v::.-,:J THE STORYTELL Class _^ Book Copyright N?_ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. THE STORYTELLERS THE STORYTELLERS SIX MONTHS WITH THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE With Numerous Illustrations THE STORYTELLERS COMPANY 80 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 1915 V.K x^*^"^ v^^%% Copyright, 1915, by H. D. Newson Entered at the New York Post OfBce as Second-class Mail Matter JUL -6 1915 'CI.A401674 PREFACE "When Roman education was at its best," writes Professor Edward Porter St. John, in his excellent little book on "Stories and Storytelling," "stories of their national heroes and states- men, such as we find in Plutarch's lives, formed one of the most important parts of the curriculum. How largely the Hebrew life was shaped by story a glance at the Old Testament will reveal. "China, India, Arabia, Japan, honored the storyteller; they felt his charm and were molded by his magic. "For centuries the stories of Homer formed the only literary content of education among the Greeks, and they kept their place through the succeeding years of culture that we hardly equal to-day." The importance of the story in the education of the young is just beginning to be realized. It is the one form of education which children alwa3"s understand. To this fact more than any other perhaps is to be attributed the present widespread interest in Storytelhng. Heretofore we have looked upon it merely as a form of entertainment, a means of "keeping the children quiet." Now we are beginning to take it seriously, and can better understand what a great educa- tionist meant when he said "Good storytelling is the best in- tellectual qualification of the teacher." To all who take storytelling seriously this book wilt recom- mend itself. The stories which it contains have been selected for the dual purpose of interesting young people in good literature, and of improving their moral and ethical outlook. The articles on and information about storytelling have been written in a helpful, and it is believed an appreciative, spirit. In these modern days of materialism and industrialism but little is being done either in the home, in the Church or in the school for the moral and ethical education of the young. It remains for the Storytelling movement to supply this- great need by unfolding to the children, and to adults also, the great truths that lie hidden in folk tales, myths, hero stories and epics, since, as Professor St. John points out, "not only do they reflect the ideals which have shaped the social and re- ligious life, but they have shaped those ideals and have given them form and power. As factors in molding character the stories of the gods are not less important than the rites of wor- ship." CONTENTS JUNE Nimmy Nimmy Not. Retold Emehjn N . Partridge and George E. Partridge The Taileypo Richard T. Wyche Catherine T. Bryce . Richard T. Wyche George Everett Partridge . Mary W. Cronan Johnny Cake. Retold The Twelve Months. Retold Story Telling and Education Story Telling in Boston The Stone Lion. Retold Emelyn N. Partridge and George E. Partridge The Oyster and Its Claimants From La Fontaine's /Esop's Fables The Psycho-Therapeutic Value of Story Telling Frances E. Foote Story Telling For Mothers The Beowulf Club of West Virginia University John Harrington Cox How to Organize a Story Tellers' League What the Leagues are Doing . Editorial The Mother— The Child— The Story The Great Epics — Story Hour Cycle Some Recent Books .... Bibliography Story Tellers' Leagues Business Department Page 1 7 10 13 19 24 26 29 30 32 34 35 36 37 39 40 42 44 51 55 JULY The Storytellers' Bequest to all Boys and Girls .... 59 King Arthur's Tomb, Innsbruck .... Frontispiece The Story of King Arthur (In Twelve Numbers) First Number: Merlin and His Prophecies . . Winona C. Martin 61 JULY — Continued Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata . A Rose from Homer's Grave The Image in Story Telling Endymion The Story of St. Christopher . The Story of England's First Poet . The Uncle Remus' Stories Their Evolution and Place in the The Three Goats .... Story Telling in Washington, D. C. Story Telling for Camp Fire Girls . The Play Spirit in America What the Leagues Are Doing . From the Editor's Study . From the Book Shelf Directory of Story Tellers' Leagues The Business Manager's Story Percival Chubb Frederick A . Child . Richard T. Wyche George Philip Krapp Josephine Leach Curriculum. Jessica Child s . Marietta Stockard . Ellen Kate Gross . Richard T. Wyche 72 77 79 ^ 82 85 90 94 97 99 101 103 106 107 112 115 119 SEPTEMBER "The Enchanted Sword" Illustration 130 Heroes. A Poem Gertrude C. Hopkins 130 Come unto Me — Ye Weary and Heavy Laden . Frontispiece Helping the Master Eveleen Harrison 133 Seek and Ye Shall Find .... Eulalie S. Garrison 136 The Unexpected Prince and the King of the Underground Charles Welsh 138 The Story of Persephone .... Richard T. Wyche 148 The Story of an American Boy who became Painter to George the Third Frederic A. Child 150 The Moon and I 154 The Story of King Arthur (In Twelve Numbers) Second Number : How Arthur Won His Kingdom . Winona C. Martin 155 SEPTEMBER— Con/m ued. Page The "Uncle Remus" Stories. Second Paper Josephine Leach 168 A Knight of France Catherine T. Bnjce 172 The Dwarf's Revenge .... Marietta Stockard 176 The Educational Value of the Literature of the Northland Vida Fort 179 Camp Fire Ceremonials .... May Arnett Reichel 183 Story Telling Notes 187 From the Editor's Study 193 The Business Manager's Story 195 OCTOBER Story Telling Class Illustration 198 The Little Mouse Pie ....'. Mabel C. Bragg 199 Cally Coo-Coo o' the Woods . . . Seumas MacManus 202 The Black Tower or the Silver House . . Amy P. Hoy t 210 The Story of King Arthur (In Twelve Numbers) Third Number: How Arthur Won His Sword, "Excalibur," His Bride and His Round Table . Winona C. Martin 214 The Story of a Paper Cutter From the French of Chas Defodon 227 A Bowl of Porridge Elizabeth Colson 231 How a Story Telling League Was Forn.ed . Anna E. Logan 234 Barney Noonan's Fairy Haymakers . . Marietta StocJaird 239 The Katy Hagy Storytellers Eva Dawson 242 The Teacher and the Story . . . Sarah Lee Odend'hal 243 ^ From the Book Shelf 246 From the Editor's Study 248 NOVEMBER Miss Harrison's Children's Hour .... Illustration 252 "Once Upon A Time" Eieleen Harrison 253 The Psychology of the Story . . . Edward C. Wilson 262 The Sunshine Fairies Lynn Morton 263 NOVEMBER— Cow/j>? ned. Page Oochigeaskw, the Little Scarred Girl Emelyn Newcomh Partridge 265 "Little B 03%" poem Leonora Beck Ellis 270 The Old Iron Pot John H. Cox 271 The Miracle of Love ..... lola Gertrnde Waller 27 Q Why the Cat Spits at the Dog Rebecca Wentworth Spalding 278 The Story of King Arthur (In Twelve Numbers) Fourth Number: The Adventures of Gareth the Kitchen Knave Winona C. Martin 279 The Bible as a Story Book . . . Richard Morse Hodge 294 From the Book Shelf . . .298 What the Leagues are Doing 299 From the Editor's Study 303 Out of the East Lafcadio Beam 305 Story Tellers' League Directory 306 DECEMBER An Unexpected Climax . . . . . . Frontispiece 312 Blind Bartimseus .... Catherine Turner Bryce 313 Christmas Eve with the Seven Poor Travelers Charles Dickens 319 A Boy's Visit to Santa Claus . . Richard Thomas Wyche 332 The Story of King Arthur (In Twelve Numbers) Fifth Number The Adventures of Geraint with the Sparrow Hawk Winona C. Martin 337 Paulina's Christmas Adapted from Anna Robinson s " Little Paidina " 351 The Christmas Visitor Marietta Stockard 355 The Story of the Lion and the Old Hare (A Hindu Folk Story) 357 The Conservation of a Noble Heritage Thomas C. Blaisdell 358 Story Telling Notes 360 From the Editor's Study . . . 363 From the Mail Bag 365 Story Tellers' Leagues 366 3uRe June overhead ! All the birds know it, for swift they have sped Northward, and now they are singing like mad; June is full-tide for them, June makes them glad, Hark, the bright choruses greeting the day — Sorrow, away! — Selected, ^gsig^saiirniirrfi!rfig^i>raifrtjirra.ff^ig^igTtifr^ 1^ HE S TORY'l'ELLERS' M A G A z I N E Vol. I JUNE, 1913 No. 1 ^'M'MlS51M325M3^!SSJ^JSJ'M3H[32JE550J_O'M'JSJ lyJiyi'MK? 5S? O O M'M'M'Miiyj'iyj'M^^' Nimmy Nimmy Not An English Fairy-tale Retold from English Folk and Fairy Tales — Camelot Series This story is built upon the Hues of a perfect dramatic unit, as set forth by Freytag in his "Technik des Dramas" — (1) Exposition. Facts preceding the principal interest, i. e. the girl and her mother, etc. (2) Ascending Action. The coming of the king. The task. The development of the plot. (.S) The Climax. This is the revelation of the name by the king, followed by the Supreme Moment which was the revelation of the proper name to Nimmy Nimmy Not.- (4) Descending Action. The disposal of the villain through his "shrivelling up" and "flying away." (5) Conclusion. "Living happy ever after." Joseph Jacobs in his "English Fairy Stories " gives us the following information in regard to the story: "l^nearthed by Mr. E. Clodd, from the Suffolk Notes and Queries of the Ipswifck Journal, and re-printed by him in Folk-Lore Journal vii. 138-43. It has its parallels in Devon- shire's as "Duffy and the Devil," in Hunt's Romances and Drolls of the J]^est of England, 239-47; in Scotland two variants are given by Chambers, "In Popular Rhymes of Scotland." It is clearly the same as Grimm's "Rumpelstilskin" (No. 14). Mr. Clodd sees in the class of name-guessing stories, a "survival" of the superstition that to know a man's name gives you power over him, for which reason savages object to tell their names. It may be necessary — to explain to the little one, that Tom Tit can only be referred to as "That" because his name is not known until the end. The version of the story here given is republished by permission from "Story Telling in School and Home," by Evelyn Newcombe Partridge and George Everett Partridge, Ph. D., New York. Sturgis & Walton Co. The illustrations for the storyj are reproduced from "English Fairy Stories," through the courtesy of ths author Joseph Jacobs and the publishers Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sens, New York. ONCE upon a time there was a woman, and she baked five pies. And when she took them from the oven, she found that they had baked so long the crusts were too hard to eat. So she said to her daughter: "Put you them there pies on the shelf, and by and by they'll come again," She meant, you know, the crust would get soft. The girl, she took the pies into the pantry, and she put them upon the shelf in a long even row. She looked at them, and she thought how good they would taste. 1 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE "Well, if them there pies'll come again," she said to herself, "I may as well eat them now." So she ate them all, first and last! Come supper time, the woman said: "Go you and get one of them there pies, I dare say they've come again by this time." The daughter she went into the pantry, and she looked at the shelf. There were the five pie plates just as she had left them, — empty! So she went back to her mother and she said: "Noo, they ain't come again." "Not one of them.?" said the mother. "Noo, not one of them," says she. "Well, come again or not come again, I'll have one for my supper." And the old woman went toward the pantry. "But you can't have one, if they ain't come again, mother.'* "But I can," the woman declared. "I'll have the best one for mj' supper." "Best or worst," the daughter said, " Fve ate them all! And you can't have one 'til they've come again ! " WVll, the woman, she was so astonished she forgot all about sup- per. She carried her spinning to the doorway, and as she span, she sang a little song about her daughter: " My daughter has ate five, five pies today, My daughter has ate five, five pies today!" Now the king was coming down the road, and he heard the woman singing, but he could not he^ar the words. So he stopped in front of the door and said: "My good woman, what were you singing?" Now the old woman did not want anyone to know what a greedy daughter she had; so she sang instead of that, "My daughter has spun ^ve,five skeins today." "Land sakes alive!" said the king, "I never heard tell of anyone's doing that. Now look you here, my good woman. I want a wife, and I'll marry your daughter. But look you here. For eleven months of the year she shall have all the victuals she wants to eat, and all the clothes she wants to wear, and all the company she likes to keep. But the twelfth month, she mnst spin five skeins every day, or off'll go her head!'' "All right," says the woman, for she thought: 2 N I M M Y N I M M Y NOT " What a grand marriage this will be. And as for them there five skeins, by that time he'll forget all about them." So they were married. And for eleven months the girl had all the victuals she wanted to eat, and she had all the clothes she wanted to get, and she had all the company she liked to keep. But sometimes she felt a little uneasy. Sometimes she thought of that spinning she must do. The king, he never said one word about the five skeins, so as the eleven months had nearly passed, the girl thought that he had forgot- ten all about it. But one day, it was the last day of the eleventh month! The king came to her, and he took her into a little room she had never seen before. There was nothing in it but a spinning wheel and a little chair and a small bare table. "Here, my girl," says he, "here I'll put you tomorrow. And I'll lock the door. And here you must stay all day long. At night I'll come, and if you've not spun the five skeins, off'll go your head!'" And away he went about his business. Well, the girl was that frightened! She had always been such a gatless creature that she didnt even know hoiu to spin! She sat down on a stool and she began to cry. How she did cry! However, all of a sudden she heard a knocking, knocking, low down at the door. She got up and she opened the door. There stood a little black thing, WITH A LONG BLACK TAIL. And That looked up at her out of the corner of That's eyes, and That says : "What are you crying for.^*" "What's that to you.^*" says she. "Never you mind, but tell me what you are crying for. Perhaps I can help you," the little black thing told her. "Well, it can't do any harm, if it doesn't do any good," she thought. So she told him all about the five pies, and the five skeins and everything. THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE "This is what I'll do," says that little black thing, twirling his BIG BLACK TAIL. I'll come to your window every morning and get the flax, and at night I'll bring it home all spun." "What's your pay?" says she. That looked at her again out of the corner of That's eyes. "I'll give you three guesses every night to guess my name, and if you haven't guessed it by the last night, yo}i shall he MINE!" The girl thought that she would be sure to guess it before the month was up, so she said: "All right." "All right," That says, and hoio That did hvirl That's tail! Well, the next day, the king took her into the room, and there was the flax, and the day's supply of victuals. "Now, my dear," says he, "if that ain't spun by night, off'll go your headr Then he went out and locked the door behind him. The king had no sooner gone, than a hnock, — knock came at the window. There was the little black thing sitting on the window ledge. She gave him the flax and away he flew. Well, at evening, the knocking came again at the window. The girl opened it, and there stood the little black thing with the flax on his arm, all beautifully spun. "Here it is," he said, as he gave it to her. "Now, what's my name.'' "Is that Bill.'*" says she. "Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled his tail. "Is that Ned, then?" "Noo, that ain't." "Well, is that Mark, then?" she asked. "Noo." And That twirled That's tail harder and away That flew. When the king came in, there were the skeins beautifully spun. "Well, I see, my dear, that you won't lose your head tonight." And he went away and left her locked in the room. So every day the flax and the food were brought to the girl. And every morning the little black imp would knock at the window and carry away the flax, and every night it would bring back the flax spun. And every night the girl would try the three times to guess the imp's name, but she could never guess the right one. At last, the last day had come. And that night when the imp brought back the skeins, he said: 4 N I M M Y , N I M M Y NOT "What, ain't you guessed my name yet?" "Is that Nicodemas?" says she. "Noo, that ain't," That says. "Is that Samuel.^" "Noo, not that neither." Then That looked at her with That's eyes like coals of fire, and That says: "Woman, there's only tomorrow night, and THEN YOU'LL BE MINE ! ' ' And away That flew. Well, the girl she felt that bad. However, she heard the king coming along the passage. In he came, and when he saw the five skeins, he said: "My dear, I don't see but you'll have your skeins ready tomorrow night as well, so I reckon I shall not have to kill you, and I'll have supper in here tonight." So they brought the supper in , and the two sat down to the table. Well, he had eaten but a mouthful, when he began to laugh. "What are you laughing at.^" the girl asked him. "Well, today when I was out in the forest, I saw the funniest sight. ... I was in a strange part where I had never been before. And I saw an old chalk pit. . . . And I heard the queerest humming and humming coming from the pit. So I got off my hobby and crept over to the pit without making a bit of a sound. And there I saw the strangest looking little black thing with a long, black tail. And That was sitting at a little spinning wheel, and That was spinning so fast that I could scarcely see the wheel. And while That span, That sang, "Nimmy, nimmy not. My name is Tom Tit Tot." "And That kept singing it over again and again." When the girl heard this, she was so happy that she could almost have jumped out of her skiu for joy, but she didn't say a word. Next day, that little black thing looked so maliceful! And when night came she heard the knock at the window, she opened it, and the little black thing jumped into the room. He was grinning from ear to ear, and O! That's tail was twirling round so fast! "What's my name?" That said, as That gave her the skeins. "Is that Solomon?" said the girl, pretending to be afraid. "Noo, that ain't," That said, and That came further into the room. THE STORYTELLERS^ MAGAZINE " Well, is that Zebedee? " says she again. "Noo, that ain't." And then That laughed, and twirled That's tail until you could hardly see That. " Take time, woman ! The next guess AND YOU ARE MINE ! " And That stretched out That's black hands at her. Well, she moved back a step or two, and she looked at that little black thing, and then she laughed out, and says she, pointing her finger at it, "Nimmy, nimmy not. Your name is Tom Tit Tot." When that black impet heard her. That shrivelled right up, and away That flew and was never heard of again. And the girl lived happily ever after, and the king never again asked her to do any more spinning. 6 THE T A I L E Y P O The Taileypo BY RICHARD T. WYCHE The Taileypo story was told to me by the Rev. George Washington Neale, a student friend of mine, years ago, in Chicago University. Mr. Neale said that he had heard the story many times in his childhood, from the lips of the old negro story tellers in Tennessee. This story has its variant in the story of "The Golden Arm," which was written by Mark Twain, Joseph Jacobs and also in a collection by S. Baring-Gould. It is a story that loses much in the writing, as it is impossible to give voice modulation in cold print. After hearing Mr. Neale tell it a number of years ago, in Chicago, I took it up and began to tell it, and found many people in the South, who had heard the old negroes tell it. In January 1905, I was in Atlanta, Ga., and went with Joel Chandler Harris, the author of "I ncle Remus," to the West End School, where I told a number of Uncle Remus stories to the children. Beginning in the first grade, where Mr. Harris's little grandson was then a pupil and ending in the higher grades, where I told The Taileypo story. When the story was done, Mr. Harris said it was one of the best negro stories he had heard, but that I did not have all of the story. There was, he said, another piece of the story that should be linked with this to make it complete, and I said to Mr. Harris: "Find the other piece, and write the story com- plete." One year after that Harris published the story in the Metropolitan Magazine, New York, January 1906. Harris gave it a setting and artistic atmosphere, bringing in Brer" Rabbit and Mister Man. He put it in the mouth of I'ncle Remus, and had the old negro, as in his other books, tell the story to the little boy. That was a demonstration to me as to how Harris took many of the negro stories in the raw, and passing them through the magic of his imagination made them into art. We are frequently puzzled to find humorous stories for the boys and girls, — they must have humor. This story has universally amused them wherever it has been told. In it reverber- ates the barbaric ages from whence the race came, and it is a spontaneous expression of life from the primitive standpoint. To find a story that the boys and girls think humorous, and to laugh together with them, is decidedly refreshing and healthful to the teacher, who has dwelt so much on grammatical forms which are not fundamental in a child's interest. As Joseph Jacobs, says, "The children know the happenings in the story are make-believe just as much as the spectators of a tragedy. Every one who has enjoyed the blessing of a romantic imagination has been trained upon such tales of wonder." However, if one's imagination and sense of humor is undeveloped, and the story is taken seriously rather than humorously, it loses its value and should not be told. For that reason the story teller or teacher must study his auditors. As Uncle Remus would say, I will " 'gin it out to you as it was 'gunt to me." IN the mountains of Tennessee, 'way back in de big woods, lived onct a man, in a house all by his self. This man had one room to his house, and dat room was his kitchen. One night, when de man was sleepin on his bed, he heerd sup'ner roun de fire place snifflin, lickin de pots, de fryinpans, and de skillets, car'en on and g'wyin on. De man struk a light, and dar he see de curioses lookin varmint what you ever laid eyes on, a varmint wid a 7 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE great, long tail. No sooner de man see de varmint dan he retched for his hatchet. He made one sweep at him, and clipped his tail squar off behime. De varmint he run out thu de cracks er de logs and tiik to de woods. De man, fool-lik, took an cooked de tail, et it, — and den he went to bed. 'Way long in de night, suppen cum and got up over de man's do, and scratched and sed: "Taileypo, I want's my ta-a-a-a-a-a-iley-po." De man had three dogs: one name Uno, and one Ino, and one Cumticocalico. De man call his dogs, "Yer! Yer! Yer!" De dogs dey cum bilin out frum under de house. De varmint he run down side de house and jumped. De dogs snapped at him, but he got away, and dey run'ed him and run'ed him 'way back in de big woods. De man he tuk, he did and went back to bed, and went to sleep. But 'way long in de night, de thing cum and got up in de crac' er de man's do and sed: "Taileypo, you know, — I know, — all I want's my Ta-a-a-a-a-a- iley-po." De man call his dogs, "Yer! Yer! Yer!" Lino, Ino and Cumticocalico cum abustin roun de cordner of de house. De varmint jumped down from de side of de house and tuk to de woods. De dogs ketch him at de gate, — knock down de gate an tore down de fence. He got away, but dey jus' natchally tore up de earth runnin him 'way frum dar. De man tuk, he did and went back to bed and went to sleep. 'Way long in de night, jus befo day, de man he heard sup'ner down de hill, sayin: "Uno, Ino, all I want's my Ta-a-a-a-a-a-iley-pcn " By and by he heard him in de crack up over de do, sayin: "Taileypo, I want's my Ta-a-a-a-a-a-iley-po." De man call de dogs, "Yer! Yer! Yer!" De dogs didn't cum: de Taileypo dun car'ed em off sumeres in de woods, lost em or kil't em. Arter a while — de Taileypo stop. Everything was still. De man drapped back on his pillow, but fo long he feel supen and heard sUpen scratchin and clawin at de foot of de bed. Supen ketch holt er de kivers, and clawed lak a cat a'climin up. De man rais his haid up and look, and he see two bright eyes, lak balls er fire, lookin right pine blank at him frum de foot er de bed. De varmint crawl up ONCE UPON A TIME nigher and nigher on de man. He can see his little short 'years by de light er his eyes. De varmint say right easy to de man again: "Taileypo — I want my te-e-e-e-e-e-eley-po!" De man try to holler. He opens his mouf, but lak a man in his sleep, he ca'nt mak a soun'. De varmint crawl right up on top er de man and say right easy again: "Taileypo." "I want's my te-e-e-e-e-e-eley-po!" De man's voice cum back to him, and he say: "I aint got your taileypo." De varmint says, "Yes, you is.-'^ He jumped on de man and scratch him all to pieces, and got his taileypo. All dat's lef of de man's house now is de rude heart-stone, and dey say dat when de moon rises roun and red and shines down dat lonely hollow, and de win' blow, dat you can hear a voice in de win' day say: "Tail-a-a-a-a-a-e-eley-po-o-o-o!" and die in de distance. Once Upon a Time EVERY now and then the postman leaves at the office of The Evening Sun a message that brims over with pleasure for the recipient. Among such communications we gratefully acknowledge the following, addressed to us by a young friend in the South: "Durham N. C. March 29. "Dear editor — I like the Once upon a time stories very much pleas make them a little longer Father reads them to me after Supper, do you tell them to your little boy or girl with love Lucy Glasson Mary likes them to" Time was, Lucy, when we told some of these stories to our little boy and girl at bedtime, and now, years afterwards, we are glad to think that we can tell them over to thousands of other people's little boys and girls. If only they will think of us occasionally as Lucy Glasson does, "with love," how rich will be our reward. A^. 1'. Ercning Sun. North Carolina has recently organized a Folk-Lore Society, which will be a branch of the National Folk-Lore Society. THE STORYTELLERS MAGAZINE Johnny Cake Mr. Joseph Jacobs publishes this story in his Collection of "English Fairy Tales." He gives as his source "American Journal of Folli-Lore," ii. 60. Another variant of this story is found in "The Gingerbread Boy," in St. Nicholas, May, 1875. Chambers gives two versions of the same story, under the title "The Wee Bunnock," the first of which is one of the most dramatic and humorous of folk tales. Unfortunately the Scotticisms are so frequent as to render the Droll practically untranslatable. "The Fate of Mr. Jack Sparrow" in Uncle Remus is similar to that of Johnny Cake. The version herewith is taken from the Aldine Fourth Reader, by Frank E. Spaulding and Catherine T. Bryce, through the courtesy of the publishers, Newson & Company, New York. ONCE upon a time there was an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny Cake, and put it into the oven to bake. Then she said to the little boy: "You watch Johnny Cake while your father and I go out to work in the garden. Don't let it burn." The little boy soon got tired watching the oven, and went to look out of the window. All of a sudden he heard a noise back of him. He looked around quickly. The oven door popped open. Out jumped Johnny Cake. Away he went rolling along, end over end, through the open door, down the steps, and out into the road, long before the little boy could catch him. "Mother! Father! Johnny Cake's running away!" cried the little boy, and down the street he ran after Johnny Cake. 10 JOHNNY CAKE His father and mother threw down their hoes and gave chase too. But Johnny Cake outran all three a long way, and was soon out of sight. The old man, the old woman, and the little boy, quite out of breath, sat down by the roadside to rest. On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to two well diggers, who looked up from their work and called out, " Where are you going Johnny? " "I've outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!" "You can, can you.^^ We'll see about that!" Thej^ threw down their spades and ran after him. But Johnny Cake outstripped them also. Seeing they could never catch him, thay gave up. On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a bear. "Where are you going Johnny?" growled the bear. "I've outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, and two well diggers, and I can outrun j'ou, too-o-o!" "You can, can you?" growled the bear; "we'll see about that!" And he rushed thump, thump, after Johnny Cake, who never stopped to look behind him. Before long the bear was left far behind, so at last, breathless and panting, he stretched himself out by the roadside to rest. On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a wolf. " Where are you going, Johnny Cake?" yelped the wolf. U THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE "I've outrun an old man, an old woman, a little bo3% two well diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!" "You can, can you?" snarled the wolf; "we'll see about that!" And he set into a gallop after Johnny Cake, who went on so fast that the wolf saw there was no hope of overtaking him, and he, too, lay down to rest. On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a fox that lay quietly in a corner of the fence. "Where are you going, Johnny Cake.'^" called the fox, in a sharp voice, but without getting up. "I've outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!" "I can't quite hear you, Johnny Cake; won't you come a little closer.?" said the fox. Johnny Cake went a little nearer to the fox and called out in a very loud voice : "I've outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!" "Can't quite hear you; won't you come a little closer?" said the fox, in a feeble voice, as he put one paw behind his ear. Johnny Cake and leaning towards out, "I've outrun woman, a little boy, bear, and a wolf, you, too-o-o!" "You can, can fox, and he snapped a twinkling. came up quite close, the fox, screamed an old man, an old two well diggers, a and I can outrun you?" yelped the up Johnny Cake in 12 T H E T W E L V E ISI O N T II S jy^G>iTj>^> Bohemian Fairtt Story J^L R. T. WYCHE J^Ma IN THE BOHEMIAN land there lived a woman, who had one daughter named Katinka, and a stepdaughter named Dobrunka. The woman, naturally, loved her own daughter more than she did her step-daughter, but her own child was not as fair nor had she as pleasing a disposition as had the stepdaughter Dobrunka. This displeased the woman so that she made Dobrunka, the step- daughter, do all the housework, the cooking and the churning, whereas, her own daughter, Katinka, she dressed in fine clothes and let her live in idleness. And more than that — she frequently allowed Katinka to order Dobrunka around the house as if she were a servant. Dobrunka was always pleasing in countenance and in spirit, and the work she did made her strong and wholesome, whereas the idleness in which Katinka lived made her very disagreeable. 13 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE One day, Katinka came to Dobrunka, and said: "Dobrunka, I want some violets; go out into the fields or the forest and find me some." Dobrunka said, "Why Katinka, that is a strange request. This is not the time for violets; it is mid-winter." Whereupon Katinka grew very angry and said: "Go, do as I say and bring me some violets, or I shall beat you to a jelly." With that Katinka pushed her out of the door and with the help of her mother barred the door behind her. Now, it was mid-winter and snow was upon the ground, and Dobrunka started through the forest not knowing what to do. As she walked along the forest, she saw on a hillside a fire burning. Soon she came to the fire, and there sat twelve old men with long grey beards. Their names were the Twelve Months. It was mid-winter, and January, of course, was presiding. As Dobrunka came near to the group, not knowing what to do nor where to go, she stopped and began to cry. January saw her, and said: "Child, why do you stand there shivering and crying, what is the matter.^" Dobrunka said, "My mother and sister have driven me from the house, and they said if I do not bring them some violets they will beat me to a jelly." January felt sorry for the girl, and he said: "Violets do not belong to me; perhaps March can help you." Near by sat March, and he turned and saw the girl was troubled and he pitied her. March stood up and waved his wand over the fire. The fire and the circle of old men disappeared. March and the girl were standing in a field and the air was fragrant with the breath of early Spring. March said, "Daughter look down at your feet, and gather as many violets as you wish!" As Dobrunka looked, all about her the field was purple with violets. She stooped down and gathered a great handful of them. When she came back to the house and entered the door, Katinka saw her, and said, "Yes, I knew you could bring them, you were just pretending that you could not." And, the perfume of the violets filled the whole house. Some daj's after Katinka came again to Dobrunka, and said: "Dobrunka, I want some strawberries, red and fresh from the fields." 14 THE T W E L V E M N T H S ■ There sat twelve old men Dobriinka said, "Why sister, how strangely you talk. This is not the time for strawberries; it is mid-winter. But Katinka said: "Obey me, you said there were no violets the other day; you brought them, — go, bring me some strawberries or I will beat you to a jelly.'' With that she pushed her out of the door and the stepmother helped her bar the door. Dobrunka then turned toward the forest again. Snow was still on the ground. She walked along toward the mountain and saw 15 THE STORYTELLERS^ MAGAZINE again the fire burning in the distance. Soon she was standing where sat the twelve old men in a circle. January heard her footfall on the snow. Dobrunka stopped and began crying. January said to her, "Child, why did you come back, we gave you violets and still you are back again.^" Dobrunka said, "My mother and sister have driven me from my home, and they say if I do not bring some strawberries they will beat me to a jelly." January said: "I am sorry, but I cannot help you. Strawberries do not belong to me; perhaps May can help you." May was sitting across the circle. He looked at the girl standing there in trouble and he felt sorry for her. He stood up and waved his wand across the fire. The old men disappeared and the fire. Dobrunka found herself standing in a field. It was a perfect day in May. Above her head the sky was soft and blue; in every treetop sang the birds. May, the old man, stood by her and said: "Look child at the earth and see what you will find." Dobrunka looked, and all about in great bunches grew straw- berries, peeping like jewels from the green leaves. May said to her, "Help yourself." And stooping down she gathered her hands full and then ran back to the house. When she entered the door, her sister seized the berries and ate them all up. A few days after that, Katinka came again to Dobrunka and said: "Dobrunka, I want some apples, fresh and ripe; go to the forest and fine me some." Dobrunka said, "Why sister how strangely you talk, — this is not the time for apples; it is mid- winter." Katinka said, "Lazy girl, you said you could not find the violets, but you did. You said there were no strawberries, but you brought them; go, and get me some apples or I will beat you to a jt^iiy-" Whereupon she pushed her from the door and the stepmother helped her to bar the door behind her. Dobrunka turned again to the forest. She remembered where the old men lived on the mountainside and was soon standing near the circle. She crept along very quietly. She did not wish to ask the old men to help her again because they already had been so kind to her, but January saw her standing with bowed head and shivering in the cold. 16 T II E T W E L V E M O N T H S He said, "Child, child, why did you come back here? We sent you away the other day with your wants supplied." Then Dobrunka said: "My mother and sister have driven me from the house, they say if I do not bring them some apples they will beat me to a jelly." January said, "Apples do not belong to me; perhaps September can help you." On the opposite side of the circle sat September, and he saw the girl standing there, helpless. He felt sorry for her and standing " One day the handsomest youth in all the world cams dy " up, he waved his wand over the fire. The circle and the old men disappeared. They were standing in a gently rolling field. The air was soft; the crickets were chirping in the grass and there was in the sky a haze. All around here stood great apple trees, loaded with fruit, red and yellow. September said to the girl, "Help yourself." Dobrunka picked up two of the largest apples, and then fled back to the house. When her sister saw her, she seized the apples, ate one and gave the other to her mother. As soon as the apples were eaten, — she came to Dabronka, and said, "Why did you not bring more apples .f^" 17 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZI N E Then Dobrunka told her about the old men and how they had helped her each time. "Then," said Katinka, "I know why you did not bring more, you ate them up on the way. Go back, and bring me more or I will beat you." Dobrunka said, "Please do not send me again in the cold," and she begged that she might stay in the house. Then Katinka said, "I will go myself; if you could get them I can get them from the old men." She left the house and walked through the forest, and soon came in sight of the fire where sat the twelve old men. When she came near to them, she said, "Hello there, old grey beards, I want some apples and want them quick!" January was not accustomed to such words. He stood up and waved his wand over the fire and the fire and the circle were gone. Katinka found herself in a great forest. The wind was wailing through the treetops, the snow was falling and it was bitter cold. Katinka did not come back to the house. Her mother waited for her and by and by she started out in search of her, But she, too, was lost in the storm that raged, and never came back. Dobrunka waited in the house. The night passed, and the next day and many days. By and by the snow melted. The birds and flowers of Spring came, but still the lost ones did not come back. Dobrunka had the house all alone. One day, the handsomest youth in all the world came by and met Dobrunka. They became frier ds, and afterwards they were married and lived happily forever there- after. The Storytellers' League, of the State Normal School, of Dillon, ISIontana, have decided for the present year to devote their attention to a line of work, which so far as we know, has not yet been attempted by any other League. They will investigate the part that the supernatural, espe- cially witchcraft, plays in literature, and Mill follow it not only through folk literature, but the following units: Goethe's Faust, Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Konigs-kinder and Hansel and Gretel. The general theme will be broken from time to time by the intro- duction of stories suitable for a special session. At the last meeting in December the program will be given over to Christmas stories, tales and legends. Miss Florence Mayer is President of the League, 18 S T O R Y T E L L I N G AN 1) K 1) IT C A T I O N Story Telling and Education BY GEORGE EVERETT PARTRIDGE, Ph. I). THE recent revival of story telling raises many interesting questions, both practical and theoretical. Considered as a part of a larger movement, — an effort to control and utilize the powers concealed within the instincts and unconscious forces of the mind — story telling takes a place in a problem which we can hardly be mistaken in calling one of the most important of our day. We have tended to value, in education, only that which we can see and fully understand; but now, as we begin seriously to employ arts in the school, and in the arts to sub- ordinate knowledge to feeling, to use methods that yield no immediate or practical return, we demand an increasing faith in the powers of receptivity and inner response of the child, and we must learn more and more to detect, and to be satisfied with, unseen and remote effects. In the art-invasion of the school, which is one aspect of this movement toward a wider education, it is difficult to see how, in the near future, we can be carried too far. We have been in the habit of emphasizing so much the learning process, that we are in danger of preventing the free and experimental atti- tude tow ard these new interests that seems needed at the present time. We are likely to have too little, rather than too much, faith in the play motives, the aesthetic moods, and the sub- conscious powers. We shall still want the child to express, to dramatize, to be examined upon, everything he receives: to externalize every response, even in the most intimate regions of feeling. In calhng the influx of artistic elements and methods into the school one phase of the education of the unconscious and deeper powers, we have a significant practical view-point, and 19 THE STORYTELLERS^ MAGAZINE are at the same time in touch with new results in science. As a practical ideal, we must aim to educate all the individual, not merely thought and voluntary movement. We wish to reach the inherited mechanisms of the organism ; we wish to play upon all the potentialities of feeling and volition, and to utilize powers latent in the deposits of experience that the child has brought with him to the world. These new results in science give to the well-worn principle that we must educate all the powers of the child a new meaning, and at least three important advances in psychology, in recent years, combine to put solid ground under our feet for a practical aesthetics, and give us principles by which we can coordinate the artistic elements and methods of the school. The first of these advances is the genetic psychology that has arisen and flourished on the basis of Darwinian principles in biology, and which has shown the fundamental place of the feelings in education. The second is the new psycho-analysis, which, by showing the laws of the symbolic expression of hidden desires and feelings, has given us a new conception of the relation of art to life. The third new result is in the psychology of valuation, which has traced out, at least roughly^ the course of development of the sesthetic and ethical states of consciousness. New and incomplete and lacking in coordination as these principles are, they already yield us practical insights such as we have never been able to obtain from the older philosophies. We may confidently expect to see in time a solid science of the feelings, which will give us a "union of art and life" in a sound sestheticism in education: an sestheticism that will help to organize and control the fundamental feelings, and will overcome the superficial aloofness of our prevailing too formal and too detached art. This will be based upon the discovery that art, and the need of art, extend throughout all phases of human life; and that all true art must work in intimate union with practical affairs. 20 STORYTELLING AND EDIT CAT I ON Considerations, such as these, seem essential for any study of the place of story telling, or any other art, in education. II The story telling "situation" is an artistic situation. It falls under the category of the bemdiful, and is subject to all the general principles of aesthetics. Thus it stands in striking contrast with all formal methods of instruction, and all routine and unemotional learning. In such artistic situations the child is more fuUy present than in the formal school work, for he brings with him his deeper, unconscious nature. The nature of the story as an educational art is best shown by its place in primitive life. Here the function of the story is clearly practical. By it religion, and all beliefs, morals, cus- toms, and traditions are conveyed to the child. The folk- tales, the legends, the fairy-tales, the epics, and the myths of the world are not merely fanciful inventions of man; in a far more profound way than we yet fully understand, they express man's most urgent needs and desires. Primitive man began early to express, in his stories, by means of a varied symbolism, his own hopes and wishes, — sometimes, thereby, keeping them alive through hard conditions, and passing them on to new generations; sometimes obtaining for them a vicarious satis- faction. These racial stories affect our feelings deeply, simply because there is continuity in evolution: because the past still lives in the present: because these stories are the products of universal needs, and symbolize or represent them. The story is thus a language of the feelings; it is a means of communication between the past and the unconscious and undeveloped poten- tialities of the present. The story is a symbolic language: its scenes and words are often trivial, but underneath them runs a deeper meaning. Everyone who has told stories must have felt this. We all know that when we tell a good story to 21 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE a child, the child is receiving from us indescribable meanings, which the story itself conveys, but does not really contain or express, — and this sense of free-masonry of emotional meaning is the greatest charm of the story. One who feels this does not need to point a moral to a tale; and one who feels the need of the moral does not really tell his story. Without knowing something about the nature of the aesthetic feelings and moods it is impossible to understand the scope of such an art as story telling. We are likely to think of aesthetic feeling as passive, or as merely "refining" in its effects: or, if inspiring, as mainly affecting the creative, artistic imagination. But this is not the case. All aesthetic feelings are intensely active. Because the responses are internal, — a play of forces within the organism — we are likely to overlook them altogether. In every aesthetic state, we have good reason to believe, there is a play of volitions, an active choosing, a drama of aroused and satisfied desire — definite, specific desire, which, though it may often be unconscious, if none the less real. And it is because of this drama of desire that aesthetic situations have meaning and value — educational value. We cannot at present know, — and as practical educators we do not need to know — ^precisely the mechanism or content of every emotional state; yet we can often see clearly some of the deeper meaning and effect of aesthetic valuations. We can see sometimes, in the child's interest in fairy-tales, for example, that the child is playing a part; that he is accepting for himself misfortunes for the sake of the good that issues from them ; that he is appreciating, in some half-conscious way, the nature of a world in which events are not separate and haphazard, but are connected through far-seeing purposes. The child is not merely pleased at the story; he reacts to it by taking attitudes: by accepting, rejecting, deciding; by desiring, and by receiving satisfaction. In such experiences the child is even acquiring religion, — and the standards and moods of later life are made S T O R Y T E Iv L I N G AND E D U CATION up of just such feelings as are conveyed so effectively through the medium of the artistic story. The story, then, is an important method in education. It is a very effective and natural devise for conveying the ideals and volitions of one generation to the mind of another, and of coordinating many individuals by means of the common pos- session of these ideals and purposes. We have yet to learn fully how far we can go by this and other kinds of artistry in teaching; but that the story should have a serious place in edu- cation, seems wholly certain. Just how large a place it should occupy is to be determined, in part, by experiment. Good story telling may be utilized in so many subjects of the curricu- lum, for so many purposes, and in so many departments of education, within and without the school; its artistic possi- bilities are so great; the present momentum of interest is so strong, and so well justified by science, that we may expect to see. a widespread use of the story as a method of education. We shall expect to see story telling become a part of the equip- ment of all teachers, and the story literature of the world become more and more accessible, and better adapted to the child. And it is likely that the professional story teller will again flourish among us, as in the days before books and schools robbed him of his art. The Story Tellers' League, of Nashville, Tenn., issues an attractive Year Book for the current year. Among the topics announced for the year is a Greek pageant, "The Fire Regained," to be given out of doors at the Parthenon, in Centennial Park. This pageant was written by Mr. Sidney Hirsch, a member of the Story Tellers' League, and dedicated to the League. A popular subscription of $10,000 has been made by the city for its produc- tion. Seats will be arranged for 20,000 people. The Schools will furnish 800 young men and young women for the performance; a herd of sheep and a flock of doves enter into the pageant. It will be given five afternoons early in May. 23 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE Story Telling in Boston BY MARY W. CRONAN Official Story Teller for the Boston Public Libraries I REALLY felt most delighted at the thought of the new magazine and want to send an article, but can't seem to find time to write it. Perhaps it will answer if I just tell you what is being done in Boston Libraries and Settlements by Mr. Cronan and myself, and let you choose such items as seem of interest. The Library classes are held in the afternoon. On Saturday from three to four Mr. Cronan and I tell stories in the Central Library. On Monday I go to Brighton; Tuesday to Jamaica Plain; Wednesday to South Boston; Thursday the West End; Friday Shawmut Ave. Branch. All these are Branches of the Central Library. The ages of the children are from ten to fourteen. The attendance from one to two hundred. The first part of the hour is devoted to telling the story of some book which the children have not read and which would be a valuable book for them to know. As the boys greatly outnumber the girls, the book is chosen which is likely to appeal to them. I have told in "continued story" form each book lasting from four to six periods of story telling the following: The Talisman Oliver Twist Spenser's "Faerie Queen" Water Babies Robin Hood King Arthur and His Knights The Rhinegold Siegfried Treasure Island Captains Courageous Peter Pan The Bluebird Jean Valjean The Odyssey Finn and his Mighty Deeds The Christmas Carol Konigs Kinder, etc. The last twenty minutes of the hour is usually devoted to some story of fun or fancy — a fairy tale — or Brer' Rabbit's pranks. In the evening similar work is done in Social Settlements with groups of boys from twelve to fourteen years of age. At Denison House we have ninety-six boys of Syrian and Irish nationality. There are groups in the Ruggles Street Neighborhood House — the "South End Industrial School," Jamaica Plain Neighborhood House, South End House and Lincoln House. In the summer story telling groups are held on the roof gardens of the Settlement House or in the yard where we sit on the grass and tell stories in the twilight — often to groups of one hundred and fifty children. 24 STORY TELLIN G IN BOS T O N The accompanying newspaper dippings alxmt my work may be of interest : Introduces the Child to the Best Literature " I do not tell stories to amuse children, but to instruct them. The purpose is to introduce the child to the best literature and not to entertain him, although he is at the same time entertained. "Story telling bridges the gap between the child and the library and brings him into literature. It develops the child in every way and teaches him what is really worth his while to read. "It develops the imagination, trains his mind and he gets many moral lessons, although I never tell stories as a means of preaching to children. Develops the Child's Mind " Story telling means far more to children than many people realize. The love for stories is born in every child and it takes but a remarkably short time before almost every child becomes a really wonderful lis- tener. " It is interesting to observe how the mind of the child is developed. ' At first, many can keep their attention on a story only a short time, but they soon learn the power of application and can listen breathlessly for an hour and then ask for another story, even though they know the time is up. After their attention has once been gained, children will listen to stories as long as the story teller will continue. Librarians Enthusiastic "After a year or more of story telling in the public libraries, I believe in the power of the story more than ever. Between the settle- ments and the hbraries, over 1,'200 children come to listen to me each week, and besides I have been conducting a normal class to teach young librarians how to tell stories themselves. "All the librarians appear to be enthusiastic over the story hour, and although it adds to their cares and confusion, they welcome me each week with a friendliness that is truly genuine. "But the real inspiration comes from the children themselves. They never seem to tire, and sometimes keep me for an hour and a quarter with 'A little more, please, just a few minutes. We want to know what became of Oliver,' or 'Didn't Siegfried come to life again?' 25 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE The Stone Lion A Tibetan story, retold from the excellent collection of Captain O'Connor. Although a fairy-tale in form, it has the well marked purposive quality so characteristic of Eastern stories. Adapted from Folk-Tales from Tibet, by Captain W. P. O'Connor. This story was voted to be the best story told during two years to a class of younger children at Bancroft School, Worcester. Twenty-two children whispered their votes to the story teller. Ten chose The Stone Lion, while no other story received more than four votes. This story, by permission of authors and publishers, is taken from Story Telling in School and Home, by Emelyn Newcomb Partridge and George E. Partridge. Sturgis & Walton Company, New York. ONCE THERE WERE two brothers who Hved with their mother in a large house on a farm. Their father was dead. The older brother was elever and selfish; but the younger was kind and gentle. The older brother did not like the younger because he was honest, and never could get the best of a bargain; so one day he said to him: "You must go away. I cannot support you any longer." So the younger brother packed all his belongings, and went to bid his mother good-bye. When she heard what the older brother had done, she said: "I will go with you, my son. I will not live here any longer with so hard-hearted a man as your brother." The next morning the mother and the younger brother started out together. Toward night they came to a hut at the foot of a hill. It was empty except for an axe, which stood behind the door. But they managed to get their supper, and stayed in the hut all night. In the morning they saw that on the side of the hill near the hut was a great forest. The son took the axe, and went up on the hill side and chopped enough wood for a load to carry to the town on the other side of the hill. He easily sold it, and with a happy heart brought back food and some clothing to make them both comfortable. "Now, mother," he said, "I can earn enough to keep us both, and we shall be happy here together." Day after day he went out and cut the wood, and at night carried it to the village and sold it; and they always had plenty to eat and what they needed to make them happy and comfortable. One day the boy went further up the hill than he had ever gone before in search of better timber. As he climbed up the steep hillside, he suddenly came upon a lion carved from stone. 26 THE STONE L I f) N "O!" thought the boy, "this must be the guardian deity of this mountain. I will make him some offering tomorrow." That night he bought two candles, and carried them to the lion. He lighted them and put one on each side of the lion, praying that his own good fortune might continue. As he stood there, suddenly the lion opened his great stone mouth, and said: "What are you doing here.f*" The boy told him all the story of his hard-hearted brother, and how he and his mother had left home, and were living in the hut at the foot of the hill. When he had heard all of the story, the lion said: "If you will bring a bucket here tomorrow, and put it under my mouth, I will fill it with gold for you." The next day the boy brought the bucket and put it under the lion's mouth. "You must be very careful to tell me when it is nearly full," said the lion, "for if even one piece of gold should fall to the ground, great trouble would be in store for you." The boy was very careful to do exactly as the lion told him, and soon he was on his way home to his mother with a bucketful of gold. They were so rich now that they bought a great, beautiful farm, and went there to live. Everything the boy undertook seemed to prosper. He worked hard, and grew strong; and before many years had passed he was old enough to marry, and bring a bride to the home. But the mother still lived with them, and they were all very contented and happy. At last the hard-hearted brother heard of their prosperity. He too had married, and had a little son. So he took his wife and the little boy, and went to pay his younger brother a visit. It was not long before he had heard the whole story of their good fortune, and how the lion had given them all the gold. "I will try that, too," he said. So he took his wife and child and went to the very same hut his brother had lived in, and there they passed the night. The very next morning he started out with a bucket to visit the Stone Lion. When he had told the lion his errand, the lion said: "I will do that for you, but you must be very careful to tell me 27 T H p: s t o r y t i: l l e r s ' magazine when the bucket is nearly full; for even if one little piece of gold touches the ground, great misery will surely fall upon you." Now the elder brother was so greedy that he kept shaking the bucket to get the gold pieces closer together. And when the bucket was nearly full he did not tell the lion, as the younger brother had done, for he wanted all he could get. Suddenly one of the gold pieces fell upon the ground. "O," cried the lion, "a big piece of gold is stuck in my throat. Put your hand in and get it out. It is the largest piece of all." The greedy man thrust his hand at once into the lion's mouth — and the lion snapped his jaws together. And there the man stayed, for the Lion would not let him go. And the gold in the bucket turned into earth and stones. When night came, and the husband did not come home, the wife became anxious, and went out to search for him. At last she found him, with his arm held fast in the lion's mouth. He was tired, cold and hungry. She comforted him as best she could, and brought him some food. Every day now the wife must go with food for her husband. But there came a day when all the money was gone, and the baby was sick, and the poor woman herself was too ill to work. She went to her husband and said : "There is no more food for you, nor for us. We shall all have to die. O! if we had only not tried to get the gold." The lion was listening to all that was said, and he was so pleased at their misfortune that he began laughing at them. And as he laughed, he opened his mouth, and the greedy man quickly drew out his hand, before the lion had a chance to close his jaws again ! They were glad enough to get away from the place where they had had such ill luck, and so they went to the brother's house once more. The brother was sorry for them, and gave them enough money to buy a small place, and there the hard-hearted brother took his family and lived. The younger brother and his wife and his mother lived very happily in their beautiful home, but they always remembered the Stone Lion on the hillside, who gave them their good fortune. 28 THE O Y S I^ i: R AND IIS C L A I M ANTS The Oyster and Its Claimants (From Walter Thornbury's translation of Esop's Fables, made into verse by M. De La FonUiine. Fable CLXXII. Page 501— "La Fontiiine's Fables.") There is something so grand in this species of composition, that many of the Ancients have attributed the greater part of these fables to Socrates; selecting as their author that in- dividual amongst mortals who was most directly in communication with the gods. I am rather surprised that they have not maintained that these fables descended direct from heaven. . , , The fable is a gift which comes from the immortals; it if were the gift of man, he who gave it to us would deserve a temple. From Preface to La Fontaine's Fables. TWO travellers discovered on the beach An Oyster, carried thither by the sea. 'Twas eyed with equal greediness by each; Then came the question whose was it to be. One, stooping down to pounce upon the prize, Was thrust away before his hand could snatch it. "Not quite so quickly," his companion cried; "If you've a claim here, Fve a claim to match it; The first that saw it has the better right To its possession; come, you can't deny it." "WVll," said his friend, "my orbs are pretty bright. And I, upon my life, was first to spy it." "You.^^ Not at all; or, if you did perceive it, "I smelt it long before it was in view; But here's a lawyer coming — let us leave it To him to arbitrate between the two." The lawyer listens with a stolid face, Arrives at his decision in a minute; And, as the shortest way to end the case. Opens the shell and eats the fish within it. The rivals look upon him with dismay: — "This Court," says he, "awards you each a shell; You've neither of you any costs to pay, And so be happy. Go in peace. Farewell!" How often, when causes to trial are brought. Does the lawyer get pelf and his client get nought! The former will pocket his fees with a sneer, While the latter sneaks off with a flea in his ear. THE storytp:llers' magazine The Psycho-therapeutic Value of Story Telling FRANCES E. FOOTE THE Story telling Movement is growing with such gigantic strides that a magazine which will keep the Missionaries in this movement in touch with one another seems most desirable, if not absolutely necessary. Many writers have voiced many opinions as to the benefits to be de- rived from the exercise of the Art of Story telling, but there is one which I have never seen in black and white, about which I feel impelled to write. It is the Psycho-Therapeutic value of Story telling. Pain is a real thing, and will hold us in his clutches and claim all our attention if allowed to do so. Sorrow is absorbing, and will bow our heads and break our spirits if unhindered. Upon what, then, may we concentrate our attention, that pain may grow weary of pressing his claim. f* With what may we so absorb our minds tnat sorrow will fade away.^* One of the fundamental principles of Story telling is that the oral interpreter of Literature, must so vividly see the pictures described in the story, that he will cause his hearers to feel that they, too, see. He must feel the impulses and emotions of the characters in the story so truly that the hearts of his hearers will thrill with the same feeling. Since this is true, that the mind must be absorbed in the distant scenes of Story Land, pain in due course of time must grow tired of urging his claim and will ultimately depart. The emotions dominant in stories which we tell are altruistic for the most part. We prefer to dwell upon themes in which evil is overcome by good; those in which sorrow flees away and joy comes with the morning. Isn't it true that the person who, day after day, creates these altru- istic emotions in the hearts of his hearers will find his sorrow, deep-seated though it may be, growing dimmer day by day as he brightens the lives of his hearers? There are many cases which I could give you to prove my point. One, of a little child with spinal trouble, who was treated by a great sur- geon. He would call upon her two or three days out of the week and each time tell her a story. He required her, meanwhile, to make up similar 30 THE PSYCHO-THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF STORY TELLING stoTies. For instance, he would tell her the story of "Little Green Cap," Then he would say, "Now, by Tuesday I want you to have a story ready for me. It must be about a poor little girl, a princess and a magic ring." So absorbed did the child become in such work that the pain in the poor little back grew less and less insistent until she ceased to be an invalid and was able to attend school. She was one of the happiest children I ever knew. She said she didn't mind the pain any more, she had such lovely things to think about. Another was the case of a young woman upon whom sorrow laid a heavy hand. Prostrated by grief, she lay for several days in a darkened room. Then rousing herself she went to a hospital and secured permission from the superintendent to visit daily the friendless patients who seemed lonely. For months she reported daily to the superintendent, was given directions as to which patients to visit, and for three hours she would go from one to the other telling humorous stories. The morning hours she spent hunting for artistic, mirth-provoking stories and her afternoons in bringing smiles to sad faces. The result was inevitable. People everywhere welcomed her as a ray of sunshine. One more case — that of a young woman who, while making a brave struggle to recover from one serious operation, suddenly found herself facing another even more serious. With nerves racked by persistent pain, courage well nigh gone, pursued by that dread foe insomnia, she turned to her one accomplishment. Story telling. Though able to sit up but a few hours at a time, she held large audiences in many cities two or three times a week, until she once more went under the knife. Then within two months she was on the platform again, bringing herself back to health by compelling her mind to dwell in Storyland. I knew all the particulars of this case, the physical torture she endured for two years, the struggle she made to live, and knowing what I do, forces me to believe that if Story telling did not save her life, it certainly saved her reason. It is a law of life that the only thing which we may always keep, is the thing we give. If then, the prime function of Story telling is the giving of Joy, then Joy is the thing which the Story teller may have. To those who "travail and are heavy laden" I commend the Art of Story telling. 31 THE STORYTELL ERS' MAGAZINE Story Telling for Mothers INTERESTING accounts were recently published in the Herald, Sun and other New York papers of Miss Georgene Faulkner's story telling for mothers and children at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York and St. Mary's Parish House, Brooklyn. The story telling at the Waldorf-Astoria was given under the auspices of Mrs. William Rogers Chapman, President of the Rubenstein Musical Club, to an audience of fourteen hundred, of which about seven hundred were children. Miss Faulkner, in Mother Goose attire, told the children Mother Goose stories, assisted by singers who presented ballads to accompany the stories. Much to the amusement of the children. Miss Faulkner would sometimes change the text of the Mother Goose rhymes, and the children were not backward about crying out corrections of these errors. Miss Faulkner would say: "Jack and Jill went up the hill. Like a dutiful son and daughter; Now Jack is sick, and Jill is ill. They did not boil the water." This would be greeted by a chorus of, "No, No, that isn't the way it goes!" and other exclamations. Later, Miss Faulkner, in German costume, told the fairy story of "Hansel and Gretel." The "Gingerbread Man," otherwise known as "Johnny Cake" and "The Wee Bunnock," gave more pleasure to the children than any other story, perhaps because it was accompanied by Gingerbread Men in neat boxes, which were given to the children as souvenirs of the occasion. Through the courtesy of Mrs. Chapman and with the assistance of Mrs. Arthur Elliot Fish, one hundred crippled children, from the Industrial School for Crippled Children, participated in the delights of the "Mother Goose" matinee. The story telling at St. Mary's Parish House, was arranged primarily for mothers, under the auspices of Miss Mabel McKinney, Superintendent of the Kindergartens in the Borough of Brooklyn. "What kind of a story," said Miss Faulkner, "should the mother tell to her children? Any good interesting story will lend itself to the spoken narrative. Many mothers are so careless about what their children read 32 STORY TELLING FOR I\r O T H E R S —thinking that ahnost any })o()k which they get from the library will answer the need. This is a great mistake. If tlie mother will only take care to direct the young mind into the right channels at the impressionable period she would lay a firm foundation on which to build the future life of the child. Not only are many books from Public Libraries pernicious, but from the Sunday-School Libraries as well. Many mothers make a prac- tice of filling the minds of their little children with a hodge-podge of infor- mation, superstition, fear and other ideas which have had a bad effect upon the children's mind. They think it makes little difference what they put into the child's thought so long as it is a story. In reality it makes all the difference in the world. "With the great storehouse of classical and folk-lore stories within easy reach; stories of brave deeds well done; of self-sacrifice; of love and duty and other high ideals, the mind of the child is easily guided into channels of right thinking, and if mothers only realized it more fully, it is in their power through the medium of these stories to fill the little mind with ideals, which will have a most important bearing through life in the development of character. Through the simple art of story telling the mother possesses the key to the hidden nature of the child if she could only be made to appreciate and understand the value of the story influence." The Story Tellers' League at the Alabama Girls' Technical Institute, Montevallo, is divided into chapters: The Poe Chapter; the Uncle Remus Chapter, and the Wyche Chapter. The Poe Chapter deals with the Edgar Allen Poe stories, Kipling, Hawthorne, and Irving, while the Uncle Remus Chapter deals with the Arabian Nights, Robin Hood, Uncle Remus, Folk and Fairy Tales. The Wyche Chajiter deals with the Stories of King Arthur; the Opera stories — Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel; the Beowulf Story, and Stories of Knighthood by J. H. Cox. The Chapters meet once a week separately, throughout the school year, and occasionally they have a joint meeting. The programme of the League as well as other societies in the school are published by the Institute, and may be had for the asking. The Story Tellers' League, with its three chapters, has a combined member- ship of one hundred and twenty-five, making it one of the strongest organi- zations in the school. One Chapter of the League devotes time to the playing of folk games at the recreation hour, in the afternoon, on the law^n. 33 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE THE BEOWULF CLUB OF WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY By John Harrington Cox The above-named organization is the story telling club of the Uni- versity. Its formation grew out of the enthusiasm of four young women who were studying the great Anglo-Saxon epic, of course, in the original. Their eagerness to master the famous tale, to be able to retell it with at least somewhat of its original vigor, picturesqueness, and fascination, was worthy of a permanent record. Their zeal was to make the story something more than a mere name. They thought that this priceless bit of literary heritage should be gotten off the printed page and down into the hearts of people far and wide throughout our State. As the idea developed its possibilities began to be more fully realized. Here was an opportunity of enlisting the sympathies of some of the bright- est young men and young women of the University, in the great stories of the world; stories of all ages and all countries; prose and verse, ranging from the fairy tale to the Iliad. And, moreover, it was thought that the interest would not be a passing one, but permanent. The necessity of mastering the outlines of a story, the practice in recreating it by memory and imagination, the vivifying of it through the emotions and the person- ality of the teller, was believed to furnish an exercise in many ways more pleasurable and profitable than those obtained in the usual recitation. The result more than fulfilled all expectations. The club was formed on the Twenty-ninth of February, Nineteen hundred and eight. Since that time it has not missed a single meeting. The membership averages about twelve from year to year. Most of these on leaving the University become teachers and carry the work into their schools, teachers' institutes, and public entertainments. Several times the club has been invited to give a public performance. Invitations to its meetings are eagerly welcomed and the young people who tell the stories never lack for an appreciative audience. Detroit, Michigan, has recently organized a Story Tellers' League. Miss Mary Conover is President, and Miss Alice M. Alexander, Secretary. The first program is devoted to Irish stories; the second evening Folk stories. Hero tales for another meeting, with Bible and Animal stories to make up the programs for two meetings. The League meets at the College Club rooms, and has a membership of thirty. 34 HOW TO ORGANIZE A STORY TELLERS' LEAGUE HOW TO ORGANIZE A STORY TELLERS' LEAGUE "I have just read an article in the March number of The World's Work, on the Story Tellers' League movement, have heard of the Story Tellers' League, or read a cha})ter in Mr. Wyche's book, 'Some Good Stories and How to Tell Them,' on the Story Tellers' League, and should like to organize such a league in my community. How shall I go about it?" This is a question that comes almost every day to some officer of the Story Tellers' League. The method of procedure in organizing a Story Tellers' League is a very simple one. The first step is to call a meeting of as many prospective members as can be gotten together. A chairman and secretary pro tern should then be elected and the meeting called to order. The organizer should then state the purpose of the meeting, ask for the enrollment of the names and addresses of those who wish to join and have these recorded by the secretary. The next step is the nomination and election of permanent officers, usually a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Record- ing Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. Upon the election of these officers, the chairman and secretary pro tern resign in favor of the elected officers, and the League is then duly organized for business. The adoption of the Constitution and By-Laws is next in order. The Constitution deals with the name, object, membership, officers, etc., of the League; while the By-Laws provide for the dates of meetings, dues, time and mode of the election of officers, and such other rules and regula- tions for the conduct of the League as may be deemed desirable. An Executive Committee may then be appointed to look after the general business of the League, such as the arrangement of programmes at the meetings; the planning of entertainments and special exercises, and various other matters of this nature. The officers of the League are usually ex officio members of the Executive Committee. The League when organized should be reported to the President of the National Story Tellers' League, with the name and address of its President and Secretary, so that it may be enrolled with similar Leagues throughout the United States. Some leagues issue Year-books which may be had upon application to the Secretary. The National League will shortly issue a year-book giving general information in regard to the story telling movement, with list of the League's suggestive programmes. 35 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE WHAT THE LEAGUES ARE DOING The National Playground and Recreation Association of America will hold its next annual meeting at Richmond, Virginia, May 6th to 10th. Miss Anna Tyler of the New York Public Library, recently spoke to the Public School Kindergarten Association on the subject of Story Telling and Children's Books. The New York Library has thirty-eight branches, and Miss Tyler has charge of the story -telling work in these branches. Miss Tyler explained how illuminating it was to watch the little ones' use of books, and how the child was introduced to the right book by seeing pictures in the book and hearing a story told from the book. The National Story Tellers' League will hold a conference with mem- bers and representatives of all local Leagues this Summer, at the following places: July 19th, at Knoxville, Tenn., in connection with the Summer School of the South. At Chautauqua, N. Y., August 16th, in connection with the Chautauqua Institute. At Parkersburg, West Virginia, June 21st, in connection with the State Teachers' Association of West Virginia. The Story Tellers' League of Philadelphia, a branch of the National League, has for its President, Mr. F. A. Child, Professor of Oral Literature in the University of Pennsylvania. The meeting of March 12tli was called "Indian Day." Primitive tales of Alaskan Indian life, inspired by legends on the Totem Pole, gives one an idea of the subject of the day. Mr. L. V. Shortridge, University of Pennsylvania, dressed in native costume told the stories. He showed the Alaskan territory, with its totem poles, putting his audience in touch with actual conditions from which these folk tales grew. At this meeting teachers, story tellers and leaders of groups of children were invited to bring children with them. Mr. Robert Staton furnished Indian Song. Philadelphia has one of the largest and most successful Leagues. Its membership numbers something like one hundred people, and it has created a great deal of interest in the city among various classes of teachers and educators as well as lovers of literature. 36 EDITORIAL In entering the arena of Jonrnalism The Storytellers' Magazine invites the support of all who love literature and youth. There are many magazines today covering almost every field of activity, but not one devoted to the art of story telling. While it is true that most of the magazines publish stories, few of them deal with the educational aspect of these stories — their most important relation. Storj^ telling in the schools; at the home; on the playground; in the Sunday' schools; the children's library rooms of the Pub- lic Library, and among social organizations has become so popular and aroused such widespread interest throughout the land that some medium of communication which wdll represent and unify these interests — has become almost a necessity. The Storytellers' Magazine is founded upon a definite purpose. It enters the field in the hope that it w^ill merit the support of a large number of general readers as well as teachers, parents and all who are interested in the uplifting of the rising generation. It goes forth as a missionary to acquaint its audience as far as it can with the vital principles that underlie the whole movement of story telling. It, therefore, invites the co-operation of all who believe in the story telling idea, in the hope that great good may come through such a union of interests. The Editor of the Magazine has devoted many years to the work of story telling, and he earnestly hopes that through the columns of the Magazine greater opportunity may be afforded for direction and organization, and thus make more permanent the whole story telling movement. There is a growing belief that in arranging the curriculum of studies for the young the rights and interests of the child 37 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE have received but scant consideration. Mere drudgery lias been translated to mean development while hard labor with little thought to the tendencies and attributes of the individual child has been accepted as education. The Storytellers' Magazine offers itself as a champion of the rights of the child in education, and it hopes with the co- operation of those who know and believe in the efficacy of the story as a pleasing and effective instrument of education to battle bravely for the rights and liberties of the child, who has been aptly termed "the last serf of civilization." Elsewhere in this issue will be found an "Announcement" setting forth in some detail the aims and ideals of the Story- tellers' Magazine. The chief aim of this magazine is to serve the great cause of story telling in a manner that will best satisfy the needs of the greatest nujnber of those interested in the movement. How shall this be accomplished.'^ The answer to this ques- tion is Co-opcratio7i. The first issue of a magazine is something of an experiment. Its make-up is open to criticism and discussion. Its friends can do it no greater service than to disclose its shortcomings and point out the road to improvement. Criticism is usually divided into two schools, one construc- tive, the other destructive; or better, let us say into friendly or unfriendly criticism. While we shall endeavor to turn all unfriendly comment into constructive channels, we shall hope far more to profit by the sympathetic assistance and helpful advice of friends and well-wishers. The latch string is out to all, but a double welcome is assured to those who "Lend a Hand." 38 THE MOTHER— THE C HI LD -THE STORY THE MOTHER— THE CHILD— THE STORY Extract from a Report of Committee on Story Telling to the Montessori Class, University of \ irginia Summer School SINCE ALL RACES in all epochs have used oral stories both as a means of education and entertainment, and since much of the culture and civilization that our ancestors have bequeathed to us has come down to us in the form of story literature, and since the children of all races and in all times have said, "Tell me a story," we believe it is funda- mental in the child's life and education. We believe that the mother, who instinctively hums lullabys and sings Mother Goose Rhymes to the child is cultivating the child's sense of rhythm, touching its feelings, and speaking to it through vocal language — voice modulation — which precedes verbal language; that the mother who sings "Hush you bybaby in the tree tops, When the wind blows the cradle will rock," etc., and other Mother Goose jingles, has already begun her story telling. That the story, the most universally used medium for conveying truth and especially the told story that comes through the sensuous beauty of speech, should be continued throughout the child's education. We believe that when a child attributes life to its doll, makes up strange and unreal stories, that it does so in obedience to a deep psychic necessity, — that of developing the imagination, and that as a child climbs a tree or ladder and in doing so develops his body and bodily senses, so he must have for the development of his imagination the clear, bold, mental picture whether it be in fairy and folk stories or the high daring of some noble hero in epic literature or history. We believe that the development of the imagination should go hand in hand with the sense training, modified by local, ethnic, and individual needs, and that children as well as adults must have heroes to admire and worship and ideals to inspire; that th« idea of God can be represented only through the imagination and that to deny the child stories of gods and supernatural beings would be to bring him up without religious training. That the story that delights the child has psycho-therapeutic value and whether it be fact or fiction it is true in a higher sense, ministering to the spiritual needs of the child, and therefore valuable in education. We believe that it is the most inalienable right of all children to hear stories told from the great story books of the world; that wise selections of stories should be made not only from the literature and history of Europe and America, but from Japan, China, Russia, and India, so that we may develop in the young people a feeling of a world brotherhood. 39 THESTORYTE LLE RS' MAGAZINE THE GREAT EPICS The following suggestive outline of a "STORY HOUR CYCLE," arranged by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, is re-published as an excel- lent example of systematic classification. Such study applied to any of the great epics will not only discover to the story teller a great treasure house of stories, but will be helpful in hold- ing them together in sequential relation. STORIES FROM THE ILIAD AND THE ODYSSEY THE SIEGE OF TROY Story I. The Apple of Discord 1. The Founding of Troy 4. Tlie Ai)ple of Discord 2. Story of Paris and (Enone 5. The Judgment of Paris 3. Marriage of Peleus and Tlietis Story 11. The League Against Troy 1. The Athletic Games in Troy 4. Story of Helen and the Pledge of the Greek 2. Discovery of the Parentage of Paris Princes 3. Embassy to Greece 5. Abduction of Helen 6. League against Ti i^._, Story IH. The Beginning of the Trojan War 1. The Stratagem of I'lysses 5. The Sacrifice of Iphigenia 2. The Quest for Achilles 6. The Heroism of Protesilaus 3. The Assembling of the Greeks 7. Beginning of the AYar 4. The Omen of the Snake and the Birds Story IV. The Qitarrel of the Chiefs 1. The Wrath of Apollo 5. Assembly of the Greeks 2. How Agamemnon Wronged iVchilles 6. The Counsel of Ulysses 3. The Revenge of Achilles 7. Preparation for the Battle 4. The Dream of Agamemnon Story V. The Duel of Paris and Menelaus 1. The Challenge of Paris 3. The Council of the Gods 2. The Combat 4. The Broken Covenant Story VI. The Combat of Hector and Ajax 1 . The Message of Hector 4. The Casting of the Lots 2. The Parting of Hector and Andromache 5. The Combat 3. The Challenge C. The Truce Story VII. The Battle of the Plain 1. The Command of Zeus to the Gods 4. The Council of the Greeks 2. The Battle 5. The Embassy to Achilles 3. The Speech of Hector 6. The Answer of Achilles Story VIII. The Deeds and Death of Patroclus L The Battle at the Ships 4. The Death of Patroclus 2. The Request of Patroclus 5. The Grief of Achilles 3. The Myrmidons March forth to Battle. C. How Achilles ended the Battle Story IX. The Exploits of Achilles 1. The Making of the Armor for Achilles 4. The Battle of the Gods 2. The End of the Strife with Agamemnon 5. Achilles' Pursuit of the False Agenor 3. The Battle at the River Story X. The Slaying of Hector 1. The Pursuit of Hector by Achilles 5. The Funeral of Patroclus 2. The Combat 6. The Funeral Games of the Greeks 3. Death of Hector 7. The Ransoming of Hector 4. Grief of Andromache 40 STORY HOUR C Y C L K S'i'ouY XI. TiiK Fai,l or Troy' 1. Tlie Fate of Achilles 4. Stratagem of l-lysses 2. The Death of Paris 5. The Fate of Laocoon 3. Capture of the Palladium. 6. Capture of Troy THE ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES Story XII. Adventures of Ulysses with the Lotus-eaters and the Cyclops 1. Adventure with the ("iconians 4. In the Cave of the Cyclops 2. The Lotus-eaters .'5. The Blinding of Polyphemus 3. The Land of the Cyclops C. Escape of Ulysses and liis Companions Story XIII. The Kingdom of the Winds and the Hf)usE of Circe 1. The Gift of ^Eolus 4. Adventure with the Laestrygones 2. The Loosing of the Winds 5. The Wiles of Circe 3. Return to the Isle of /Eolus Story XIV. The Visit to the "Land of the Shades" 1. The Offering for the Dead 4. The Judging of the Dead 2. The W^arning of Tiresias the Seer 5. Return to Circe's Isle. 3. How Ulysses Conversed with his Mother and with Achilles and other Heroes Story XV. The Song of the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis and the Oxen of the Sun 1. Song of the Sirens 4. The Slaying of the Sacred Kine 2. Escape from Scylla and Charybdis 5. The Wrath of Hyperion 3. Arrival at the Island of the Sun 6. The Shipwreck Story XVI. The Island of Calypso and the Shipwreck on the Coast of Ph^eacia 1. The Years on Calypso's Isle 5. Departure of Ulysses 2. Minerva seeks aid for Ulysses from Jupiter 0. The Tempest 3. Mercury is sent with a Message to Calyj)so 7. Ulysses Cast on the Coast of Phseacia 4. Making of the Raft Story XVII. The Princess Nausic.aa 1. The Request of Nausicaa 5. The Festival 2. The Games of the Maidens fi. Return to Ithaca 3. Discovery of IHysses 7. I'lysses left asleep in his Native Shore 4. How Ulysses was Received in the Palace of 8. The Ship of the Phreacians changed to a Aloinous Rock Story XVIII. The Adventures of Telemachus 1. The Suitors of Penelope 0. Journey to Pylos and Sparta 2. Penelope's Web 7. Telemachus warned by Minerva to return 3. Visit of Minerva to Telemachus to Ithaca 4. Assembly of the Men of Ithaca 8. Conspiracy of the Suitors 5. Departure of Telemachus in rjuest of I'lys- 9. F^scape of Telemachus ses Story XIX. The Battle of the Beggars 1. Awaking of Ulysses 5. Eumreus conducts Ulysses to his Palace 2. Transformation into an Old Man G. The Dog Argus 3. Meeting with F^nmanis 7. The Beggars' Quarrel 4. Arrival of Telemachus 8. The F^nd of the Feast Story XX. The Triumph of I'lysses 1. Removal of the Weapons from the Hall 5. The Trial of the Bow 2. Interview with Penelope 6. Death of the Suitors The Scar of the Boar's Tooth 7. Recognition of I'ljsses by Penelope 4. The Last Banquet of the Suitors 41 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE SOME RECENT BOOKS "Story Telling in School and Home." A Study in Educational ^Esthetics. By Emelyn Newcomb Partridge and George Everett Partridge, Ph.D. Publishers, Sturgis & Walton Co., New York. Price, $1.25 net. This is the fifth book that has appeared on story telling in the past half a dozen years. The authors have presented the psychological foundation and the "esthetic value of story telling in a most elaborate and convincing way. It is the first book that has been written by a psychol- ogist, on the subject of story telling, and Dr. Partridge's handling of the delicate, subtle, psychic forces that enter into literature and story telling is masterful; while Mrs. Partridge, with her practical experience as a story teller, contributes as much to the art as applied and exemplified in actual work of facing an audience of young people. The study of the child on one hand and its fundamental needs, and the survey and analysis of sources from which we can draw material, — myth, fable, folklo.e, epic, and history on the other, is of immense value to all story tellers and all who teach young people even up to college entrance. Part II of the book contains a dozen retold stories that have been put into shape by the oral telling, and are valuable both because of the form and their intrinsic worth. The book contains a number of illustrations, which add to its attractiveness, along with a bibliography and suggestions for reading. We cannot praise the book too highly. It is an inspiring book to read and a permanent contribution to the literature of story telling. Some Great Stories and How to Tell Them. By Richard Thomas Wyche. Price $1.00. Newson & Company, New York. "Story tellers were the first teachers," says Mr. Wyche in his chapter on "The Origin of Story telling." In an interesting way he throws light on what stories shall be told, the use of the story in the classroom and in formal work, the story in the Sunday-school, the library, the playground, and the social circle. The author also discusses the fundamental needs of the child, the psychological principles involved, and the spiritual equipment needed in story telling. For purposes of illustration the author uses "The Story of Beowulf," "The Coming of Arthur," and other "Great Stories." Games for the Playground, Home, School, and Gymnasium. By Jessie H. Bancroft. Price, $1.50 net. The Macmillan Company, New York. Miss Bancroft's book of games is a volume of over four hundred and sixty pages, with twenty-three illustrations. It contains, we should say, over two thousand games classified for Elementary schools from the first to the eighth year, for High schools, for playgrounds, for gymnasiums, for boys' and girls" summer camps, for house parties and country clubs, for child- ren's parties, and for the seashore. An excellent system of classification makes it possible to classify the games in many different ways, and thus easily find those suited to one's needs. As story telling and playing games are blood relations on the playground, this book is to be cordially commended as an interesting and valuable contribution to the Cause. The Normal Child and Primary Education. By Arnold L. Gesell, Ph.D., and Beatrice Chandler Gesell, Ed.B. Price, $1.25. Ginn & Company, New York. This work, the authors tell us, is chiefly the result of contact with eager minds of young women who were preparing to teach young children. It will interest story tellers mainly because of its extensive analysis and discussion of the child in the educational relation. 42 SOME RECENT BOOKS "To achieve re.sulls in lilcnitiire," it is stated, "the cliildren must have something more than a good story: they must have a good story teller — one with quiek sympathies and an intuitive knowledge of lier group; one who loves the old stories, who feels the pulse of humanity throbbing through them all; whose voice is clear, flexible, interpretative; whose language is simple, direct, pictorial; who enters into a dramatic situation; who has a keen sense of humor, who is willing to sow the seed and let it develop in its own good time." "The Normal Child" is a most helpful, illuminating, and instructive book. The Children's Reading. By Frances Jenkins Olcott. Price, $1.25 net. Houghton MifHin Co., Boston. Miss Olcott has given us a valuable book on children's readings. She speaks as an authority from her many years' experience as a librarian; therein is the chief value of her book. She knows the names and authors of many of the best books for young people, and gives many valuable lists of books. The very fact that she has had to deal with so many books from without as a librarian, has probably prevented her knowing so well the inside of the book, — seeing and living with its imagery, communing with its spirit and breathing its atmosphere until it gives up its deepest meaning. Any treatment of a story that helps one to visualize, to re-create, to breathe its atmosphere and live its spirit, ought to be valuable; the letter killeth, the spirit giveth life. However, her quotations from authors who have done that are many and valuable. The one on Homer's Iliad, page 103, is especially good; but she barely mentions the Odyssey, the more interesting story to the young people. The book is conservative rather than original and creative. Aldine First Language Book. For Grades Three and Four. By Catherine T. Bryce and Frank E. Spaulding. Price 48 cents. A Manual for Teachers. To accompany Aldlne First Language Book. Price 60 cents. Newson & Company, New York. These two books, the Manual and the Pupil's book accompanying it, the authors tell us have grown out of many years' experiment in teaching "language " so called. The work which the child is called upon to accomplish is, throughout the entire book, based on fables, myths, legends, stories of all kind, rhymes and poems, the delight of childhood, all of which are fully within the range of the child's understanding and appreciation. The varieties of ways in which these materials are presented arouses the keen interest of the children, stimu- lates their thought, and quickens their whole mental life. They discuss freely, they dramatize, they reproduce orally and in writing, the work over into new forms, they live and love the contents of stories and poems. No one can read this pupil's book without becoming impressed with the tremendous value of story telling as a direct instrument of education. The introduction of a comprehensive "Teacher's Manual" into the class-room, explaining the work to the teacher step by step, seems to be a new and most serviceable idea. Stories of Long Ago in the Philippines. By Dudley Odell McGovney, A.M. Price forty cents. World Book Company, Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York. The Stort Readers' Primer. By May Langdon White. Price thirty-six cents. World Book Company, Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York. These little stories of ancient days in the Philippines contain such interesting selections as "The Sea and the Sky," "The Bird and the Bamboo," "The Good and the Evil Spirits," " Naming the Islands," and " Manila Long Ago." These stories have a certain historic value and will be read with interest by children in the United States The Story Readers' Primer tells of the every day experiences of two happy, healthy children, and makes effective use of the classic stories and poems. 43 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE B I B L I () C; 11 A P H Y In this list of books, Column I gives the price up(jn receipt of which the book named will be sent post-paid. Cohunn II gives the price upon receipt of which the book named will be sent post-paid together with The Storytellers' Magazine for one year. Remittances may safely be made by Money or Express Order or by draft on New York. All communications should be sent to The Storytellers' Magazine, 27 West 23d Street, New York, giving the name of the book wanted; the date at which the subscription to The Storytellers' Magazine should begin, and the name and full post-office address of the sender. I. Story Telling Column I Column II Price at which Book Price of Boul< and will be sent The Storytellers' post-pa.d Magazine for Bryant, Sara Cone. — How to Tell Stories ""' ^'''' to Children. $1.00 ''t.a:^,^7^::^li^' $1-65 Stories to Tell Children. 1.00 " 1.65 Houghton, Louise. - — Telling Bible Stories 1.25 " 1.85 Keyes. — Stories and Story -Telling. 1.25 " 1.85 Lyman, Edna. — Story-Telling: What to Tell and How to Tell It 0.75 " 1.55 Partridge, E. N. & G. P. — Story-Telling in School and Home. 1.25 " 1.75 Wyche, R. T. — Some Great Stories and How to Tell Them. 1 .00 1.55 II. Bible Stories BuNYAN. — Pilgrim's Progress. " 1.00 " 1.65 Chisholm. — Stories from The Old Testa- ment. 0.50 " 1.30 Church. — Story of the Last Days of Jeru- salem. 1.25 " 1.85 Hodges. — Saints and Heroes. 1.35 " 1.95 Kelman. — Stories from the Life of Christ. 0.50 " 1.30 44 15 I 1? L T O G R A PHY Column I Column II Pendleton. — In Assyrian Tents. $0.75 "^^^.^"L'rcoTbilleT' ^-55 Shepard. — Young Folks Josephus. 1.25 " 1.85 SiviTER. — Nehe, Story of Nehemiah. 1.50 " 2.10 Tolstoi. — Where Love Is — There is God Also. 0.35 " 1.25 III. Epics, Romances and Classic Tales Arnold. — Sohrab and Rustem. 0.25 " 1.15 Baldwin. — Story of Roland. 1.50 " 2.10 Baldwin. — Story of Siegfried. 1.50 " 2.10 Carpenter. — Hellenic Tales. 0.60 " 1.45 Church. — Odyssey for Boys and Girls. 1.50 " 2.10 Church. — Stories of Charlemagne. 1.75 " 2.25 Church. ^ — Stories of Homer. 1.25 " 1.85 Crawford. — Tr. the Kalevala, the Na- tional Epic of Finland. 3.00 " 3.50 Darton. — Tales of the Canterbury Pil- grims. 1.50 " 2.10 Darton. — Wonder-book of Old Romance. 1.50 " 2.10 Davidson. — A Knight Errant — Story of Amadis of Gaul. 1.75 " 2.25 Havell. — Stories from Don Quixote. 1.50 " 2.10 Higginson. — Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the Atlantic 1.50 " 2.10 Holbrook. — Northland Heroes. 0.35 " 1.25 Hull. — The Boy's Cuchulain-Irish Hero Legends. 1.50 " 2.10 Irving. — Tales from the Alhambra. 0.60 " 1.40 Lang, A. — Book of Romance. 1.60 " 2.15 Lang, Andrew. — "Tales of Troy and Greece." 1.00 " 1.65 Lang, L. B. — Red Book of Heroes. 1.60 " 2.15 Lanier. — The Boy's King Arthur. 2.00 " 2.45 Mabie, — Heroes Every Child Should Know. 0.50 " 1.30 Macleod. • — Book of King Arthur, etc. (Inexpensive edition.) 1.00 " 1.65 Macleod. — Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. 1.50 " 2.10 45 1.50 Book and bTORYTELLEHS Magazine Combined $2.10 0.50 U 1.30 0.50 U 1.30 0.50 U 1.30 0.50 U 1.30 0.50 U 1.30 2.00 U 2.45 1.00 U 1.65 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE Column Macleod. — Stories from the Faerie Queene $1.50 McSpadden. — Stories from Wagner. McSpadden. — Stories from Chaucer. Marshall. — Stories of Beowulf. Marshall. — Stories of Childe Roland. Marshall. - — Story of William Tell. Morris. — Story of Sigurd the Volsung. Palmer. — Tr. Odyssey of Homer. Pyle. — Story of King Arthur and his Knights. 2.00 " 2.45 Pyle. — Story of Launcelot and his Com- panions. 2.00 " 2.45 Pyle. — Some Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. (Condensed) 0.50 " 1.30 Pyle. — Merry Adventures of Robin Hood 3.00 " 3.30 Ragozin. — Frith j and Roland. 1.25 " 1.85 Ragozin. — Siegfried and Beowulf. 1.25 " 1.85 Royde-Smith. — Una and the Red Cross Knight. 2.50 " 2.85 Tegner. — Frithiof's Saga. 1.25 " 1.85 Tinker. — Beowulf. Tr. by Tinker. 1.00 " 1.65 WiLMOT-BuxTON. — Stories of Persian Heroes. 1.50 " 2.10 Wilson. — The Story of the Cid. 1.25 " 1.85 IV. Fables, Myths, Heroes and Folk Lore iEsop's Fables. — Ed. by Joseph Jacobs. 1.50 " 2.10 Andersen. — Wonder Stories. 1.00 " 1.65 Austin. — The Basket AVoman — Ute In- dian Tales. 1.50 " 2.10 Baldwin. — Story of the Golden Age. 1.50 " 2.10 Baldwin. — Wonder-book of Horses. 0.75 " 1.60 Blumenthal. — Folk Tales from the Rus- sians 0.60 " 1.45 Bradish. — Old Norse Stories. 0.45 " 1.28 Brown. — In the Days of Giants. 1.10 " 1.85 Bryce. — Fables from Afar. 0.45 " 1.28 Short Stories for Little Folks. 0.35 " 1.20 46 BIBLIOGRAPHY Column I Column II Bryce. — That's Why Stories. $0.45 ^"j^'cr^'frcoTbiaeT* $1-28 Dasent. — Popular Tales from the Norse 2.50 " 2.85 Griffis. — The Fire-Fly's Lovers, Japan- ese Folk Tales. 1.00 " L65 Grimm. — Household Stories. Tr. by Crane LOO " L70 Hawthorne. — Wonderbook and Tangle- wood Tales. LOO « 1.70 Harris. — Uncle Remus and His Friends. 1.50 " 2.10 Harris. — Uncle Remus, His Songs and Sayings. 2.00 " 2.45 KiNGSLEY. ^ — Heroes of Greek Fairy Tales. 1.00 " 1.65 KuPFER. — Legends of Greece and Rome. 0.75 " 1.60 Lagerlof. — Swedish Folk Tales. 1.50 « 2.10 Lang, Andrew. — True Story Book. 2.00 " 2.45 Mabie. — Norse Stories Retold from The Eddas. 1.25 " 1.75 Peabody. — Old Greek Folk Stories. 0.25 « 1.15 Ramaswami, Raju. — Indian Fables. 1.50 " 2.10 RouLET-NixoN. — Japanese Folk Stories and Fairy Tales. 0.40 « 1.25 ScuDDER. — Children's Book. 2.50 " 2.85 Storr. — Half-a-Hundred Hero Tales. 1.35 « 1.95 WiGGiN & Smith. — Tales of Laughter. 1.35 " 1.95 WiGGiN & Smith. — Tales of Wonder. 1.50 " 1.95 ZiTKALA-SA. — Old Indian Legends. 0.60 " 1.40 V. Fairy Tales — Old and New Andersen. — - Fairy Tales. Tr. by Mrs. Lucas, 2.50 Andersen. - - Fairy Tales. Vol. I. 0.40 Vol. II. 0.40 Andersen. - - Stories and Tales. 0.30 ASBJORNSEN. — Fairy Tales from the Far North (Burt). 1.00 Baldwin. — Fairy Stories and Fables. 0.35 Bain. — Russian Fairy Tales. 0.00 Bain. — Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales 0.00 47 2.85 1.25 1.25 1.20 1.65 1.25 1.65 1.65 THE STORYTELLERS MACxAZlNE Column Gary. — Fairy Legends of the ■ French Provinces. $0.60 Chisholm. — In Fairy Land. 3.00 CoMPTON. — American Indian Fairy Tales. 1.50 Craik. — The Fairy Book. 0.50 Dole. — Russian Faivy Book. 2.00 Grimm, — Fairy Tales. Tr. by Mrs. Lucas. III. by Arthur Rackham. 1 .50 Jacobs. — Celtic Fairy Tales. LOO Jacobs. — More Celtic Fairy Tales. L25 Jacobs. — English Fairy Tales. 1.00 Jacobs. — More English Fairy Tales. 1.25 Jacobs. — Indian Fairy Tales. 1.00 Lang, Andrew, — Blue True Story Book. 2.00 Lang, Andrew. ■ — Crimson Fairy Book. 1.60 Macdonnell, ■ — Italian Fairy Book. 1.35 OzAKi. — Japanese Fairy Book. 1.50 Rhys. — Fairy Gold. 0.70 WiLLiSTON. — Japanese Fairy Tales. 0.75 Column II Book and Storytellers' Magazine Combined $1.45 3.30 2.10 1.30 2.45 2.10 1.65 1.85 1.65 1.85 1.65 2.45 2.15 1.90 2.10 1.55 1.55 VI. History, Biography, Travel and Adventure Abbott, ^ — Daniel Boone, 1.25 " Christopher Carson, Known as Kit Carson, 1.25 " Abbott. — David Crockett. 1.25 " Ambrosi. — When I was a Girl in Italy. 0.75 " Barnes, — Yankee Ships and Yankee Sailors. 0.50 " Bolton, — Lives of Poor Boys Who Be- came Famous. 1.50 " BoYESEN. — Boyhood in Norway. 1.25 " Brooks. — Story of Marco Polo. 1.50 " Brooks. — True Story of Christopher Columbus. 1.50 " Butterworth. — Zigzag Journeys around the World. Per vol. 1.50 " Carpenter. — Asia. 0.60 " Carpenter. — South America. 0.60 " 1.85 1.85 1.85 1.55 1.30 2.10 1.85 2.10 2.10 2.10 1.45 1.45 48 BIBLIOGRAPHY Column I Column II Church. — Stories of the East from Hero- 1 . * 1 lJ - Book anil Storytellers' E R S L E A G tJ E S MISSISSIPPI BLUE MOUNTAIN Story Tellers' League Miss Jennie Hardy, President , Cor. Secretary P. O. Address — Blue Mountain (\)ll<'g put him in a sound sleep. And there upon the bank he slept for twenty years, and finally even the Moon began to miss him and inquired where he was, and when she found that Endy- mion had been thrown into a long sleep she became interested in his welfare and perhaps sighed a little for his love, but try as she would she could find no one who could break the spell. Finally she sent Eumenides, a close friend of Endymion, to seek over the world for a remedy. In his travels about the earth to find a remedy Eumenides met with an old man sitting beside a fountain, and he told the old man what he sought. ^ 83 The Spirit of the Moon THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE H," said the old man, "you need travel no farther, for he who can clearly see the bottom of this foun- tain has found remedy for anything." And so Eumenides looked and saw the bot- tom of the fountain clearly and read as follows: "When the bright, round Moon shall come and kiss Endymion, he shall rise from his sleep." Eumenides hastened back and told the Moon what he had read at the bottom of the fountain. Now the Moon was much surprised when she heard of the remedy for Endymion's long sleep, but finally she con- sented to kiss him, and — wonder upon wonders ! — the sleeper of twenty years awoke. And so delighted was Endymion for the awakening that he immediately lost all traces of his twenty years' sleep and stood before them a young man again. And so delighted was the Moon with this young man who had undergone so much because of his love for her that she said he might continue to worship her forever and ever. And the writer of this story meant to represent by the Moon the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth, whom all Englishmen loved and honored and some day when you study English history you will see what brave deeds these Englishmen performed for their Queen, the shining Moon, so bright, and beautiful, but so beyond their reach. GIVE ME LEAVE TO ENJOY MYSELF; THAT PLACE THAT DOES CONTAIN MY BOOKS, THE BEST COMPANIONS, IS TO ME A GLORIOUS COURT, WHERE HOURLY I CONVERSE WITH THE OLD SAGES AND PHILOSOPHERS; AND, SOMETIMES, FOR VARIETY, I CONFER WITH KINGS AND EMPERORS, AND WEIGH THEIR COUNSELS; CALLING THEIR VICTORIES, IF UNJUSTLY GOT, INTO A STRICT ACCOUNT, AND, IN MY FANCY, DEFACE THEIR ILL- PLACED STATUES." — Beaumont and Fleteher. THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE of Saint (Tl^ristop^er ^^5 tol6 br :a.I5.Wrcb TKrapp ON the nortliern coast of England In the town of Whitby (White- town) was built a monastery many centuries ago by a woman whose name was Hild; and when the monastery was completed she became the abbess. In this monastery ruled over by the Abbess Hild, there were not only monks and nuns, but also a number of servants and helpers who had not devoted themselves to the religious life. Among these was a poor herdsman whose name was Cadmon. He could neither read nor write, and his work in the monastery con- sisted in taking care of the cows and other cattle which were needed to supply the monastery table with milk and butter. Now it was a common custom for Cadmon and his friends to entertain themselves, when the day's work was done, by sitting around the fire telling stories and singing songs. Among other amuse- ments they had one especially which is known as "passing the harp." According to this custom, the harp was passed along from one person to another, and as it came each man's turn, he took the harp and sang a song to its accompaniment. Most people in those days knew many stories which they could recite in this way, but unfortunately for Cadmon, this was an accomplishment which he could never learn. Consequently when he saw the harp approaching him, he would get up and leave the circle, ashamed to confess that he could not sing a song as the others had done. It happened that one night Cadmon left the group of his friends in this way, as he had often done before, and went into the stable where he was to pass the night watching the cattle. After a time he fell asleep. As he lay sleeping, he heard a voice calling to him, which Reprinted by permission from "In Oldest England" by George Philip Krapp. Copyright, 1912, by Longmans, Green & Co. 90 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE said: "Cadmoii, sing for me." Then Cadmon answered the voice, saying: 'T cannot sing; and it is for that reason that I have left the company of my friends and have come hither." "Nevertheless, I say you must sing for me," the voice continued. "What shall I sing?" asked Cadmon. "Sing for me," the voice answered, "the story of how all things were created." And then Cadmon, greatly to his own astonishment, found that he was able to sing, and he began to sing the praises of God the Creator in verses which he had never heard before. The next morning, when Cadmon awoke from the sleep in which he had had this dream or vision, the strangest part of it was that he remembered perfectly what he had sung in his sleep during the night, and better still, he was able to add other verses to these. He told what had happened to him to his master, and his master went directly to Abbess Hild and repeated the story to her. Hild immediately called Cadmon to her, and, sending for several learned monks, she bade them recite a passage of Scripture in English to Cadmon, and then she asked Cadmon to turn what he had heard into verse. The next morning Cadmon came back and recited to her in perfect and melodious verse all that he had been told by the learned monks. Then Hild immediately perceived that this poor cowherd in her monastery was possessed of a very precious gift. She gave orders that he should be accepted as a monk into her monastery, and that the other monks should teach him all the story of the Bible. This was so done, and being unable to read, Cadmon learned all the stories of the Bible by having them told to him, and then he turned them into poetical form. The monks were glad to write down the poems as Cadmon recited them, and thus together they put into verse the whole story of the creation of the world, of the fall of man, of the children of Israel and the Exodus out of Egypt into the Promised Land, and many other stories contained in the Bible. For many years Cadmon continued to live in the monastery at Whitby, making noble use of this poet's gift that had been granted to him. And it was here at Whitby that he finally died. He had been unwell for several weeks before his death, but it was not supposed that his sickness was serious. One night, however, the night on which he died, he asked his nurse to take him to the infirmary, which was 91 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE It was a common custom for Cadmon and his friends to sing songs THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE the part of the monastery where those brothers who were danger- ously sick and on the point of death were usually cared for together. The man was surprised that Cadmon should want to be taken to the infirmary, but he did as he was asked to do. Cadmon seemed to be bright and happy, and talked cheerfully with the other sick people in the infirmary. When it was about midnight, he asked if the Eucha- rist was there in the infirmary. *' Why do you ask that?" his friends said. "You are not so near to death that you need ask for the Eucha- rist." But Cadmon asked for the Eucharist again, and when he had it in his hand he inquired whether they were all kindly disposed and at peace with him. When they said they were, then Cadmon con- tinued: "And I, too, am at peace with all men." Having made his last communion, he asked if the time was near when the brothers of the monastery should arise and say the prayers known as nocturns. "It is almost time," they answered. "Let us then wait for it," he said; and blessing himself with the sign of the cross, he lay back upon his pillow, and so falling asleep, as peacefully and as gently as he had lived, he passed to his final rest. This is the simple story of the blameless life of the first English poet whose name has come down to us. Other poets there must have been before Cadmon, poets who sang the stories of the bloody com- bats of English heroes before the days of Augustine and Aidan. From the very earliest times the English have had their bards or minstrels, whose task it was to keep alive the fame of the nation's great men. But not even the names of any of these earlier heathen poets are known to us, and but a few fragments of their songs have survived to our day. These songs were of the kind which Cadmon could not sing, but which his companions, at their feasts and banquets, all sang so freely to the accompaniment of the harp. This heathen minstrelsy is now all lost and silent, while down through the ages the clear voice of Cadmon is heard, singing the old story of the Creation of the World and of the waj'S of God to man. From Cadmon to Milton it is a thousand years, but the poor cowherd who became the chief ornament of Hild's ancient monastery on the cliff above Wliitby sang his songs in the same spirit as the author of "Paradise Lost." 93 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE Ol)^ ''Kucle t^emus" Stories ^^elr Evolution anb ^ lace in t^e (Turrtculum Part One '^^IHE fame of the "Uncle Remus" stories, according to Joel Chandler ^-^ Harris, himself, was an accident. But it is quite possible, that the fame has not been quite as much of an accident as his modesty de- clares it to be. Mr. Harris was the son of a very poor woman in Georgia. She had very little to give her children, and very early Joel Chandler was put out to work. When, but a mere lad, he went to work as printer boy on the plantation of Mr. Joseph A. Turner. Mr. Turner was a well educated and cultured gentleman, who spent his leisure hours in publishing (on his own plantation) a small paper, voicing the sentiment of the times. Mr. Turner became very much interested in the Harris boy. He recognized the lad's ability, for very frequently he found unsigned para- graphs, quite good in quality, in his paper, which had been composed by the printer boy Harris, who inserted them as he set up the type. Mr. Turner gave the boy free access to his very large and splendid library. When Joel Chandler was not seated, during leisure hours, in the chimney corner of a cabin in the negro quarters, listening to negro folk-lore, he was delving deep into the best literature of all ages. He lived so completely with the great masters in the library, that it is said, that this quite largely influenced his charming literary style in years to come. Here on the plantation, in the negro cabins, he came, through the stories, to feel the emotions of the negro. No one has ever been so capable of putting himself in another's place as has Joel Chandler Harris. He became possessed of all the curious knowledge of the negro, he learned of dogs and horses, he knew the path of the red stream in the swamp, and the way of the wild folk in the woods. In fact, one writer has gone so far as 94 THE STORYTELLERS* MAGAZINE to say, that had Joel Chandler Harris not spent these boyhood days in the plantation home of Joseph A. Turner, there would have been no "Uncle Remus" with all that he now means to literature. In 1876, Mr. Harris was invited to take a place on the paper called "The Constitution," published at Atlanta, Georgia. Samuel Small was then writing humorous sketches for this paper. Small suddenly resigned. His sketches had been very popular, and the editor immediately looked around for some one who could continue the work. Mr. Harris was given the place. He went about his new task with much foreboding. He was steeped in the quaint stories of the plantation, but would the people accept these? He resolved to make the attempt, and then came the Uncle Remus stories for their first appearance. The stories grew in popularity, and for the same reason that made yEsop's fables an imperishable classic, these stories have taken their perma- nent place in literature. They were the simple stories that had been linked with the thoughts and emotions since earliest time, and have now, for the first time, been put in artistic form, by one who had so entered into the life of the negro, that he was able to express the negro's emotions in the negro's way. In quoting from an article on Joel Chandler Harris in "The Bookman," Volume 27, the author says, "When Mr. Harris chose for his subject, the plantation negro, he had a character of much subtility to deal with. His subject is a creature of extremes, carelessly happy one day, deeply despondent the next, which characteristic has sprung from his very helplessness; with a never failing sense of humor, which acts as a continual balance wheel. He is a being, whose mystical side has been highly de- veloped, and one to whom the "creeturs" have become brothers and sisters, being endowed by him, with human virtues and vices. "Uncle Remus" gave to literature and the world a new type of negro, that of a good kind-hearted, sympathetic old man, who was willing to spend hours in telling stories to a little boy. So Httle is said of Uncle Remus himself. He is merely the teller of the stories and yet one feels him to be just such an old man, for his character is interpreted by the stories he tells. Indeed, some one once asked the author, "Mr. Harris, really, don't you suppose that Uncle Remus would steal chickens if he had a chance?" and Mr. Harris replied, " If I follow Uncle Remus all day, you surely can't ex- pect me to know what he does all night." Joel Chandler Harris in writing his "Uncle Remus" stories, did not 95 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE labor to place them in logical sequence. He cared little about their value to students of comparative folk-lore, and had little notion of their evolution when he wrote them. The series cannot be placed into one great cycle that follows a hero through a number of incidents and at last brings him to the end, victorious. Mr. Harris told them for the pure enjoyment, and he was much surprised to find such a demand for a thing that was all pleasure and no work to him. He loved the simple tales because they were so near to nature's heart, because they were full of primitive wonder, quaint flashes of humor, homely philosophy, and simple goodness. The stories, however, readily group themselves into four classes. I. Those that account for Certain Animal Traits, or Characteristics. II. Stories with Brer Rabbit as a Hero. III. Those stories told to the little Boy for their Ethical Value. IV. Stories that attempt to Account for some Natural Phenomena. Under the first group. Stories that account for certain animal char- acteristics, I have placed the following: Why the Hawk Catches Chickens. Miss Partridge has a Fit. WTiy Brer Possum has no Hair on his Tail. Why Brer Fox's Legs are Black. Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace. WTiy Brother Bull Growls and Complains. How Mr. Rabbit Lost His Fine Bushy Tail. Mr. Terrapin Shows His Strength. Brer Buzzard Teaches Brer Terrapin to Fly. The stories that show the shrewdness of Brer Rabbit, might be taken as a small cycle which has Brer Rabbit as a hero. The following are examples: The Wonderful Tar Baby Story. Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a good Fisherman. Brer Rabbit and de' skeeters. Brer Fox Says Grace. Brer Rabbit Has Fun at the Ferry. Why Brer Wolf didn't eat the little Rabbits. Brer Fox "Smells Smoke." Brer Rabbit Frightens Brer Tiger. Brer Rabbit Conquers Mr. Lion. Heyo House. Sis Cow Falls a Victim to Mr. Rabbit. How Mr. Rabbit Saved his Meat. The Sad Fate of Mr. Fox. Brer Rabbit Nibbles up de Butter. The third group of stories that were told to the little boy for their ethical value, presents quite a modern idea of the purpose of a good story; namely, that in order to teach, a moral must be tacked on. When Uncle Remus found the little boy in mischief, he straightway told him a story with a homely moral. As for example the story of " Brother Bear and the Honey Orchard." Uncle Remus caught the little boy eating a great piece 96 THE STORYTELLERS' MAGAZINE of cake, while his little brother stood by, crying for some. 'Tis then that he relates of the selfishment of Brer B'ar with his own conclusion, that "to his membrence stingy folks nevah come to no good 'een." The following stories were told with this idea in mind: Brother Bear and the Honey Orchard. The Man and the Wild Cattle. Brer Babbit's Money Mint. Brother Billy Goat's Dinner. The King that talked Biggity. According to how the Drap Falls. Under the fourth heading I have grouped such stories as: The Story of the Deluge and how it came about. Where the Hurricane Comes from. The Creation. Why the Negro is Black. No one can doubt but that these simple stories were first told when the human race was very young. The things that are at present accomplished by science were then met by magic. Whether or not we believe that the child in his development passes through much the same experience as the race has in its development, there are certain things that are evident: the child makes human and holds conversation with everything in his backyard world. The same voices speak to him that spoke to his cave dwelling ancestors. To him the wind is a person of might and power, that moans when in anguish and sighs when weary. {To be concluded in next issue) Olje Ol)ree (Boats ^^ 3