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every detail of the scene。
He chose for his grape…trellis the rear wall of the room。
Standing there； he looked longingly up at the invisible bunch of grapes。
〃My gracious；〃 he said； 〃what fine grapes！ I will have some。〃
Then he jumped for them。
〃Didn't get them；〃 he muttered； 〃I'll try again；〃 and he jumped higher。
〃Didn't get them this time；〃 he said disgustedly； and hopped up once
more。 Then he stood still； looked up； shrugged his shoulders； and
remarked in an absurdly worldly…wise tone； 〃Those grapes are sour！〃 After
which he walked away。
Of course the whole thing was infantile； and without a touch of grace；
but it is no exaggeration to say that the child did what many grown…up
actors fail to do；he preserved the illusion。
It was in still another room that I saw the lion and mouse fable played。
The lion lay flat on the floor for his nap； but started up when he found
his paw laid on the little mouse； who crouched as small as she could
beside him。 （The mouse was by nature rather larger than the lion； but she
called what art she might to her assistance） The mouse persuaded the lion
to lift his paw； and ran away。
Presently a most horrific groaning emanated from the lion。 The mouse
ran up； looked him over； and soliloquised in precise language； evidently
remembered； 〃What is the matter with the lion？ Oh； I see； he is caught in a
trap。〃 And then she gnawed with her teeth at the imaginary rope which
bound him。
〃What makes you so kind to me； little Mouse？〃 said the rescued lion。
〃You let me go； when I asked you；〃 said the mouse demurely。
〃Thank you； little Mouse；〃 answered the lion； and therewith； finis。
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
It is not impossible that all this play atmosphere may seem
incongruous and unnecessary to teachers used to more conventional
methods； but I feel sure that an actual experience of it would modify that
point of view conclusively。 The children of the schools where story…telling
and 〃dramatising〃 were practised were startlingly better in reading； in
attentiveness； and in general power of expression； than the pupils of like
social conditions in the same grades of other cities which I visited soon
after； and in which the more conventional methods were exclusively used。
The teachers； also； were stronger in power of expression。
But the most noticeable； though the least tangible； difference was in
the moral atmosphere of the schoolroom。 There had been a great gain in
vitality in all the rooms where stories were a part of the work。 It had acted
and reacted on pupils and teachers alike。 The telling of a story well so
depends on being thoroughly vitalised that； naturally； habitual telling had
resulted in habitual vitalisation。
This result was not； of course； wholly due to the practice of story…
telling； but it was in some measure due to that。 And it was a result worth
the effort。
I beg to urge these specific uses of stories； as both recreative and
developing； and as especially tending toward enlarged power of
expression： retelling the story； illustrating the story in seat… work；
dramatisation。
STORIES SELECTED AND ADAPTED FOR
TELLING
ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN AND CLASS I。
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town； Upstairs and downstairs in
his nightgown； Rapping at the window； crying through the lock； 〃Are the
children in their beds； for now it's eight o'clock？〃
There was a crooked man； and he went a crooked mile； He found a
crooked sixpence against a crooked stile； He bought a crooked cat； which
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
caught a crooked mouse； And they all lived together in a little crooked
house。
Cushy cow bonny； let down thy milk； And I will give thee a gown of
silk； A gown of silk and a silver tee； If thou wilt let down thy milk to me。
〃Little girl； little girl； where have you been？〃 〃Gathering roses to give
to the queen。〃 〃Little girl； little girl； what gave she you？〃 〃She gave me a
diamond as big as my shoe。〃
Little Bo…peep has lost her sheep； And can't tell where to find them；
Leave them alone； and they'll come home； And bring their tails behind
them。 Little Bo peep fell fast asleep； And dreamt she heard them bleating；
But when she awoke； she found it a joke； For still they all were fleeting。
Then up she took her little crook； Determin'd for to find them； She
found them indeed； but it made her heart bleed； For they'd left their tails
behind them。
FIVE LITTLE WHITE HEADS＇1＇
BY WALTER LEARNED
＇1＇ From Mother…Song and Child…Song； Charlotte Brewster Jordan。
Five little white heads peeped out of the mould； When the dew was
damp and the night was cold； And they crowded their way through the soil
with pride； 〃Hurrah！ We are going to be mushrooms！〃 they cried
But the sun came up； and the sun shone down； And the little white
heads were withered and brown； Long were their faces； their pride had a
fall They were nothing but toadstools； after all。
BIRD THOUGHTS＇2＇
＇2＇ Ibid。
I lived first in a little house； And lived there very well； I thought the
world was small and round； And made of pale blue shell。 I lived next in a
little nest；
Nor needed any other； I thought the world was made of straw； And
brooded by my mother。
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HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
One day I fluttered from the nest To see what I could find。 I said；
〃The world is made of leaves； I have been very blind。〃
At length I flew beyond the tree； Quite fit for grown…up labours。 I
don't know how the world IS made； And neither do my neighbours！
HOW WE CAME TO HAVE PINK ROSES＇1＇
＇1＇ Told me by Miss Elizabeth McCracken。
Once； ever and ever so long ago； we didn't have any pink roses。 All
the roses in the world were white。 There weren't any red ones at all； any
yellow ones； or any pink ones；only white roses。
And one morning； very early； a little white rosebud woke up； and saw
the sun looking at her。 He stared so hard that the little white rosebud did
not know what to do； so she looked up at him and said； 〃Why are you
looking at me so hard？〃
〃Because you are so pretty！〃 said the big round sun。 And the little
white rosebud blushed！ She blushed pink。 And all her children after her
were little pink roses！
RAGGYLUG＇2＇
＇2＇ Adapted from Mr Ernest Thompson Seton's Wild Animals I have
known。 （David Nutt； 57…59 Long Acre； W。C。 6s。 net。）
Once there was a little furry rabbit； who lived with his mother deep
down in a nest under the long grass。 His name was Raggylug； and his
mother's name was Molly Cottontail。 Every morning； when Molly
Cottontail went out to hunt for food； she said to Raggylug； 〃Now；
Raggylug； lie still； and make no noise。 No matter what you hear； no matter
what you see； don't you move。