how to tell stories to children-第1章

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How　To　Tell　Stories　To　Children　And　Some　Stories　To　Tell

by　Sara　Cone　Bryant



Concerning　the　fundamental　points　of　method　in　telling　a　story；　I　have　little　to　add　to　the　principles　which　I　have　already　stated　as　necessary；　in　my　opinion；　in　the　book　of　which　this　is；　in　a　way；　the　continuation。　　But　in　the　two　years　which　have　passed　since　that　book　was　written；　I　have　had　the　happiness　of　working　on　stories　and　the　telling　of　them；　among　teachers　and　students　all　over　this　country；　and　in　that　experience　certain　secondary　points　of　method　have　come　to　seem　more　important；　or　at　least　more　in　need　of　emphasis；　than　they　did　before。　　As　so　often　happens；　I　had　assumed　that　〃those　things　are　taken　for　granted；〃　whereas；　to　the　beginner　or　the　teacher　not　naturally　a　story…teller；　the　secondary　or　implied　technique　is　often　of　greater　difficulty　than　the　mastery　of　underlying　principles。　　The　　few　suggestions　which　follow　are　of　this　practical；　obvious　kind。

Take　your　story　seriously。　　No　matter　how　riotously　absurd　it　is；　or　how　full　of　inane　repetition；　remember；　if　it　is　good　enough　to　tell；　it　is　a　real　story；　and　must　be　treated　with　respect。　　If　you　cannot　feel　so　toward　it；　do　not　tell　it。　　Have　faith　in　the　story；　and　in　the　attitude　of　the　children　toward　it　and　you。　　If　you　fail　in　this；　the　immediate　result　will　be　a　touch　of　shame…　facedness；　affecting　your　manner　unfavorably；　and；　probably；　influencing　your　accuracy　and　imaginative　vividness。

Perhaps　I　can　make　the　point　clearer　by　telling　you　about　one　of　the　girls　in　a　class　which　was　studying　stories　last　winter；　I　feel　sure　if　she　or　any　of　her　fellow　students　recognizes　the　incident；　she　will　not　resent　being　made　to　serve　the　good　cause；　even　in　the　unattractive　guise　of　a　warning　example。

A　few　members　of　the　class　had　prepared　the　story　of　〃The　Fisherman　and　his　Wife。〃　　The　first　girl　called　on　was　evidently　inclined　to　feel　that　it　was　rather　a　foolish　story。　　She　tried　to　tell　it　well；　　but　there　were　parts　of　it　which　produced　in　her　the　touch　of　shamefacedness　to　which　I　have　referred。

When　she　came　to　the　rhyme；

　〃O　man　of　the　sea；　come；　listen　to　me；　　For　Alice；　my　wife；　the　plague　of　my　life；　　Has　sent　me　to　beg　a　boon　of　thee；〃

she　said　it　rather　rapidly。　　At　the　first　repetition　she　said　it　still　more　rapidly；　the　next　time　she　came　to　the　jingle　she　said　it　so　fast　and　so　low　that　it　was　unintelligible；　and　the　next　recurrence　was　too　much　for　her。　　With　a　blush　and　a　hesitating　smile　she　said；　〃And　he　said　that　same　thing；　you　know！〃　　Of　course　everybody　laughed；　and　of　course　the　thread　of　interest　and　illusion　was　hopelessly　broken　for　everybody。

Now；　any　one　who　chanced　to　hear　Miss　Shedlock　tell　that　same　story　will　remember　that　the　absurd　rhyme　gave　great　opportunity　for　expression；　in　its　very　repetition；　each　time　that　the　fisherman　came　to　the　water's　edge　his　chagrin　and　unwillingness　was　greater；　and　his　summons　to　the　magic　fish　mirrored　his　feeling。　　The　jingle　IS　foolish；　that　is　a　part　of　the　charm。　　But　if　the　person　who　tells　it　FEELS　foolish；　there　is　no　charm　at　all！　　It　is　the　same　principle　which　applies　to　any　address　to　any　assemblage：　if　the　speaker　has　the　air　of　finding　what　he　has　to　say　absurd　or　unworthy　of　effort；　the　audience　naturally　tends　to　follow　his　lead；　and　find　it　not　worth　listening　to。

Let　me　urge；　then；　take　your　story　seriously。

Next；　〃take　your　time。〃　　This　suggestion　needs　explaining；　perhaps。　　It　does　not　mean　license　to　dawdle。　　Nothing　is　much　more　annoying　in　a　speaker　than　too　great　deliberateness；　or　than　hesitation　of　speech。　　But　it　means　a　quiet　realization　of　the　fact　that　the　floor　is　yours；　everybody　wants　to　hear　you；　there　is　time　enough　for　every　point　and　shade　of　meaning　and　no　one　will　think　the　story　too　long。　　This　mental　attitude　must　underlie　proper　control　of　speed。　　Never　hurry。　　A　business…like　leisure　is　the　true　attitude　of　the　storyteller。

And　the　result　is　best　attained　by　concentrating　one's　attention　on　the　episodes　of　the　story。　　Pass　lightly；　and　comparatively　　swiftly；　over　the　portions　between　actual　episodes；　but　take　all　the　time　you　need　for　the　elaboration　of　those。　　And　above　all；　do　not　FEEL　hurried。

The　next　suggestion　is　eminently　plain　and　practical；　if　not　an　all　too　obvious　one。　It　is　this：　if　all　your　preparation　and　confidence　fails　you　at　the　crucial　moment；　and　memory　plays　the　part　of　traitor　in　some　particular；　if；　in　short；　you　blunder　on　a　detail　of　the　story；　NEVER　ADMIT　IT。　　If　it　was　an　unimportant　detail　which　you　misstated；　pass　right　on；　accepting　whatever　you　said；　and　continuing　with　it；　if　you　have　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　omit　a　fact　which　was　a　necessary　link　in　the　chain；　put　it　in；　later；　as　skillfully　as　you　can；　and　with　as　deceptive　an　appearance　of　its　being　in　the　intended　order；　but　never　take　the　children　behind　the　scenes；　and　let　them　hear　the　creaking　of　your　mental　machinery。　You　must　be　infallible。　　You　must　be　in　the　secret　of　the　mystery；　and　admit　your　audience　on　somewhat　unequal　terms；　they　should　have　no　creeping　doubts　as　to　your　complete　initiation　into　the　secrets　of　the　happenings　you　relate。

Plainly；　there　can　be　lapses　of　memory　so　complete；　so　all…embracing；　that　frank　failure　is　the　only　outcome；　but　these　are　so　few　as　not　to　need　consideration；　when　dealing　with　so　simple　material　as　that　of　children's　stories。　　There　are　times；　too；　before　an　adult　audience；　when　a　speaker　can　afford　to　let　his　hearers　be　amused　with　him　over　a　chance　mistake。　　But　with　children　it　is　most　unwise　to　break　the　spell　of　the　entertainment　in　that　way。　　Consider；　in　the　matter　of　a　detail　of　action　or　description；　how　absolutely　unimportant　the　mere　accuracy　is；　compared　with　the　effect　of　smoothness　and　the　enjoyment　of　the　hearers。　　They　will　not　remember　the　detail；　for　good　or　evil；　half　so　long　as　they　will　remember　the　fact　that　you　did　not　know　it。　　So；　for　their　sakes；　as　well　as　for　the　success　of　your　story；　cover　your　slips　of　memory；　and　let　them　be　as　if　they　were　not。

And　now　I　come　to　two　points　in　method　which　have　to　do　especially　with　humorous　stories。　　The　first　is　the　power　of　initiating　the　appreciation　of　the　joke。　　Every　natural　humorist　does　this　by　instinct　and　the　　value　of　the　power　to　story…teller　can　hardly　be　overestimated。　　To　initiate　appreciation　does　not　mean　that　one　necessarily　gives　way　to　mirth；　though　even　that　is　sometimes　natural　and　effective；　one　merely　feels　the　approach　of　the　humorous　climax；　and　subtly　suggests　to　the　hearers　that　it　will　soon　be　〃time　to　laugh。〃　　The　suggestion　usually　comes　in　the　form　of　facial　expression；　and　in　the　tone。　　And　children　are　so　much　simpler；　and　so　much　more　accustomed　to　following　another's　lead　than　their　elders；　that　the　expression　can　be　much　more　outright　and　unguarded　than　would　be　permissible　with　a　mature　audience。

Children　like　to　feel　the　joke　coming；　in　this　way；　they　love　the　anticipation　of　a　laugh；　and　they　will　begin　to　dimple；　often；　at　your　first　unconscious　suggestion　of　humor。　　If　it　is　lacking；　they　are　sometimes　afraid　to　follow　their　own　instincts。　Especially　when　you　are　facing　an　audience　of　grown　people　and　children　together；　you　will　find　that　the　latter　are　very　hesitant　about　initiating　their　own　expression　of　humor。　　It　is　more　difficult　to　make　them　　forget　their　surroundings　then；　and　more　desirable　to　give　them　a　happy　lead。　　Often　at　the　funniest　point　you　will　see　some　small　listener　in　an　agony　of　endeavor　to　cloak　the　mirth　which　hepoor　mite　fears　to　be　indecorous。　　Let　him　see　that　it　is　〃the　thing〃　to　laugh；　and　that　everybody　is　going　to。

Having　so　stimulated　the　appreciation　of　the　humorous　climax；　it　is　important　to　give　your　hearers　time　for　the　full　savor　of　the　jest　to　permeate　their　consciousness。　It　is　really　robbing　an　audience　of　its　rights；　to　pass　so　quickly　from　one　point　to　another　that　the　mind　must　lose　a　new　one　if　it　lingers　to　take　in　the　old。　　Every　vital　point　in　a　tale　must　be　given　a　certain　amount　of　time：　by　an　anticipatory　pause；　by　some　form　of　vocal　or　repetitive　emphasis；　and　by　actual　time。　　But　even　more　than　other　tales　does　the　fu