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ease； freedom； and the effect of personal
reminiscence come only from complete mastery。
I repeat； with emphasis： Know your story。
The next suggestion is a purely practical one
concerning the preparation of physical conditions。
See that the children are seated in close and
direct range of your eye； the familiar half…circle
is the best arrangement for small groups of
children； but the teacher should be at a point
OPPOSITE the centre of the arc； NOT in its centre：
it is important also not to have the ends too far
at the side； and to have no child directly behind
another； or in such a position that he has not
an easy view of the teacher's full face。 Little
children have to be physically close in order to
be mentally close。 It is； of course； desirable
to obtain a hushed quiet before beginning； but
it is not so important as to preserve your own
mood of holiday； and theirs。 If the fates and
the atmosphere of the day are against you； it
is wiser to trust to the drawing power of the
tale itself； and abate the irritation of didactic
methods。 And never break into that magic
tale； once begun； with an admonition to Ethel
or Tommy to stop squirming； or a rebuke to
〃that little girl over there who is not listening。〃
Make her listen！ It is probably your fault if
she is not。 If you are telling a good story； and
telling it well； she can't help listening；unless
she is an abnormal child； and if she is abnormal
you ought not to spoil the mood of the others
to attend to her。
I say 〃never〃 interrupt your story； perhaps
it is only fair to amend that； after the fashion of
dear little Marjorie Fleming； and say 〃neverif
you can help it。〃 For； of course； there are exceptional
occasions； and exceptional children； some
latitude must be left for the decisions of good
common sense acting on the issue of the moment。
The children ready； your own mood must be
ready。 It is desirable that the spirit of the
story should be imposed upon the room from the
beginning； and this result hangs on the clearness
and intensity of the teller's initiatory mood。 An
act of memory and of will is the requisite。 The
story…teller must call upit comes with the
swiftness of thoughtthe essential emotion of
the story as he felt it first。 A single volition
puts him in touch with the characters and the
movement of the tale。 This is scarcely more
than a brief and condensed reminiscence； it is
the stepping back into a mood once experienced。
Let us say； for example； that the story to be
told is the immortal fable of The Ugly Duckling。
Before you open your lips the whole
pathetic series of the little swan's mishaps should
flash across your mind；not accurately and in
detail； but blended to a composite of undeserved
ignominy； of baffled innocent wonderment； and
of delicious underlying satire on average views。
With this is mingled the feeling of Andersen's
delicate whimsicality of style。 The dear little
Ugly Duckling waddles； bodily； into your consciousness；
and you pity his sorrows and anticipate
his triumph； before you begin。
This preliminary recognition of mood is what
brings the delicious quizzical twitch to the mouth
of a good raconteur who begins an anecdote the
hearers know will be side…splitting。 It is what
makes grandmother sigh gently and look far over
your heads； when her soft voice commences the
story of 〃the little girl who lived long； long
ago。〃 It is a natural and instinctive thing with
the born story…teller； a necessary thing for anyone
who will become a story…teller。
From the very start； the mood of the tale
should be definite and authoritative； beginning
with the mood of the teller and emanating therefrom
in proportion as the physique of the teller
is a responsive medium。
Now we are off。 Knowing your story； having
your hearers well arranged； and being as
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 i