stories to tell to children-第3章

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access　of　enthusiasm　for　stories　in　education

has　led　many　people　to　claim　very　wide　and

very　vaguely　outlined　territory　for　their

possession；　and　often　to　lay　heaviest　stress　on

their　least　essential　functions。　　The　most

important　instance　of　this　is　the　fervour　with

which　many　compilers　of　stories　for　school

have　directed　their　efforts　solely　toward

the　ration　of　natural　phenomena。　　Geology；

zoology；　botany；　and　even　physics　are　taught

by　means　of　more　or　less　happily　constructed

narratives　based　on　the　simpler　facts　of　these

sciences。　　Kindergarten　teachers　are　familiar

with　such　narratives：　the　little　stories　of

chrysalis…breaking；　flower…growth；　and　the　like。

Now　this　is　a　perfectly　proper　and　practicable

aim；　but　it　is　not　a　primary　one。　　Others；　to

which　at　best　this　is　but　secondary；　should

have　first　place　and　receive　greatest　attention。



What　is　a　story；　essentially？　　Is　it　a　textbook

of　science；　an　appendix　to　the　geography；

an　introduction　to　the　primer　of　history？　　Of

course　it　is　not。　　A　story　is　essentially　and

primarily　a　work　of　art；　and　its　chief　function

must　be　sought　in　the　line　of　the　uses　of　art。

Just　as　the　drama　is　capable　of　secondary　uses；

yet　fails　abjectly　to　realise　its　purpose　when

those　are　substituted　for　its　real　significance

as　a　work　of　art；　so　does　the　story　lend　itself

to　subsidiary　purposes；　but　claims　first　and

most　strongly　to　be　recognised　in　its　real

significance　as　a　work　of　art。　　Since　the　drama

deals　with　life　in　all　its　parts；　it　can　exemplify

sociological　theory；　it　can　illustrate　economic

principle；　it　can　even　picture　politics；　but　the

drama　which　does　these　things　only；　has　no

breath　of　its　real　life　in　its　being；　and　dies　

when　the　wind　of　popular　tendency　veers　from

its　direction。　　So；　you　can　teach　a　child

interesting　facts　about　bees　and　butterflies　by　telling

him　certain　stories；　and　you　can　open　his　eyes

to　colours　and　processes　in　nature　by　telling

certain　others；　but　unless　you　do　something

more　than　that　and　before　that；　you　are　as

one　who　should　use　the　Venus　of　Milo　for　a

demonstration　in　anatomy。



The　message　of　the　story　is　the　message　of

beauty；　as　effective　as　that　message　in　marble

or　paint。　　Its　part　in　the　economy　of　life　is　TO

GIVE　JOY。　　And　the　purpose　and　working　of　the

joy　is　found　in　that　quickening　of　the　spirit

which　answers　every　perception　of　the　truly

beautiful　in　the　arts　of　man。　　To　give　joy；　in

and　through　the　joy　to　stir　and　feed　the　life

of　the　spirit：　is　not　this　the　legitimate　function

of　the　story　in　education？



Because　I　believe　it　to　be　such；　not　because

I　ignore　the　value　of　other　uses；　I　venture　to

push　aside　all　aims　which　seem　secondary　to

this　for　later　mention　under　specific　heads。

Here　in　the　beginning　of　our　consideration　I

wish　to　emphasise　this　element　alone。　　A　story

is　a　work　of　art。　　Its　greatest　use　to　the　child

is　in　the　everlasting　appeal　of　beauty　by　which

the　soul　of　man　is　constantly　pricked　to　new

hungers；　quickened　to　new　perceptions　and　so

given　desire　to　grow。



The　obvious　practical　bearing　of　this　is　that

story…telling　is　first　of　all　an　art　of　entertainment；

like　the　stage；　its　immediate　purpose　is

the　pleasure　of　the　hearer；his　pleasure；　not

his　instruction；　first。



Now　the　story…teller　who　has　given　the

listening　children　such　pleasure　as　I　mean　may

or　may　not　have　added　a　fact　to　the　content　of

their　minds；　she　has　inevitably　added　something

to　the　vital　powers　of　their　souls。　　She

has　given　a　wholesome　exercise　to　the　emotional

muscles　of　the　spirit；　has　opened　up　new

windows　to　the　imagination；　and　added　some

line　or　colour　to　the　ideal　of　life　and　art　which

is　always　taking　form　in　the　heart　of　a　child。

She　has；　in　short；　accomplished　the　one　greatest

aim　of　story…telling；to　enlarge　and　enrich　the

child's　spiritual　experience；　and　stimulate　healthy

reaction　upon　it。



Of　course　this　result　cannot　be　seen　and

proved　as　easily　and　early　as　can　the　apprehension

of　a　fact。　　The　most　one　can　hope　to

recognise　is　its　promise；　and　this　is　found　in

the　tokens　of　that　genuine　pleasure　which　is

itself　the　means　of　accomplishment。　　It　is；

then；　the　signs　of　right　pleasure　which　the

story…teller　must　look　to　for　her　guide；　and

which　it　must　be　her　immediate　aim　to　evoke。

As　for　the　recognition　of　the　signs；no　one

who　has　ever　seen　the　delight　of　a　real　child

over　a　real　story　can　fail　to　know　the　signals

when　given；　or　flatter　himself　into　belief　in

them　when　absent。



Intimately　connected　with　the　enjoyment

given　are　two　very　practically　beneficial　results

which　the　story…teller　may　hope　to　obtain；　and

at　least　one　of　which　will　be　a　kind　of　reward

to　herself。　　The　first　is　a　relaxation　of　the　tense

schoolroom　atmosphere；　valuable　for　its　refreshing

recreative　power。　　The　second　result；　or

aim；　is　not　so　obvious；　but　is　even　more

desirable；　it　is　this：　story…telling　is　at　once　one

of　the　simplest　and　quickest　ways　of　establishing

a　happy　relation　between　teacher　and

children；　and　one　of　the　most　effective　methods

of　forming　the　habit　of　fixed　attention　in　the　latter。



If　you　have　never　seen　an　indifferent　child

aroused　or　a　hostile　one　conquered　to　affection

by　a　beguiling　tale；　you　can　hardly　appreciate

the　truth　of　the　first　statement；　but　nothing

is　more　familiar　in　the　story…teller's　experience。

An　amusing；　butto　metouching　experience

recently　reaffirmed　in　my　mind　this　power　of

the　story　to　establish　friendly　relations。



My　three…year…old　niece；　who　had　not　seen

me　since　her　babyhood；　being　told　that　Aunt

Sara　was　coming　to　visit　her；　somehow　confused

the　expected　guest　with　a　more　familiar　aunt；

my　sister。　　At　sight　of　me；　her　rush　of　welcome

relapsed　into　a　puzzled　and　hurt　withdrawal；

which　yielded　to　no　explanations　or　proffers　of

affection。　　All　the　first　day　she　followed　me

about　at　a　wistful　distance；　watching　me　as　if

I　might　at　any　moment　turn　into　the　well…known

and　beloved　relative　I　ought　to　have　been。

Even　by　undressing　time　I　had　not　progressed

far　enough　to　be　allowed　intimate　approach　to

small　sacred　nightgowns　and　diminutive　shirts。

The　next　morning；　when　I　opened　the　door　of

the　nursery　where　her　maid　was　brushing　her

hair；　the　same　dignity　radiated　from　the　little

round　figure　perched　on　its　high　chair；　the　same

almost　hostile　shyness　gazed　at　me　from　the

great　expressive　eyes。　　Obviously；　it　was　time

for　something　to　be　done。



Disregarding　my　lack　of　invitation；　I　drew

up　a　stool；　and　seating　myself　opposite　the

small　unbending　person；　began　in　a　conversational

murmur：　　〃Mm；　I　guess　those　are

tingly…tanglies　up　there　in　that　curl　Lottie's

combing；　did　you　ever　hear　about　the　tingly…

tanglies？　　They　live　in　little　girls'　hair；　and

they　aren't　any　bigger　than　THAT；　and　when

anybody　tries　to　comb　the　hair　they　curl　both

weeny　legs　round；　SO；　and　hold　on　tight　with

both　weeny　hands；　SO；　and　won't　let　go！〃　　As

I　paused；　my　niece　made　a　queer　little　sound

indicative　of　query　battling　with　reserve。　　I

pursued　the　subject：　　〃They　like　best　to　live

right　over　a　little　girl's　ear；　or　down　in　her　neck；

because　it　is　easier　to　hang　on；　there；　tingly…

tanglies　are　very　smart；　indeed。〃



〃What's　ti…ly…ta…lies？〃　asked　a　curious；

guttural　little　voice。



I　explained　the　nature　and　genesis　of　tingly…

tanglies；　as　revealed　to　me　some　decades　before

by　my　inventive　mother；　and　proceeded　to

develop　their　simple　adventures。　　When　next　I

paused　the　small　guttural　voice　demanded；

〃Say　more；〃　and　I　joyously　obeyed。



When　the　curls　were　all　curled　and　the　last

little　button　buttoned；　my　baby　niece　climbed

hastily　down　from　her　chair；　and　deliberately　up

into　my　lap。　　With　a　caress　rare　to　her　habit　she

spoke　my　name；　slowly　and　tentatively；　〃An…ty

Sai…ry？〃　　Then；　in　an　assured　tone；　〃A