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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 CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
probably； with the 〃middle…sized〃 articles of the bears' house and the 〃and
I sha'n't get home to…night〃 of the old woman。 Each recurrence deepens
the note of familiarity； tickles the primitive sense of humour； and eases the
strain of attention。
When the repetition is cumulative； like the extreme instance of The
House that Jack Built； I have a notion that the joy of the child is the
pleasure of intellectual gymnastics； not too hard for fun； but not too easy
for excitement。 There is a deal of fun to be got out of purely intellectual
processes； and child… hood is not too soon for the rudiments of such fun to
show。 The delight the healthy adult mind takes in working out a neat
problem in geometry； the pleasure a musician finds in following the
involutions of a fugue； are of the same type of satisfaction as the liking of
children for cumulative stories。 Complexity and mass； arrived at by stages
perfectly intelligible in themselves； mounting steadily from a starting…
point of simplicity； then the same complexity and mass resolving itself as
it were miraculously back into simplicity； this is an intellectual joy。 It does
not differ materially； whether found in the study of counterpoint； at thirty；
or in the story of the old woman and her pig； at five。 It is perfectly natural
and wholesome； and it may perhaps be a more powerful developing force
for the budding intellect than we are aware。
For these reasons let me urge you； when you are looking for stories to
tell little children； to apply this threefold test as a kind of touchstone to
their quality of fitness： Are they full of action； in close natural sequence？
Are their images simple without being humdrum？ Are they repetitive？ The
last quality is not an absolute requisite； but it is at least very often an
attribute of a good child…story。
Having this touchstone in mind for general selection； we can now pass
to the matter of specific choices for different ages of children。 No one can
speak with absolute conviction in this matter； so greatly do the taste and
capacity of children of the same age vary。 Any approach to an exact
classification of juvenile books according to their suitability for different
ages will be found impossible。 The same book in the hands of a skilful
narrator may be made to afford delight to children both of five and ten。
The following are merely the inferences drawn from my own experience。
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They must be modified by each teacher according to the conditions of her
small audience。 In general； I believe it to be wise to plan the choice of
stories much as indicated in the table。
At a later stage； varying with the standard of capacity of different
classes； we find the temper of mind which asks continually； 〃Is that true？〃
To meet this demand； one draws on historical and scientific anecdote； and
on reminiscence。 But the demand is never so exclusive that fictitious
narrative need be cast aside。 All that is necessary is to state frankly that the
story you are telling is 〃just a story；〃 orif it be the casethat it is 〃part
true and part story。〃
At all stages I would urge the telling of Bible stories； as far as is
allowed by the special circumstances of the school。 These are stories from
a source unsurpassed in our literature for purity of style and loftiness of
subject。 More especially I urge the telling of the Christ…story； in such parts
as seem likely to be within the grasp of the several classes。 In all Bible
stories it is well to keep as near as possible to the original unimprovable
text。＇1＇ Some amplification can be made； but no excessive modernising or
simplifying is excusable in face of the austere grace and majestic
simplicity of the original。 Such adaptation as helps to cut the long
narrative into separate units； making each an intelligible story； I have
ventured to illustrate according to my own personal taste； in two stories
given in Chapter VI。 The object of the usual modernising or enlarging of
the text may be far better attained for the child listener by infusing into the
text as it stands a strong realising sense of its meaning and vitality； letting
it give its own message through a fit medium of expression。
＇1＇ Stories from the Old Testament； by S。 Platt； retells the Old
Testament story as nearly as possible in the actual words of the Authorised
Version。
The stories given are grouped as illustrations of the types suitable for
different stages。 They are； however； very often interchangeable； and many
stories can be told successfully to all classes。 A vitally good story is little
limited in its appeal。 It is； nevertheless； a help to have certain plain results
of experience as a basis for choice； that which is given is intended only for
such a basis； not in the least as a final list。
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
CERTAIN TYPES OF STORY CLASSIFIED
FOR KINDERGARTEN AND CLASS I。：
Little Rhymed Stories （including the best of the nursery rhymes and
the more poetic fragments of Mother Goose） Stories with Rhyme in Parts
Nature Stories （in which th