woodman The Thrifty Squirrel The Pied Piper How the Robin's Breast King Midas became Red The Town Musicians The Old Woman and her Raggylug Pig Peter Rabbit The Sleeping Apple The Boy who cried 〃Wolf〃 The Cat and the Parrot
THIRD GRADE The Crane Express How the Mole became Little Black Sambo Blind The Lantern and the Fan How Fire was brought to Why the Bear has a Short the Indians Tail Echo Why the Fox has a White Piccola Tip to his Tail The Story of the Morning… Why the Wren flies low Glory Seed Jack and the Beanstalk The Discontented Pine The Talkative Tortoise Tree Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice The Bag of Winds The Golden Fleece The Foolish Weather…Vane The Little Boy who wanted The Shut…up Posy the Moon Pandora's Box Benjy in Beastland The Little Match Girl Tomtit's Peep at the World
FOURTH GRADE Arachne The First Snowdrop The Porcelain Stove The Three Golden Apples Moufflou Androclus and the Lion Clytie The Old Man and his The Legend of the Trailing Donkey Arbutus The Leak in the Dike Latona and the Frogs King Tawny Mane Dick Whittington and his The Little Lame Prince Cat Appleseed John Dora； the Little Girl of the Narcissus Lighthouse Why the Sea is Salt Proserpine The Little Hero of Haarlem The Miraculous Pitcher The Bell of Justice
STORY…TELLING IN TEACHING ENGLISH
I have to speak now of a phase of elementary education which lies very close to my warmest interest； which； indeed； could easily become an active hobby if other interests did not beneficently tug at my skirts when I am minded to mount and ride too wildly。 It is the hobby of many of you who are teachers； also； and I know you want to hear it discussed。 I mean the growing effort to teach English and English literature to children in the natural way： by speaking and hearing；orally。
We are coming to a realization of the fact that our ability； as a people； to use English is pitifully inadequate and perverted。 Those Americans who are not blinded by a limited horizon of cultured acquaintance； and who have given themselves opportunity to hear the natural speech of the younger generation in varying sections of the United States； must admit that it is no exaggeration to say that this country at large has no standard of English speech。 There is no general sense of responsibility to our mother tongue （indeed； it is in an overwhelming degree not our mother tongue） and no general appreciation of its beauty or meaning。 The average young person in every district save a half…dozen jealously guarded little precincts of good taste； uses inexpressive； ill… bred words； spoken without regard to their just sound…effects； and in a voice which is an injury to the ear of the mind； as well as a torment to the physical ear。
The structure of the language and the choice of words are dark matters to most of our young Americans； this has long been acknowledged and struggled against。 But even darker； and quite equally destructive to English expression； is their state of mind regarding pronunciation； enunciation； and voice。 It is the essential connection of these elements with English speech that we have been so slow to realize。 We have felt that they were externals； desirable but not necessary adjuncts；pretty tags of an exceptional gift or culture。 Many an intellige
