stories to tell to children-第13章

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thoroughly　as　you　are　able　in　the　right　mood；

you　begin　to　tell　it。　　Tell　it；　then；　simply；

directly；　dramatically；　with　zest。



SIMPLY　applies　both　to　manner　and　matter。

As　to　manner；　I　mean　without　affectation；

without　any　form　of　pretence；　in　short；　without

posing。　　It　is　a　pity　to　〃talk　down〃　to　the

children；　to　assume　a　honeyed　voice；　to　think

of　the　edifying　or　educational　value　of　the　work

one　is　doing。　　Naturalness；　being　oneself；　is　the

desideratum。　　I　wonder　why　we　so　often　use　a

preposterous　voice；a　super…sweetened　whine；

in　talking　to　children？　　Is　it　that　the　effort　to

realise　an　ideal　of　gentleness　and　affectionateness

overreaches　itself　in　this　form　of　the　grotesque？

Some　good　intention　must　be　the　root　of　it

But　the　thing　is　none　the　less　pernicious。　　A

〃cant〃　voice　is　as　abominable　as　a　cant　phraseology。

Both　are　of　the　very　substance　of　evil。



〃But　it　is　easier　to　SAY；　‘Be　natural'　than　to

BE　it；〃　said　one　teacher　to　me　desperately。



Beyond　dispute。　　To　those　of　us　who　are

cursed　with　an　over…abundant　measure　of　self…

consciousness；　nothing　is　harder　than　simple

naturalness。　　The　remedy　is　to　lose　oneself　in

one's　art。　　Think　of　the　story　so　absorbingly

and　vividly　that　you　have　no　room　to　think　of

yourself。　　Live　it。　　Sink　yourself　in　that　mood

you　have　summoned　up；　and　let　it　carry　you。



If　you　do　this；　simplicity　of　matter　will　come

easily。　　Your　choice　of　words　and　images　will

naturally　become　simple。



It　is；　I　think；　a　familiar　precept　to　educators；

that　children　should　not　have　their　literature

too　much　simplified　for　them。　　We　are　told　that

they　like　something　beyond　them；　and　that　it

is　good　for　them　to　have　a　sense　of　mystery　and

power　beyond　the　sense　they　grasp。　　That　may

be　true；　but　if　so　it　does　not　apply　to　story…

telling　as　it　does　to　reading。　　We　have

constantly　to　remember　that　the　movement　of　a

story　told　is　very　swift。　　A　concept　not　grasped

in　passing　is　irrevocably　lost；　there　is　no

possibility　of　turning　back；　or　lingering　over　the

page。　　Also；　since　the　art　of　story…telling　is　

primarily　an　art　of　entertainment；　its　very　object

is　sacrificed　if　the　ideas　and　images　do　not　slip

into　the　child's　consciousness　smoothly　enough

to　avoid　the　sense　of　strain。　　For　this　reason

short；　familiar；　vivid　words　are　best。



Simplicity　of　manner　and　of　matter　are　both

essential　to　the　right　appeal　to　children。



DIRECTNESS　in　telling　is　a　most　important

quality。　　The　story；　listened　to；　is　like　the

drama；　beheld。　　Its　movement　must　be　unimpeded；

increasingly　swift；　winding　up　〃with　a

snap。〃　　Long…windedness；　or　talking　round　the

story；　utterly　destroys　this　movement。　　The

incidents　should　be　told；　one　after　another；

without　explanation　or　description　beyond　what

is　absolutely　necessary；　and　THEY　SHOULD　BE　TOLD

IN　LOGICAL　SEQUENCE。　　Nothing　is　more　distressing

than　the　cart…before…the…horse　method；nothing

more　quickly　destroys　interest　than　the　failure

to　get　a　clue　in　the　right　place。



Sometimes；　to　be　sure；　a　side　remark　adds

piquancy　and　a　personal　savour。　　But　the

general　rule　is；　great　discretion　in　this　respect。



Every　epithet　or　adjective　beyond　what　is

needed　to　give　the　image；　is　a　five…barred　gate

in　the　path　of　the　eager　mind　travelling　to　a

climax。



Explanations　and　moralising　are　usually　sheer

clatter。　　Some　few　stories　necessarily　include

a　little　explanation；　and　stories　of　the　fable

order　may　quaintly　end　with　an　obvious　moral。

But　here　again；　the　rule　isgreat　discretion。



It　is　well　to　remember　that　you　have　one

great　advantage　over　the　writer　of　stories。　　The

writer　must　present　a　clear　image　and　make　a

vivid　impression；all　with　words。　　The　teller

has　face；　and　voice；　and　body　to　do　it　with。

The　teller　needs；　consequently；　but　one　swiftly

incisive　verb　to　the　writer's　two；　but　one

expressive　adjective　to　his　three。　　Often；　indeed；

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　w