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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