how to tell stories to children-第5节

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ing　the　immense　importance　of　the　teacher's　habit。　　This　is　what　it　all　comes　to　ultimately；　the　teacher　of　young　children　must　be　a　person　who　can　speak　English　as　it　should　be　spoken；purely；　clearly；　pleasantly；　and　with　force。

It　is　a　hard　ideal　to　live　up　to；　but　it　is　　a　valuable　ideal　to　try　to　live　up　to。　　And　one　of　the　best　chances　to　work　toward　attainment　is　in　telling　stories；　for　there　you　have　definite　material；　which　you　can　work　into　shape　and　practice　on　in　private。　That　practice　ought　to　include　conscious　thought　as　to　one's　general　manner　in　the　schoolroom；　and　intelligent　effort　to　understand　and　improve　one's　own　voice。　　I　hope　I　shall　not　seem　to　assume　the　dignity　of　an　authority　which　no　personal　taste　can　claim；　if　I　beg　a　hearing　for　the　following　elements　of　manner　and　voice；　which　appeal　to　me　as　essential。　　They　will；　probably；　appear　self…evident　to　my　readers；　yet　they　are　often　found　wanting　in　the　public　school…teacher；　it　is　so　much　easier　to　say　〃what　were　good　to　do〃　than　to　do　it！

Three　elements　of　manner　seem　to　me　an　essential　adjunct　to　the　personality　of　a　teacher　of　little　children：　courtesy；　repose　vitality。　　Repose　and　vitality　explain　themselves；　by　courtesy　I　specifically　do　NOT　mean　the　habit　of　mind　which　contents　itself　with　drilling　children　in　〃Good…　mornings〃　and　in　hat…liftings。　　I　mean　the　attitude　of　mind　which　recognizes　in　　the　youngest；　commonest　child；　the　potential　dignity；　majesty；　and　mystery　of　the　developed　human　soul。　　Genuine　reverence　for　the　humanity　of　the　〃other　fellow〃　marks　a　definite　degree　of　courtesy　in　the　intercourse　of　adults；　does　it　not？　　And　the　same　quality　of　respect；　tempered　by　the　demands　of　a　wise　control；　is　exactly　what　is　needed　among　children。　　Again　and　again；　in　dealing　with　young　minds；　the　teacher　who　respects　personality　as　sacred；　no　matter　how　embryonic　it　be；　wins　the　victories　which　count　for　true　education。　　Yet；　all　too　often；　we　forget　the　claims　of　this　reverence；　in　the　presence　of　the　annoyances　and　the　needed　corrections。

As　for　voice：　work　in　schoolrooms　brings　two　opposing　mistakes　constantly　before　me：　one　is　the　repressed　voice；　and　the　other；　the　forced。　　The　best　way　to　avoid　either　extreme；　is　to　keep　in　mind　that　the　ideal　is　development　of　one's　own　natural　voice；　along　its　own　natural　lines。　A　〃quiet；　gentle　voice〃　is　conscientiously　aimed　at　by　many　young　teachers；　with　so　great　zeal　that　the　tone　becomes　painfully　　repressed；　〃breathy；〃　and　timid。　　This　is　quite　as　unpleasant　as　a　loud　voice；　which　is；　in　turn；　a　frequent　result　of　early　admonitions　to　〃speak　up。〃　　Neither　is　natural。　It　is　wise　to　determine　the　natural　volume　and　pitch　of　one's　speaking　voice　by　a　number　of　tests；　made　when　one　is　thoroughly　rested；　at　ease；　and　alone。　　Find　out　where　your　voice　lies　when　it　is　left　to　itself；　under　favorable　conditions；　by　reading　something　aloud　or　by　listening　to　yourself　as　you　talk　to　an　intimate　friend。　　Then　practise　keeping　it　in　that　general　range；　unless　it　prove　to　have　a　distinct　fault；　such　as　a　nervous　sharpness；　or　hoarseness。　　A　quiet　voice　is　good；　a　hushed　voice　is　abnormal。　　A　clear　tone　is　restful；　but　a　loud　one　is　wearying。

Perhaps　the　common…sense　way　of　setting　a　standard　for　one's　own　voice　is　to　remember　that　the；　purpose　of　a　speaking　voice　is　to　communicate　with　others；　their　ears　and　minds　are　the　receivers　of　our　tones。　　For　this　purpose；　evidently；　a　voice　should　be；　first　of　all；　easy　to　hear；　next；　pleasant　to　hear；　next；　susceptible　of　sufficient　variation　to　express　a　wide　range　of　　meaning；　and　finally；　indicative　of　personality。

Is　it　too　quixotic　to　urge　teachers　who　tell　stories　to　little　children　to　bear　these　thoughts；　and　better　ones　of　their　own；　in　mind？　　Not；　I　think；　if　it　be　fully　accepted　that　the　story　hour；　as　a　play　hour；　is　a　time　peculiarly　open　to　influences　affecting　the　imitative　faculty；　that　this　faculty　is　especially　valuable　in　forming　fine　habits　of　speech；　and　that　an　increasingly　high　and　general　standard　of　English　speech　is　one　of　our　greatest　needs　and　our　most　instant　opportunities　in　the　American　schools　of　to…day。

And　now　we　come　to　the　stories！



STORIES　TO　TELL　TO　CHILDREN

TWO　LITTLE　RIDDLES　IN　RHYME＇1＇

＇1＇　　These　riddles　were　taken　from　the　Gaelic；　and　are　charming　examples　of　the　naive　beauty　of　the　old　Irish；　and　of　Dr。　Hyde's　accurate　and　sympathetic　modern　rendering。　　From　〃Beside　the　Fire〃　（David　Nutt；　London）。

There's　a　garden　that　I　ken；　Full　of　little　gentlemen；　Little　caps　of　blue　they　wear；　And　green　ribbons；　very　fair。　（Flax。）

From　house　to　house　he　goes；　A　messenger　small　and　slight；　And　whether　it　rains　or　snows；　He　sleeps　outside　in　the　night。　（The　path。）



THE　LITTLE　PINK　ROSE


Once　there　was　a　little　pink　Rosebud；　and　she　lived　down　in　a　little　dark　house　under　the　ground。　　One　day　she　was　sitting　there；　all　by　herself；　and　it　was　very　still。　　Suddenly；　she　heard　a　little　TAP；　TAP；　TAP；　at　the　door。

〃Who　is　that？〃　she　said。

〃It's　the　Rain；　and　I　want　to　come　in；〃　said　a　soft；　sad；　little　voice。

〃No；　you　can't　come　in；〃　the　little　Rosebud　said。

By　and　by　she　heard　another　little　TAP；　TAP；　TAP　on　the　window　pane。

〃Who　is　there？〃　she　said。

The　same　soft　little　voice　answered；　〃It's　the　Rain；　and　I　want　to　come　in！〃

〃No；　you　can't　come　in；〃　said　the　little　Rosebud。

Then　it　was　very　still　for　a　long　time。　　At　last；　there　came　a　little　rustling；　whispering　sound；　all　round　the　window：　RUSTLE；　WHISPER；　WHISPER。

〃Who　is　there？〃　said　the　little　Rosebud。

〃It's　the　Sunshine；〃　said　a　little；　soft；　cheery　voice；　〃and　I　want　to　come　in！〃

〃Nno；〃　said　the　little　pink　rose；　〃you　can't　come　in。〃　　And　she　sat　still　again。

Pretty　soon　she　heard　the　sweet　little　rustling　noise　at　the　key…hole。

〃Who　is　there？〃　she　said。

〃It's　the　Sunshine；〃　said　the　cheery　little　voice；　〃and　I　want　to　come　in；　I　want　to　come　in！〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　little　pink　rose；　〃you　cannot　come　in。〃

By　and　by；　as　she　sat　so　still；　she　heard　TAP；　TAP；　TAP；　and　RUSTLE；　WHISPER；　RUSTLE；　all　up　and　down　the　window　pane；　and　on　the　door；　and　at　the　key…hole。

〃WHO　IS　THERE？〃　she　said。

〃It's　the　Rain　and　the　Sun；　the　Rain　and　the　Sun；〃　said　two　little　voices；　together；　〃and　we　want　to　come　in！　　We　want　to　come　in！　　We　want　to　come　in！〃

〃Dear；　dear！〃　said　the　little　Rosebud；　〃if　there　are　two　of　you；　I　s'pose　I　shall　have　to　let　you　in。〃

So　she　opened　the　door　a　little　wee　crack；　and　in　they　came。　　And　one　took　one　of　her　little　hands；　and　the　other　took　her　other　little　hand；　and　they　ran；　ran；　ran　with　her；　right　up　to　the　top　of　the　ground。　　Then　they　said；

〃Poke　your　head　through！〃

So　she　poked　her　head　through；　and　she　was　in　the　midst　of　a　beautiful　garden。　　It　was　springtime；　and　all　the　other　flowers　had　their　heads　poked　through；　and　she　was　the　prettiest　little　pink　rose　in　the　whole　garden！


THE　COCK…A…DOO…DLE…DOO＇1＇

＇1＇　From　〃The　Ignominy　of　being　Grown　Up；〃　by　Dr。　Samuel　M。　Crothers；　in　the　Atlantic　Monthly　for　July；　1906。


A　very　little　boy　made　this　story　up　〃out　of　his　head；〃　and　told　it　to　his　papa　I　think　you　littlest　ones　will　like　it；　I　do。

Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　little　boy；　and　he　wanted　to　be　a　cock…a…doo…dle…doo　So　he　was　a　cock…a…doo…dle…doo。　　And　he　wanted　to　fly　up　into　the　sky。　　So　he　did　fly　up　into　the　sky。　　And　he　wanted　to　get　wings　and　a　tail。　　So　he　did　get　some　wings　and　a　tail。



THE　CLOUD＇2＇

＇2＇　Adapted　from　the　German　of　Robert　Reinick's　Maarchen；　Lieder…und　Geschichtenbuch　（Velhagen　und　Klasing；　Bielefeld　and　Leipsic）。


One　hot　summer　morning　a　little　Cloud　rose　out　of　the　sea　and　floated　lightly　and　happily　across　the　blue　sky。　　Far　below　lay　the　earth；　brown；　dry；　and　desolate；　from　drouth。　　The　little　Cloud　could　see　the　poor　people　of　the　earth　working　and　suffering　in　the　hot　fields；　while　she　herself　floated　on　the　morning　breeze；　hither　and　thither；　without　a　care。

〃Oh；　if　I　could　only　help　the　poor　people　down　there！〃　she　thought。　　〃If　I　could　but　make　their　work　easier；　or　give　the　hungry　ones　food；　or　the　thirsty　a　drink！〃

And　as　the　day　passed；　and　the　Cloud　became　larger；　this　wish　to　do　something　for　the　people　of　earth　was　ever　greater　in　her　heart。

On　earth　it　grew　hotter　and　hotter；　the　sun　burned　down　so　fiercely　that　the　people　were　fainting　in　its　rays；　it　seemed　as　if　they　must　die　of　heat；　and　yet　they　were　obliged　to　go　on　with　their　work；　for　they　were　very　poor。　　Sometimes　they　stood　and　looked　up　at　the　Cloud；　as　if　they　were　praying；　and　saying；　〃Ah；　if　you　could　help　us！〃

〃I　will　help　you；　I　will！〃　said　the　Cloud。　And　she　began　to　sink　softly　down　toward　the　earth。

But　suddenly；　as　she　floated　down；　she　　remembered　something　which　had　been　told　her　when　she　was　a　tiny　Cloud…child；　in　the　lap　of　Mother　Ocean：　it　had　been　whispered　that　if　the　Clouds　go　too　near　the　earth　they　die。　　When　she　remembered　this　she　held　herself　from　sinking；　and　swayed　here　and　there　on　the　breeze；　thinking；thinking。　　But　at　last　she　stood　quite　still；　and　spoke　boldly　and　proudly。　She　said；　〃Men　of　earth；　I　will　help　you；　come　what　may！〃

The　thought　made　her　suddenly　marvelously　big　and　strong