stories to tell to children-第2章

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on　a　journey；　and　so　on；　but　it　also　extends　to

stories　which　are　not　in　themselves　personal：

which　take　their　personal　savour　merely　from

the　fact　that　they　flow　from　the　lips　in

spontaneous；　homely　phrases；　with　an　appreciative

gusto　which　suggests　participation。



The　greater　ease　in　holding　the　attention　of

children　is；　for　teachers；　a　sufficient　practical

reason　for　telling　stories　rather　than　reading

them。　　It　is　incomparably　easier　to　make　the

necessary　exertion　of　〃magnetism；〃　or　whatever

it　may　be　called；　when　nothing　else　distracts

the　attention。　　One's　eyes　meet　the

children's　gaze　naturally　and　constantly；　one's

expression　responds　to　and　initiates　theirs　without

effort；　the　connection　is　immediate。　　For

the　ease　of　the　teacher；　then；　no　less　than　for

the　joy　of　the　children；　may　the　art　of　story…

telling　be　urged　as　pre…eminent　over　the　art　of

reading。



It　is　a　very　old；　a　very　beautiful　art。　　Merely

to　think　of　it　carries　one's　imaginary　vision

to　scenes　of　glorious　and　touching　antiquity。

The　tellers　of　the　stories　of　which　Homer's

Iliad　was　compounded；　the　transmitters　of

the　legend　and　history　which　make　up　the

Gesta　Romanorum；　the　travelling　raconteurs

whose　brief　heroic　tales　are　woven　into　our

own　national　epic；　the　grannies　of　age…old

tradition　whose　stories　are　parts　of　Celtic　folk…lore；

of　Germanic　myth；　of　Asiatio　wonder…tales；

these　are　but　younger　brothers　and　sisters

to　the　generations　of　story…tellers　whose

inventions　are　but　vaguely　outlined　in　resultant

forms　of　ancient　literatures；　and　the　names　of

whose　tribes　are　no　longer　even　guessed。

There　was　a　time　when　story…telling　was　the

chiefest　of　the　arts　of　entertainment；　kings

and　warriors　could　ask　for　nothing　better；

serfs　and　children　were　satisfied　with　nothing

less。　　In　all　times　there　have　been　occasional

revivals　of　this　pastime；　and　in　no　time　has　the

art　died　out　in　the　simple　human　realms　of　which

mothers　are　queens。　　But　perhaps　never；　since

the　really　old　days；　has　story…telling　so　nearly

reached　a　recognised　level　of　dignity　as　a　legitimate

and　general　art　of　entertainment　as　now。



Its　present　popularity　seems　in　a　way　to　be

an　outgrowth　of　the　recognition　of　its　educational

value　which　was　given　impetus　by　the

German　pedagogues　of　Froebel's　school。　　That

recognition　has；　at　all　events；　been　a　noticeable

factor　in　educational　conferences　of　late。

The　function　of　the　story　is　no　longer

considered　solely　in　the　light　of　its　place　in　the

kindergarten；　it　is　being　sought　in　the　first；

the　second；　and　indeed　in　every　standard　where

the　children　are　still　children。　　Sometimes　the

demand　for　stories　is　made　solely　in　the

interests　of　literary　culture；　sometimes　in　far

ampler　and　vaguer　relations；　ranging　from

inculcation　of　scientific　fact　to　admonition　of

moral　theory；　but　whatever　the　reason　given；

the　conclusion　is　the　same：　tell　the　children

stories。



The　average　teacher　has　yielded　to　the

pressure；　at　least　in　theory。　　Cheerfully；　as　she

has　already　accepted　so　many　modifications　of

old　methods　by　〃new　thought；〃　she　accepts

the　idea　of　instilling　mental　and　moral　desiderata

into　the　receptive　pupil；　via　the　charming

tale。　　But；　confronted　with　the　concrete

problem　of　what　desideratum　by　which　tale；

and　how；　the　average　teacher　sometimes　finds

her　cheerfulness　displaced　by　a　sense　of　inadequacy

to　the　situation。



People　who　have　always　told　stories　to

children；　who　do　not　know　when　they　began

or　how　they　do　it；　whose　heads　are　stocked

with　the　accretions　of　years　of　fairyland…

dwelling　and　nonsense…sharing；these　cannot

understand　the　perplexity　of　one　to　whom

the　gift　and　the　opportunity　have　not　〃come　

natural。〃　　But　there　are　many　who　can　understand

it；　personally　and　all　too　well。　　To　these；

the　teachers　who　have　not　a　knack　for　story…

telling；　who　feel　as　shy　as　their　own　youngest

scholar　at　the　thought　of　it；　who　do　not　know

where　the　good　stories　are；　or　which　ones　are

easy　to　tell；　it　is　my　earnest　hope　that　the

following　pages　will　bring　something　definite

and　practical　in　the　way　of　suggestion　and

reference。







HOW　TO　TELL　STORIES　TO　CHILDREN



CHAPTER　I



THE　PURPOSE　OF　STORY…TELLING　IN　SCHOOL



Let　us　first　consider　together　the　primary

matter　of　the　AIM　in　educational　story…telling。

On　our　conception　of　this　must　depend　very

largely　all　decisions　as　to　choice　and　method；

and　nothing　in　the　whole　field　of　discussion

is　more　vital　than　a　just　and　sensible　notion

of　this　first　point。　　What　shall　we　attempt

to　accomplish　by　stories　in　the　schoolroom？

What　can　we　reasonably　expect　to　accomplish？

And　what；　of　this；　is　best　accomplished　by　this

means　and　no　other？



These　are　questions　which　become　the　more

interesting　and　practical　because　the　recent

access　of　enthusiasm　for　stories　in　education

has　led　many　people　to　claim　very　wide　and

very　vaguely　outlined　territory　for　their

possession；　and　often　to　lay　heaviest　stress　on

their　least　essential　functions。　　The　most

important　instance　of　this　is　the　fervour　with

which　many　compilers　of　stories　for　school

have　directed　their　efforts　solely　toward

the　ration　of　natural　phenomena。　　Geology；

zoology；　botany；　and　even　physics　are　taught

by　means　of　more　or　less　happily　constructed

narratives　based　on　the　simpler　facts　of　these

sciences。　　Kindergarten　teachers　are　familiar

with　such　narratives：　the　little　stories　of

chrysalis…breaking；　flower…growth；　and　the　like。

Now　this　is　a　perfectly　proper　and　practicable

aim；　but　it　is　not　a　primary　one。　　Others；　to

which　at　best　this　is　but　secondary；　should

have　first　place　and　receive　greatest　attention。



What　is　a　story；　essentially？　　Is　it　a　textbook

of　science；　an　appendix　to　the　geography；

an　introduction　to　the　primer　of　history？　　Of

course　it　is　not。　　A　story　is　essentially　and

primarily　a　work　of　art；　and　its　chief　function

must　be　sought　in　the　line　of　the　uses　of　art。

Just　as　the　drama　is　capable　of　secondary　uses；

yet　fails　abjectly　to　realise　its　purpose　when

those　are　substituted　for　its　real　significance

as　a　work　of　art；　so　does　the　story　lend　itself

to　subsidiary　purposes；　but　claims　first　and

most　strongly　to　be　recognised　in　its　real

significance　as　a　work　of　art。　　Since　the　drama

deals　with　life　in　all　its　parts；　it　can　exemplify

sociological　theory；　it　can　illustrate　economic

principle；　it　can　even　picture　politics；　but　the

drama　which　does　these　things　only；　has　no

breath　of　its　real　life　in　its　being；　and　dies　

when　the　wind　of　popular　tendency　veers　from

its　direction。　　So；　you　can　teach　a　child

interesting　facts　about　bees　and　butterflies　by　telling

him　certain　stories；　and　you　can　open　his　eyes

to　colours　and　processes　in　nature　by　telling

certain　others；　but　unless　you　do　something

more　than　that　and　before　that；　you　are　as

one　who　should　use　the　Venus　of　Milo　for　a

demonstration　in　anatomy。



The　message　of　the　story　is　the　message　of

beauty；　as　effective　as　that　message　in　marble

or　paint。　　Its　part　in　the　economy　of　life　is　TO

GIVE　JOY。　　And　the　purpose　and　working　of　the

joy　is　found　in　that　quickening　of　the　spirit

which　answers　every　perception　of　the　truly

beautiful　in　the　arts　of　man。　　To　give　joy；　in

and　through　the　joy　to　stir　and　feed　the　life

of　the　spirit：　is　not　this　the　legitimate　function

of　the　story　in　education？



Because　I　believe　it　to　be　such；　not　because

I　ignore　the　value　of　other　uses；　I　venture　to

push　aside　all　aims　which　seem　secondary　to

this　for　later　mention　under　specific　heads。

Here　in　the　beginning　of　our　consideration　I

wish　to　emphasise　this　element　alone。　　A　story

is　a　work　of　art。　　Its　greatest　use　to　the　child

is　in　the　everlasting　appeal　of　beauty　by　which

the　soul　of　man　is　constantly　pricked　to　new

hungers；　quickened　to　new　perceptions　and　so

given　desire　to　grow。



The　obvious　practical　bearing　of　this　is　that

story…telling　is　first　of　all　an　art　of　entertainment；

like　the　stage；　its　immediate　purpose　is

the　pleasure　of　the　hearer；his　pleasure；　not

his　instruction；　first。



Now　the　story…teller　who　has　given　the

listening　children　such　pleasure　as　I　mean　may

or　may　not　have　added　a　fact　to　the　content　of

their　minds；　she　has　inevitably　added　something

to　the　vital　powers　of　their　souls。　　She

has　given　a　wholesome　exercise　to　the　emotional

muscles　of　the　spirit；　has　opened　up　new

windows　to　the　imagination；　and　added　some

line　or　colour　to　the　ideal　of　life　and　art　which

is　always　taking　form　in　the　heart　of　a　child。

She　has；　in　short；　accomplished　the　one　greatest

aim　of　story…telling；to　enlarge　and　enrich　the

child's　spiritual　experience；　and　stimulate　healthy

reaction　upon　it。



Of　course　this　result　cannot　be　seen　and

proved　as　easily　and　early　as　can　the　apprehension

of　a　fact。　　The　most　one　can　hope　to

recognise　is　its　promise；　and　this　is　found　in

the　tokens　of　that　genuine　pleasure　which　is

itself　the　means　of　accomplishment。　　It　is；

then；　the　signs　of　right　pleasure　which　the

story…teller　must　look　to　for　her　guide；　and

which　it　must　be　her　immediate　aim　to　evoke。

As　for　the　recognition　of　the　signs；no　one

who　has　ever　seen　the　delight　of　a　real　child

over　a　real　story　can　fail　to　know　the　signals

when　given；　or　flatter　himself　into　belief　in

them　when　absent。



Intimately　connected　with　the　enjoyment

given　are　two　very　practically　beneficial　results

which　the　story…teller　may　hope　to　obtain；　and

at　least　one　of　which　will　be　a　kind　of　reward

to　herself。　　The　first　is　a　relaxation　of　the　tense

schoolroom　atmosphere；　valuable　for　its　refreshing

recreative　power。　　The　second　result；　or

aim；　is　not　so　obvious；　but　is　even　more

desirable；　it　is　this：　story…telling　is　at　once　one

of　the　simplest　and　quickest　ways　of　establishing

a　happy　relation　between　teacher　and

children；　and　one　of　the　most　effective　methods

of　forming　the　habit　of　fixed　attention　in　the　latter。



If　you　have　never　seen　an　indifferent　child

aroused　or　a　hostile　one　conquered　to　affection

by　a　beguiling　tale；　you　can　hardly　appreciate

the　truth　of　the　first　statement；　but　nothing

is　more　familiar　in　the　story…teller's　experience。

An　amusing；　butto　metouching　experience

recently　reaffirmed　in　my　mind　this　power　of

the　story　to　establish　friendly　relations。



My　three…year…old　niece；　who　had　not　seen

me　since　her　babyhood；　being　told　that　Aunt

Sara　was　coming　to　visit　her；　somehow　confused

the　expected　guest　with　a　more　familiar　aunt；

my　sister。　　At　sight　of　me；　her　rush　of　welcome

relapsed　into　a　puzzled　and　hurt　withdrawal；

which　yielded　to　no　explanations　or　proffers　of

affection。　　All　the　first　day　she　followed　me

about　at　a　wistful　distance；　watching　me　as　if

I　might