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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
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
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
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
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。
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
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