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A little further on she met a butcher。 So she said： 〃Butcher！ butcher！
kill ox； ox won't drink water； water won't quench fire； fire won't burn stick；
stick won't beat dog； dog won't bite pig； piggy won't get over the stile； and
I sha'n't get home to…night。〃 But the butcher wouldn't kill the ox。
A little further on she met a rope。 So she said： 〃Rope！ rope！ hang
butcher； butcher won't kill ox； ox won't drink water； water won't quench
fire； fire won't burn stick； stick won't beat dog； dog won't bite pig； piggy
won't get over the stile； and I sha'n't get home to… night。〃 But the rope
wouldn't hang the butcher。
A little further on she met a rat。 So she said： 〃Rat！ rat！ gnaw rope； rope
won't hang butcher； butcher won't kill ox； ox won't drink water； water
won't quench fire； fire won't burn stick； stick won't beat dog； dog won't
bite pig； piggy won't get over the stile； and I sha'n't get home to… night。〃
But the rat wouldn't gnaw the rope。
A little further on she met a cat。 So she said： 〃Cat！ cat！ kill rat； rat
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
won't gnaw rope； rope won't hang butcher； butcher won't kill ox； ox won't
drink water； water won't quench fire； fire won't burn stick； stick won't beat
dog； dog won't bite pig； piggy won't get over the stile； and I sha'n't get
home to…night。〃 But the cat said to her； 〃If you will go to yonder cow； and
fetch me a saucer of milk； I will kill the rat。〃 So away went the old woman
to the cow。
But the cow refused to give the milk unless the old woman first gave
her a handful of hay。 So away went the old woman to the haystack； and
she brought the hay to the cow。
When the cow had eaten the hay； she gave the old woman the milk；
and away she went with it in a saucer to the cat。
As soon as it had lapped up the milk； the cat began to kill the rat； the
rat began to gnaw the rope； the rope began to hang the butcher； the butcher
began to kill the ox； the ox began to drink the water； the water began to
quench the fire； the fire began to burn the stick； the stick began to beat the
dog； the dog began to bite the pig； the little pig in a fright jumped over the
stile； and so the old woman did get home that night。
The briefest examination of these three stories reveals the fact that
one attribute beyond dispute in each。 Something happens； all the time。
Every step in each story is an event。 There is no time spent in explanation；
description； or telling how people felt； the stories tell what people did； and
what they said。 And the events are the links of a sequence of the closest
kind； in point of time and of cause they follow as immediately as it is
possible for events to follow。 There are no gaps； and no complications of
plot requiring a return on the road。
A second common characteristic appears on briefest examination。 As
you run over the little stories you will see that each event presents a
distinct picture to the imagination； and that these pictures are made out of
very simple elements。 The elements are either familiar to the child or
analogous to familiar ones。 Each object and happening is very like
everyday； yet touched with a subtle difference； rich in mystery。 For
example； the details of the pictures in the Goldilocks story are parts of
everyday life；house； chairs； beds； and so on； but they are the house；
chairs； and beds of three bears； that is the touch of marvel which
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
transforms the scene。 The old woman who owned the obstinate pig is the
centre of a circle in which stand only familiar images；stick； fire； water；
cow； and the rest； but the wonder enters with the fact that these usually
inanimate or dumb objects of nature enter so humanly into the contest of
wills。 So it is； also； with the doings of the three little pigs。 Every image is
explicable to the youngest hearer； while none suggests actual familiarity；
because the actors are not children； but pigs。 Simplicity； with mystery； is
the keynote of all the pictures； and these are clear and distinct。
Still a third characteristic common to the stories quoted is a certain
amount of repetition。 It is more definite； and of what has been called the
〃cumulative〃 kind； in the story of the old woman； but in all it is a
distinctive feature。
Here we have； then； three marked characteristics common to three
stories almost invariably loved by children；action； in close sequence；
familiar images； tinged with mystery； some degree of repetition。
It is not hard to see why these qualities appeal to a child。 The first is
the prime characteristic of all good stories；〃stories as is stories〃； the
child's demand for it but bears witness to the fact that his instinctive taste
is often better than the taste he later develops under artificial culture。 The
second is a matter of common…sense。 How could the imagination create
new worlds； save out of the material of the old？ To offer strange images is
to confuse the mind and dull the interest； to offer familiar ones 〃with a
difference〃 is to pique the interest and engage the mind。
The charm of repetition； to children； is a more complex matter； there
are undoubtedly a good many elements entering into it； hard to trace in
analysis。 But one or two of the more obvious may be seized and brought to
view。 The first is the subtle flattery of an unexpected sense of mastery。
When the child…mind； following with toilful alertness a new train of
thought； comes suddenly on a familiar epithet or expression； I fancy it is
with much the same sense of satisfaction that we older people feel when in
the midst of a long programme of new music the orchestra strikes into
something we have heard before；Handel； maybe； or one of the more
familiar Beethoven sonatas。 〃I know that！ I have heard that before！〃 we
think； triumphant； and settle down to enjoyment without effort。 So it is；
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHI