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spoke my name； slowly and tentatively； 〃An…ty
Sai…ry？〃 Then； in an assured tone； 〃Anty Sairy；
I love you so much I don't know what to do！〃
And； presently； tucking a confiding hand in
mine to lead me to breakfast； she explained
sweetly； 〃I didn' know you when you comed
las' night； but now I know you all th' time！〃
〃Oh； blessed tale；〃 thought I； 〃so easy a
passport to a confidence so desired； so complete！〃
Never had the witchery of the story to
the ear of a child come more closely home to
me。 But the fact of the witchery was no new
experience。 The surrender of the natural child
to the story…teller is as absolute and invariable
as that of a devotee to the priest of his own sect。
This power is especially valuable in the case
of children whose natural shyness has been
augmented by rough environment or by the
strangeness of foreign habit。 And with such
children even more than with others it is also
true that the story is a simple and effective
means of forming the habit of concentration；
of fixed attention； any teacher who deals with
this class of children knows the difficulty of
doing this fundamental and indispensable thing；
and the value of any practical aid in doing it。
More than one instance of the power of story…
telling to develop attentiveness comes to my
mind； but the most prominent in memory is a
rather recent incident； in which the actors were
boys and girls far past the child…stage of docility。
I had been asked to tell stories to about
sixty boys and girls of a club； the president
warned me in her invitation that the children
were exceptionally undisciplined； but my previous
experiences with similar gatherings led me to
interpret her words with a moderation which
left me totally unready for the reality。 When
I faced my audience； I saw a squirming jumble
of faces； backs of heads； and the various
members of many small bodies；not a person
in the room was paying the slightest attention
to me； the president's introduction could
scarcely be said to succeed in interrupting the
interchange of social amenities which was in
progress； and which looked delusively like a
free fight。 I came as near stage fright in the
first minutes of that occasion as it is comfortable
to be； and if it had not been impossible to
run away I think I should not have remained。
But I began； with as funny a tale as I knew；
following the safe plan of not speaking very
loudly； and aiming my effort at the nearest
children。 As I went on； a very few faces held
intelligently to mine； the majority answered
only fitfully； and not a few of my hearers
conversed with their neighbours as if I were non…
existent。 The sense of bafflement； the futile
effort； forced the perspiration to my hands and
faceyet something in the faces before me told
me that it was no ill…will that fought against
me； it was the apathy of minds without the
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