Part 7 (1/2)

One of the strongest elements we should introduce into our stories for children of all ages is that which calls forth love of beauty And the beauty should stand out, not only in the delineation of noble qualities in our heroes and heroines, but in the beauty and strength of language and form

In this latter respect, the Bible stories are of such inestireater because a child is fanificance fro As to whether we should keep to the actual text is a matter of individual experience Professor R G

Moulton, whose interpretations of the Bible stories are so well known both in England and America, does not always confine hiether, rejecting what see the actual language where it is the most effective Those who have heard him will realize the success of his method

There is one Bible story which can be told with scarcely any deviation froiven beforehand, and that is the story of Nebuchadnezzar and the Golden Ie Thus, I think it wise, if the children are to succeed in partially visualizing the story, that they should have soe as it would stand out in a vast plain Ithich the child is faht will co, with Weste in text I should adopt is to avoid the constant enumeration of the list of rulers and thethis, I a of beauty in the rhythm, but, on the other hand, for narrative purpose the interest is not broken The first time the announcement is made, that is, by the Herald, it should be in a perfectly loud, clear and toneless voice, such as you would naturally use when shouting through a trumpet to a vast concourse of people scattered over a wide plain, reserving all the drae where Nebuchadnezzar isthe announcement to the threethat all the dramatic interest of the story is suestion is a very helpful one, for it enables us to work up gradually to this point, and then, as it were, _unwind_, until we reach the words of Nebuchadnezzar's draood plan occasionally during the story hour to introduce really good poetry, which delivered in a dramatic ht give children their first love of beautiful form in verse And I do not think it necessary to wait for this Even the nor arbitrary in the suggestion of this age, will appreciate the effect, if only on the ear, of beautiful lines well spoken Maho advice: ”Teach your children poetry: it opens the race to wisdoin with the youngest children of all, here is a poeive a human interest:

MILKING-TIME

When the cows co; Honey's

Duck, drake on the rushy lake, And the deer live safe in the breezy brake, And timid, funny, pert little bunny Winks his nose, and sits all sunny

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

Now, in coerel verse offered to small children, one is struck with the literary superiority in the choice of words Here, in spite of the simplicity of the poem, there is not the ordinary limited vocabulary, nor the forced rhyme, nor the application of a ene Field's ”Hushaby Lady,” of which the language is most simple, yet the child is carried away by the beauty of the sound

I re some poetry repeated by the children in one of the elementary schools in Sheffield which made me feel that they had realized romantic possibilities which would prevent their lives froain, and I wish that this practice were more usual There is little difficulty with the children I can re the experies from Milton and Shakespeare to children froe, and the enthusiastic way they responded by learning those passages by heart

I have taken with several sets of children such passages froed Bank,” ”Back, Shepherds, Back,” fro,” ”Ode to Shakespeare,”

”Samson,” ”On His Blindness,” etc I even ventured on several passage fro on” a particular favorite with the children

It seemed even easier to interest them in Shakespeare, and they learned quite readily and easily es from ”As You Like It,”

”The Merchant of Venice,” ”Julius Caesar,” ”Richard II,” ”Henry IV,”

and ”Henry V”

The method I should recommend in the introduction of both poets occasionally into the story-hour would be threefold First, to choose passages which appeal for beauty of sound or beauty of mental vision called up by those sounds; such as ”Tell me where is Fancy bred,”

”titania's Lullaby,” ”Hoeet the es for sheer interest of content, such as the Trial Scene from ”The Merchant of Venice,” or the Forest Scene in ”As You Like It” Thirdly, for dramatic and historical interest, such as, ”Men at some time are masters of their fates,” the whole of Mark Antony's speech, and the scene with Ien and her foster brothers in the Forest

It may not be wholly out of place to add here that the children learned and repeated these passages themselves, and that I offered them the same advice as I do to all story-tellers I discussed quite openly with the to make them see that simplicity of delivery was not only the most beautiful but the most effective means to use and, by the end of a few months, when they had been allowed to experian to see thatwas not force and that a sense of reserve power is infinitelythan ed theood, and soesture, which they were at liberty to point out that they ht avoid the same error

Excellent collections of poems for this purpose of narrative are: Mrs P A Barnett's series of ”Song and Story,” published by Ada,” chosen and classified by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith, published by Doubleday For older children, ”The Call of the Hoed by Dr R

P Scott and Katharine T Wallas, published by Houghton, Mifflin, and ”Golden Nuin and Nora Archibald Smith, published by Doubleday

I think it is well to have a goodly nu the importance of common-sense and resourcefulness

For this reason, I consider the stories treating of the ultiest son[23] very adins by being considered inferior to the older ones triumphs in the end, either froher quality, such as kindness to ani difficulties, etc[24]

Thus, we have the story of Cinderella The cynic ine that it was the diminutive size of her foot that insured her success The child does not realize any advantage in this, but, though the matter need not be pressed, the story leaves us with the impression that Cinderella had been patient and industrious, and forbearing with her sisters We know that she was strictly obedient to her Godmother, and in order to be this sheof her triuht say that these qualities do nota habit of drudgery, but, after all, we must have poetic justice in a fairy story, occasionally, at any rate, even if the child is confused by the apparent contradiction

Such a story is ”Jesper and the Hares” Here, however, it is not at first resourcefulness that helps the hero, but sheer kindness of heart, which prompts him first to help the ants, and then to show civility to the old wo any material benefit froenuity and resourcefulness, and if we regret that his trickery has such wonderful results, we must remember the aim was to win the princess for herself, and that there was little choice left him I consider that the end of this story is one of thea at the words: ”The Tub is full,” as any addition seems to destroy the subtlety of the story[25]

Another story of this kind, admirable for children from six years and upwards, is, ”What the Old Man Does is Always Right” Here, perhaps, the entire lack of common-sense on the part of the hero would serve rather as a warning than a sti the errors of her foolish husband is a model of resourcefulness