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The faces relaxed into amused smiles； sobered in unconscious sympathy；
finally broke in ripples of mirth。 The story…teller had come to her own。
The memory of the college girls listening to the mouse…story brought
other memories with it。 Many a swift composite view of faces passed
before my mental vision； faces with the child's look on them； yet not the
faces of children。 And of the occasions to which the faces belonged； those
were most vivid which were earliest in my experience。 For it was those
early experiences which first made me realise the modern possibilities of
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
the old； old art of telling stories。
It had become a part of my work； some years ago； to give English
lectures on German literature。 Many of the members of my class were
unable to read in the original the works with which I dealt； and as these
were modern works； it was rarely possible to obtain translations。
For this reason； I gradually formed the habit of telling the story of the
drama or novel in question before passing to a detailed consideration of it。
I enjoyed this part of the lesson exceedingly； but it was some time before I
realised how much the larger part of the lesson it had become to the class。
They usedand they were mature womento wait for the story as if it
were a sugarplum and they； children； and to grieve openly if it were
omitted。 Substitution of reading from a translation was greeted with
precisely the same abatement of eagerness that a child shows when he has
asked you to tell a story； and you offer； instead； to 〃read one from the
pretty book。〃 And so general and constant were the tokens of enjoyment
that there could ultimately be no doubt of the power which the mere story…
telling exerted。
The attitude of the grown…up listeners did but illustrate the general
difference between the effect of telling a story and of reading one。
Everyone who knows children well has felt the difference。 With few
exceptions； children listen twice as eagerly to a story told as to one read；
and even a 〃recitation〃 or a so…called 〃reading〃 has not the charm for them
that the person wields who can 〃tell a story。〃 And there are sound reasons
for their preference。
The great difference； including lesser ones； between telling and
reading is that the teller is free； the reader is bound。 The book in hand； or
the wording of it in mind； binds the reader。 The story…teller is bound by
nothing； he stands or sits； free to watch his audience； free to follow or lead
every changing mood； free to use body； eyes； voice； as aids in expression。
Even his mind is unbound； because he lets the story come in the words of
the moment； being so full of what he has to say。 For this reason； a story
told is more spontaneous than one read； however well read。 And；
consequently； the connection with the audience is closer； more electric；
than is possible when the book or its wording intervenes。
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
Beyond this advantage； is the added charm of the personal element in
story…telling。 When you make a story your own and tell it； the listener gets
the story； PLUS YOUR APPRECIATION OF IT。 It comes to him filtered
through your own enjoyment。 That is what makes the funny story thrice
funnier on the lips of a jolly raconteur than in the pages of a memoir。 It is
the filter of personality。 Everybody has something of the curiosity of the
primitive man concerning his neighbour； what another has in his own
person felt and done has an especial hold on each one of us。 The most
cultured of audiences will listen to the personal reminiscences of an
explorer with a different tingle of interest from that which it feels for a
scientific lecture on the results of the exploration。 The longing for the
personal in experience is a very human longing。 And this instinct or
longing is especially strong in children。 It finds expression in their delight
in tales of what father or mother did when they were little； of what
happened to grandmother when she went 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
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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 nonsens