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power or habit of concentration； unable to follow
a sequence of ideas any distance； and rendered
more restless by bodies which were probably
uncomfortable； certainly undisciplined。
The first story took ten minutes。 When I
began a second； a very short one； the initial work
had to be done all over again； for the slight
comparative quiet I had won had been totally
lost in the resulting manifestation of approval。
At the end of the second story； the room
was really orderly to the superficial view； but
where I stood I could see the small boy who
deliberately made a hideous face at me each
time my eyes met his； the two girls who talked
with their backs turned； the squirms of a figure
here and there。 It seemed so disheartening
a record of failure that I hesitated much to
yield to the uproarious request for a third story；
but finally I did begin again； on a very long story
which for its own sake I wanted them to hear。
This time the little audience settled to attention
almost at the opening words。 After about
five minutes I was suddenly conscious of a
sense of ease and relief； a familiar restful feeling
in the atmosphere； and then； at last； I
knew that my audience was 〃with me；〃 that
they and I were interacting without obstruction。
Absolutely quiet； entirely unconscious of
themselves； the boys and girls were responding to
every turn of the narrative as easily and readily
as any group of story…bred kindergarten children。
From then on we had a good time together。
The process which took place in that small
audience was a condensed example of what
one may expect in habitual story…telling to a
group of children。 Once having had the attention
chained by crude force of interest； the
children begin to expect something interesting
from the teacher； and to wait for it。 And
having been led step by step from one grade
of a logical sequence to another； their minds
at first beguiled by the fascination of the steps
glide into the habit of following any logical
sequence。 My club formed its habit； as far as
I was concerned； all in one session； the ordinary
demands of school procedure lengthen the
process； but the result is equally sure。 By the
end of a week in which the children have
listened happily to a story every day； the habit
of listening and deducing has been formed； and
the expectation of pleasantness is connected
with the opening of the teacher's lips。
These two benefits are well worth the trouble
they cost； and for these two； at least； any teacher
who tells a story well may confidently look
the quick gaining of a confidential relation with
the children； and the gradual development of
concentration and interested attention in them。
These are direct and somewhat clearly
discernible results； comfortably placed in a near
future。 There are other aims； reaching on into
the far； slow modes of psychological growth；
which must equally determine the choice of the
story…teller's material and inform the spirit of her
work。 These other； less immediately attainable
ends； I wish now to consider in relation to the
different types of story by which they are severally
best served。
First； unbidden claimant of attention； comes
THE FAIRY STORY
No one can think of a child and a story；
without thinking of the fairy tale。 Is this； as
some would have us believe； a bad habit of an
ignorant old world？ Or can the Fairy Tale
justify her popularity with truly edifying and
educational results？ Is she a proper person to
introduce here； and what are her titles to merit？
Oh dear； yes！ Dame Fairy Tale comes bearing
a magic wand in her wrinkled old fingers；
with one wave of which she summons up that
very spirit of joy which it is our chief effort to
invoke。 She raps smartly on the door； and open
sesames echo to every imagination。 Her red…
heeled shoes twinkle down an endless lane of
adventures； and every real child's footsteps
quicken after。 She is the natural； own great…
grandmother of every child in the world； and
her pocketfuls of treasures are his by right of
inheritance。 Shut her out； and you truly rob
the children of something which is theirs；
something marking their constant kinship with the
race…children of the past； and adapted to their
needs as it was to those of the generation of long
ago！ If there were no other criterion at all； it
would be enough that the children love the fairy
tale； we give them fairy stories； first； because they
like them。 But that by no means lessens the
importance of the fact that fairy tales are also
good for them。
How good？ In various ways。 First； perhaps；
in their supreme power of presenting truth
through the guise of images。 This is the way
the race…child took toward wisdom； and it is the
way each child's individual instinct takes； after
him。 Elemental truths of moral law and general
types of human experience are presented in the
fairy tale； in the poetry of their images； and
although the child is aware only of the image
at the time； the truth enters with it and becomes
a part of his individual experience； to be recognised
in its relations at a later stage。 Every
truth and type so given broadens and deepens
the capacity of the child's inner life； and adds
an element to the store from which he draws
his moral inferences。
The most familiar instance of a moral truth
conveyed under a fairy…story image is probably
the story of the pure…hearted and loving girl
whose lips were touched with the wonderful
power of dropping jewels with every spoken
word； while her stepsister； whose heart was
infested with malice and evil desires； let ugly
toads fall from her mouth whenever she spoke。
I mention the old tale because there is probably
no one of my readers who has not heard it in
childhood； and because there are undoubtedly
many to whose mind it has often recurred in
later life as a sadly perfect presentment of the
fact that 〃out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh。〃 That story has entered into
the forming consciousness of many of us； with
its implications of the inevitable result of visible
evil from evil in the heart； and its revelation of
the loathsomeness of evil itself。
And no less truly than this story has served
to many as an embodiment of moral law has
another household tale stood for a type of
common experience。 How much the poorer
should we be； mentally； without our early
prophecy of the 〃ugly ducklings〃 we are to meet
later in life！those awkward offspring of our
little human duckyard who are mostly well
kicked and buffeted about； for that very length
of limb and breadth of back which needs must
be； to support swan's wings。 The story of the
ugly duckling is much truer than many a bald
statement of fact。 The English…speaking world
bears witness to its verity in constant use of the
title as an identifying phrase： 〃It is the old
story of the ugly duckling；〃 we say； or 〃He has
turned out a real ugly duckling。〃 And we know
that our hearers understand the whole situation。
The consideration of such familiar types and
expressions as that of the ugly duckling suggests
immediately another good reason for giving the
child his due of fairy lore。 The reason is that
to omit it is to deprive him of one important
element in the full appreciation of mature literature。
If one thinks of it； one sees that nearly
all adult literature is made by people who； in
their beginnings； were bred on the wonder
tale。 Whether he will or no； the grown…up
author must incorporate into his work the
tendencies； memories； kinds of feeling which were
his in childhood。 The literature of maturity
is； naturally； permeated by the influence of the
literature of childhood。 Sometimes it is apparent
merely in the use of a name； as suggestive of
certain kinds of experience； such are the
recurrences of reference to the Cinderella story。
Sometimes it is an allusion which has its strength
in long association of certain qualities with
certain characters in fairydomlike the slyness of
Brother Fox； and the cruelty of Brother Wolf。
Sometimes the association of ideas lies below
the surface； drawing from the hidden wells of
poetic illusion which are sunk in childhood。
The man or woman whose infancy was nourished
exclusively on tales adapted from science…made…
easy； or from biographies of good men and great；
must remain blind to these beauties of literature。
He may look up the allusion； or identify the
reference； but when that is done he is but richer
by a fact or two； there is no remembered thrill
in it for him； no savour in his memory； no
suggestion to his imagination； and these are
precisely the things which really count。 Leaving
out the fairy element is a loss to literary culture
much as would be the omission of the Bible or
of Shakespeare。 Just