stories to tell to children-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



child　possesses　so　much　as　an　enormous　credulity

and　no　limitations。　　If　we　consider　for　a

moment　we　see　that　there　has　been　little　or

nothing　to　limit　things　for　him；　therefore

anything　is　possible。　　It　is　the　years　of　our　life　as

they　come　which　narrow　our　fancies　and　set　a

bound　to　our　beliefs；　for　experience　has　taught

us　that　for　the　most　part　a　certain　cause　will

produce　a　certain　effect。　　The　child；　on　the

contrary；　has　but　little　knowledge　of　causes；　and　as

yet　but　an　imperfect　realisation　of　effects。　　If

we；　for　instance；　go　into　the　midst　of　a　savage

country；　we　know　that　there　is　the　chance　of

our　meeting　a　savage。　　But　to　the　young　child

it　is　quite　as　possible　to　meet　a　Red　Indian

coming　round　the　bend　of　the　brook　at　the

bottom　of　the　orchard；　as　it　is　to　meet　him　in

his　own　wigwam。



The　child　is　an　adept　at　make…believe；　but　his

make…believes　are；　as　a　rule；　practical　and　serious。

It　is　credulity　rather　than　imagination　which

helps　him。　　He　takes　the　tales　he　has　been　TOLD；

the　facts　he　has　observed；　and　for　the　most　part

reproduces　them　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　　And

〃nothing；〃　as　Stevenson　says；　〃can　stagger　a

child's　faith；　he　accepts　the　clumsiest　substitutes

and　can　swallow　the　most　staring　incongruities。

The　chair　he　has　just　been　besieging　as　a　castle　is

taken　away　for　the　accommodation　of　a　morning

visitor　and　he　is　nothing　abashed；　he　can　skirmish

by　the　hour　with　a　stationary　coal…scuttle；

in　the　midst　of　the　enchanted　pleasuance　he　can

see；　without　sensible　shock；　the　gardener　soberly

digging　potatoes　for　the　day's　dinner。〃



The　child；　in　fact；　is　neither　undeveloped

〃grown…up〃　nor　unspoiled　angel。　　Perhaps　he

has　a　dash　of　both；　but　most　of　all　he　is

akin　to　the　grown　person　who　dreams。　　With

the　dreamer　and　with　the　child　there　is　that

unquestioning　acceptance　of　circumstances　as　they

arise；　however　unusual　and　disconcerting　they

may　be。　　In　dreams　the　wildest；　most　improbable

and　fantastic　things　happen；　but　they　are

not　so　to　the　dreamer。　　The　veriest　cynic　amongst

us　must　take　his　dreams　seriously　and　without

a　sneer；　whether　he　is　forced　to　leap　from

the　edge　of　a　precipice；　whether　he　finds　himself

utterly　incapable　of　packing　his　trunk　in　time

for　the　train；　whether　in　spite　of　his　distress　at

the　impropriety；　he　finds　himself　at　a　dinner…

party　minus　his　collar；　or　whether　the　riches　of

El　Dorado　are　laid　at　his　feet。　　For　him　at　the

time　it　is　all　quite　real　and　harassingly　or

splendidly　important。



To　the　child　and　to　the　dreamer　all　things　are

possible；　frogs　may　talk；　bears　may　be　turned

into　princes；　gallant　tailors　may　overcome　giants；

fir…trees　may　be　filled　with　ambitions。　　A　chair

may　become　a　horse；　a　chest　of　drawers　a　coach

and　six；　a　hearthrug　a　battlefield；　a　newspaper

a　crown　of　gold。　　And　these　are　facts　which　the

story…teller　must　realise；　and　choose　and　shape

the　stories　accordingly。



Many　an　old　book；　which　to　a　modern　grown

person　may　seem　prim　and　over…rigid；　will　be

to　the　child　a　delight；　for　him　the　primness

and　the　severity　slip　away；　the　story　remains。

Such　a　book　as　Mrs　Sherwood's　Fairchild　Family

is　an　example　of　this。　　To　a　grown　person

reading　it　for　the　first　time；　the　loafing

propensities　of　the　immaculate　Mrs　Fairchild；　who

never　does　a　hand's　turn　of　good　work　for　anyone

from　cover　to　cover；　the　hard　piety；　the

snobbishness；　the　brutality　of　taking　the　children

to　the　old　gallows　and　seating　them　before　the

dangling　remains　of　a　murderer；　while　the　lesson

of　brotherly　love　is　impressed　are　shocking

when　they　are　not　amusing；　but　to　the　child

the　doings　of　the　naughty　and　repentant　little

Fairchilds　are　engrossing；　and　experience　proves

to　us　that　the　twentieth…century　child　is　as　eager

for　the　book　as　were　ever　his　nineteenth…century

grandfather　and　grandmother。



Good　Mrs　Timmin's　History　of　the　Robins；

too；　is　a　continuous　delight；　and　from　its

pompous　and　high…sounding　dialogue　a　skilful

adapter　may　glean　not　only　one　story；　but　one

story　with　two　versions；　for　the　infant　of

eighteen　months　can　follow　the　narrative　of　the

joys　and　troubles；　errors　and　kindnesses　of

Robin；　Dicky；　Flopsy　and　Pecksy；　while　the

child　of　five　or　ten　or　even　more　will　be　keenly

interested　in　a　fuller　account　of　the　birds'

adventures　and　the　development　of　their　several

characters　and　those　of　their　human　friends　and

enemies。



From　these　two　books；　from　Miss　Edgeworth's

wonderful　Moral　Tales；　from　Miss　Wetherell's

delightful　volume　Mr　Rutherford's　Children；

from　Jane　and　Ann　Taylor's　Original　Poems；

from　Thomas　Day's　Sandford　and　Merton；　from

Bunyan's　Pilgrim's　Progress　and　Lamb's　Tales

from　Shakespeare；　and　from　many　another　old

friend；　stories　may　be　gathered；　but　the　story

teller　will　find　that　in　almost　all　cases

adaptation　is　a　necessity。　　The　joy　of　the　hunt；

however；　is　a　real　joy；　and　with　a　field　which

stretches　from　the　myths　of　Greece　to　Uncle

Remus；　from　Le　Morte　d'Arthur　to　the　Jungle

Books；　there　need　be　no　more　lack　of　pleasure

for　the　seeker　than　for　the　receiver　of　the　spoil。







End