stories to tell to children-第18章

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a　pause　and　an　expressive　gesture　do　the　whole

thing。



It　may　be　said　here　that　it　is　a　good　trick　of

description　to　repeat　an　epithet　or　phrase　once

used；　when　referring　again　to　the　same　thing。

The　recurrent　adjectives　of　Homer　were　the

device　of　one　who　entertained　a　childlike

audience。　　His　trick　is　unconscious　and

instinctive　with　people　who　have　a　natural　gift

for　children's　stories。　　Of　course　this　matter

also　demands　common　sense　in　the　degree　of　its

use；　in　moderation　it　is　a　most　successful　device。



Brevity；　close　logical　sequence；　exclusion　of

foreign　matter；　unhesitant　speech；to　use　these

is　to　tell　a　story　directly。



After　simplicity　and　directness；　comes　that

quality　which　to　advise；　is　to　become　a　rock　of

offence　to　many。　　It　is　the　suggestion；　〃Tell

the　story　DRAMATICALLY。〃　　Yet　when　we　quite

understand　each　other　as　to　the　meaning　of

〃dramatically；〃　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me

that　a　good　story…teller　includes　this　in　his

qualities　of　manner。　　It　means；　not　in　the

manner　of　the　elocutionist；　not　excitably；　not

any　of　the　things　which　are　incompatible　with

simplicity　and　sincerity；　but　with　a　whole…

hearted　throwing　of　oneself　into　the　game；

which　identifies　one　in　a　manner　with　the

character　or　situation　of　the　moment。　　It　means

responsively；　vividly；　without　interposing　a　blank

wall　of　solid　self　between　the　drama　of　the　tale

and　the　mind's　eye　of　the　audience。



It　is　such　fun；　pure　and　simple；　so　to　throw

oneself　into　it；　and　to　see　the　answering

expressions　mimic　one's　own；　that　it　seems

superfluous　to　urge　it。　　Yet　many　persons　do

find　it　difficult。　　The　instant；　slight　but

suggestive　change　of　voice；　the　use　of　onomatopoetic

words；　the　response　of　eyes　and　hands；

which　are　all　immediate　and　spontaneous　with

some　temperaments；　are　to　others　a　matter　of

shamefacedness　and　labour。　　To　those；　to　all

who　are　not　by　nature　bodily　expressive；　I

would　reiterate　the　injunction　already　given；

not　to　pretend。　　Do　nothing　you　cannot　do

naturally　and　happily。　　But　lay　your　stress　on

the　inner　and　spiritual　effort　to　appreciate；　to

feel；　to　imagine　out　the　tale；　and　let　the

expressiveness　of　your　body　grow　gradually　with

the　increasing　freedom　from　crippling　self…

consciousness。　　The　physique　will　become　more

mobile　as　the　emotion　does。



The　expression　must；　however；　always　REMAIN

SUGGESTIVE　RATHER　THAN　ILLUSTRATIVE。　　This

is　the　side　of　the　case　which　those　who　are

over…dramatic　must　not　forget。　　The　story…

teller　is　not　playing　the　parts　of　his　stories；

he　is　merely　arousing　the　imagination　of　his

hearers　to　picture　the　scenes　for　themselves。

One　element　of　the　dual　consciousness　of　the

tale…teller　remains　always　the　observer；　the

reporter；　the　quiet　outsider。



I　like　to　think　of　the　story…teller　as　a　good

fellow　standing　at　a　great　window　overlooking

a　busy　street　or　a　picturesque　square；　and

reporting　with　gusto　to　the　comrade　in　the　rear

of　the　room　what　of　mirth　or　sadness　he　sees；

he　hints　at　the　policeman's　strut；　the　organ…

grinder's　shrug；　the　schoolgirl's　gaiety；　with　a

gesture　or　two　which　is　born　of　an　irresistible

impulse　to　imitate；　but　he　never　leaves　his

fascinating　post　to　carry　the　imitation　further

than　a　hint。



The　verity　of　this　figure　lies　in　the　fact　that

the　dramatic　quality　of　story…telling　depends

closely　upon　the　CLEARNESS　AND　POWER　WITH　WHICH

THE　STORY…TELLER　VISUALISES　THE　EVENTS　AND　CHARACTERS

HE　DESCRIBES。　　You　must　hold　the　image　before

the　mind's　eye；　using　your　imagination　to

embody　to　yourself　every　act；　incident　and

　appearance。　　You　must；　indeed；　stand　at　the　window

of　your　consciousness　and　watch　what　happens。



This　is　a　point　so　vital　that　I　am　tempted

to　put　it　in　ornate　type。　　You　must　SEE　what

you　SAY！



It　is　not　too　much；　even；　to　say；　〃You　must

see　more　than　you　say。〃　　True　vividness　is　lent

by　a　background　of　picture　realised　by　the

listener　beyond　what　you　tell　him。　　Children

see；　as　a　rule；　no　image　you　do　not　see；　they

see　most　clearly　what　you　see　most　largely。

Draw；　then；　from　a　full　well；　not　from　a　supply

so　low　that　the　pumps　wheeze　at　every　pull。



Dramatic　power　of　the　reasonably　quiet　and

suggestive　type　demanded　for　telling　a　story

will　come　pretty　surely　in　the　train　of　effort

along　these　lines；　it　follows　the　clear　concept

and　sincerity　in　imparting　it；　and　is　a　natural

consequence　of　the　visualising　imagination。



It　is　inextricably　bound　up；　also；　with　the

causes　and　results　of　the　quality　which　finds

place　in　my　final　injunction；　to　tell　your　story

WITH　ZEST。　　It　might　almost　be　assumed　that

the　final　suggestion　renders　the　preceding　one

superfluous；　so　direct　is　the　effect　of　a　lively

interest　on　the　dramatic　quality　of　a　narration；

but　it　would　not　of　itself　be　adequate；　the

necessity　of　visualising　imagination　is　paramount。

Zest　is；　however；　a　close　second　to

this　clearness　of　mental　vision。　　It　is　entirely

necessary　to　be　interested　in　your　own　story；

to　enjoy　it　as　you　tell　it。　　If　you　are　bored　and

tired；　the　children　will　soon　be　bored　and　tired；

too。　　If　you　are　not　interested　your　manner

cannot　get　that　vitalised　spontaneity　which

makes　dramatic　power　possible。　　Nothing　else

will　give　that　relish　on　the　lips；　that　gusto；

which　communicates　its　joy　to　the　audience

and　makes　it　receptive　to　every　impression。

I　used　to　say　to　teachers；　〃Tell　your　story

with　all　your　might；〃　but　I　found　that　this

by　a　natural　misconception　was　often　interpreted

to　mean　〃laboriously。〃　　And　of　course

nothing　is　more　injurious　to　the　enjoyment　of

an　audience　than　obvious　effort　on　the　part

of　the　entertainer。　　True　zest　can　beoften

isextremely　quiet；　but　it　gives　a　savour

nothing　else　can　impart。



〃But　how；　at　the　end　of　a　hard　morning's

work；　can　I　be　interested　in　a　story　I　have　told

twenty　times　before？〃　asks　the　kindergarten　or

primary　teacher；　not　without　reason。



There　are　two　things　to　be　said。　　The　first　is

a　reminder　of　the　wisdom　of　choosing　stories　in

which　you　originally　have　interest；　and　of　having

a　store　large　enough　to　permit　variety。　　The

second　applies　to　those　inevitable　times　of　weariness

which　attack　the　most　interested　and　well…

stocked　story…teller。　　You　are；　perhaps；　tired

out　physically。　　You　have　told　a　certain　story

till　it　seems　as　if　a　repetition　of　it　must　produce

bodily　effects　dire　to　contemplate；　yet　that

happens　to　be　the　very　story　you　must　tell。

What　can　you　do？　　I　answer；　〃Make　believe。〃

The　device　seems　incongruous　with　the　repeated

warnings　against　pretence；　but　it　is　necessary；

and　it　is　wise。　　Pretend　as　hard　as　ever　you　can

to　be　interested。　　And　the　result　will　bebefore

you　know　itthat　you　will　BE　interested。　　That

is　the　chief　cause　of　the　recommendation；　it

brings　about　the　result　it　simulates。　　Make

believe；　as　well　as　you　know　how；　and　the

probability　is　that　you　will　not　even　know　when　the

transition　from　pretended　to　real　interest　comes。



And　fortunately；　the　children　never　know　the

difference。　　They　have　not　that　psychological

infallibility　which　is　often　attributed　to　them。

They　might；　indeed；　detect　a　pretence　which

continued　through　a　whole　tale；　but　that　is　so

seldom　necessary　that　it　needs　little　consideration。



So　then：　enjoy　your　story；　be　interested　in

it；if　you　possibly　can；　and　if　you　cannot；

pretend　to　be；　till　the　very　pretence　brings

about　the　virtue　you　have　assumed。



There　is　much　else　which　might　be　said　and

urged　regarding　the　method　of　story…telling；　even

without　encroaching　on　the　domain　of　personal

variations。　　A　whole　chapter　might；　for　example；

be　devoted　to　voice　and　enunciation；　and　then

leave　the　subject　fertile。　　But　voice　and　enunciation

are　after　all　merely　single　manifestations　of

degree　and　quality　of　culture；　of　taste；　and　of

natural　gift。　　No