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appreciation； the negative； never tell a story you do not feel。
Fortunately； the number and range of stories one can appreciate grow
with cultivation； but it is the part of wisdom not to step outside the range
at any stage of its growth。
I feel the more inclined to emphasise this caution because I once had a
rather embarrassing and pointed proof of its desirability；which I relate
for the enlightening of the reader。
There is a certain nonsense tale which a friend used to tell with such
effect that her hearers became helpless with laughter； but which for some
reason never seemed funny to me。 I could not laugh at it。 But my friend
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constantly urged me to use it； quoting her own success。 At last； with much
curiosity and some trepidation； I included it in a programme before people
with whom I was so closely in sympathy that no chill was likely to
emanate from their side。 I told the story as well as I knew how； putting
into it more genuine effort than most stories can claim。 The audience
smiled politely； laughed gently once or twice； relapsed into the mildest of
amusement。 The most one could say was that the story was not a hopeless
failure； I tried it again； after study； and yet again； but the audiences were
all alike。 And in my heart I should have been startled if they had behaved
otherwise； for all the time I was telling it I was conscious in my soul that it
was a stupid story！ At last I owned my defeat to myself； and put the thing
out of mind。
Some time afterward； I happened to take out the notes of the story； and
idly looked them over； and suddenly； I do not know how； I got the point of
view！ The salt of the humour was all at once on my lips； I felt the tickle of
the pure folly of it； it WAS funny。
The next afternoon I told the story to a hundred or so children and as
many mothers； and the battle was won。 Chuckles punctuated my periods；
helpless laughter ran like an under… current below my narrative； it was a
struggle for me to keep sober； myself。 The nonsense tale had found its own
atmosphere。
Now of course I had known all along that the humour of the story
emanated from its very exaggeration； its absurdly illogical smoothness。
But I had not FELT it。 I did not really 〃see the joke。〃 And that was why I
could not tell the story。 I undoubtedly impressed my own sense of its
fatuity on every audience to which I gave it。 The case is very clear。
Equally clear have been some happy instances where I have found
audiences responding to a story I myself greatly liked； but which common
appreciation usually ignored。 This is an experience even more persuasive
than the other； certainly more to be desired。
Every story…teller has lines of limitation； certain types of story will
always remain his or her best effort。 There is no reason why any type of
story should be told really ill； and of course the number of kinds one tells
well increases with the growth of the appreciative capacity。 But none the
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less； it is wise to recognise the limits at each stage； and not try to tell any
story to which the honest inner consciousness says； 〃I do not like you。〃
Let us then set down as a prerequisite for good story…telling； A
GENUINE APPRECIATION OF THE STORY。
Now； we may suppose this genuine appreciation to be your portion。
You have chosen a story； have felt its charm； and identified the quality of
its appeal。
You are now to tell it in such wise that your hearers will get the same
kind of impression you yourself received from it。 How？
I believe the inner secret of success is the measure of force with which
the teller wills the conveyance of his impression to the hearer。
Anyone who has watched； or has himself been； the teller of a story
which held an audience； knows that there is something approaching
hypnotic suggestion in the close connection of effort and effect； and in the
elimination of self… consciousness from speaker and listeners alike。
I would not for a moment lend the atmosphere of charlatanry； or of the
ultra…psychic； to the wholesome and vivid art of story…telling。 But I would；
if possible； help the teacher to realise how largely success in that art is a
subjective and psychological matter； dependent on her control of her own
mood and her sense of direct； intimate communion with the minds
attending her。 The 〃feel〃 of an audience；that indescribable sense of the
composite human soul waiting on the initiative of your own； the emotional
currents interplaying along a medium so delicate that it takes the baffling
torture of an obstruction to reveal its existence；cannot be taught。 But it
can and does develop with use。 And a realisation of the immense latent
power of strong desire and resolution vitalises and disembarrasses the
beginner。
That is； undoubtedly； rather an intangible beginning； it sets the root of
the matter somewhat in the realm of 〃spirits and influences。〃 There are；
however； outward and visible means of arriving at results。 Every art has its
technique。 The art of story…telling； intensely personal and subjective as it
is； yet comes under the law sufficiently not to be a matter of sheer
〃knack。〃 It has its technique。 The following suggestions are an attempt to
state what seem the foundation principles of that technique。 The general
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statements are deduced from many consecutive experiences； partly； too；
they are the results of introspective analysis； confirmed by observation。
They do not make up an exclusive body of rules； wholly adequate to
produce good work； of themselves； they do include； so far as my
observation and experience allow； the fundamental requisites of good
work； being the qualities uniformly present in successful work of many
story…tellers。
First of all； most fundamental of all； is a rule without which any other
would be but folly： KNOW YOUR STORY。
One would think so obvious a preliminary might be taken for granted。
But alas； even slight acquaintance with the average story…teller proves the
dire necessity of the admonition。 The halting tongue； the slip in name or
incident； the turning back to forge an omitted link in the chain； the
repetition； the general weakness of statement consequent on imperfect
grasp： these are common features of the stories one hears told。 And they
are features which will deface the best story ever told。
One must know the story absolutely； it must have been so assimilated
that it partakes of the nature of personal experience； its essence must be so
clearly in mind that the teller does not have to think of it at all in the act of
telling； but rather lets it flow from his lips with the unconscious freedom
of a vivid reminiscence。
Such knowledge does not mean memorising。 Memorising utterly
destroys the freedom of reminiscence； takes away the spontaneity； and
substitutes a mastery of for