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grown…up actors fail to do；he preserved the
illusion。
It was in still another room that I saw the
lion and mouse fable played。
The lion lay flat on the floor for his nap；
but started up when he found his paw laid on
the little mouse； who crouched as small as she
could beside him。 （The mouse was by nature
rather larger than the lion； but she called
what art she might to her assistance） The
mouse persuaded the lion to lift his paw； and
ran away。
Presently a most horrific groaning emanated
from the lion。 The mouse ran up； looked him
over； and soliloquised in precise language；
evidently remembered； 〃What is the matter
with the lion？ Oh； I see； he is caught in a
trap。〃 And then she gnawed with her teeth
at the imaginary rope which bound him。
〃What makes you so kind to me； little Mouse？〃
said the rescued lion。
〃You let me go； when I asked you；〃 said the
mouse demurely。
〃Thank you； little Mouse；〃 answered the
lion； and therewith； finis。
It is not impossible that all this play
atmosphere may seem incongruous and unnecessary
to teachers used to more conventional methods；
but I feel sure that an actual experience of it
would modify that point of view conclusively。
The children of the schools where story…telling
and 〃dramatising〃 were practised were startlingly
better in reading； in attentiveness； and
in general power of expression； than the pupils
of like social conditions in the same grades of
other cities which I visited soon after； and in
which the more conventional methods were
exclusively used。 The teachers； also； were
stronger in power of expression。
But the most noticeable； though the least
tangible； difference was in the moral atmosphere
of the schoolroom。 There had been a great
gain in vitality in all the rooms where stories
were a part of the work。 It had acted and
reacted on pupils and teachers alike。 The telling
of a story well so depends on being thoroughly
vitalised that； naturally； habitual telling had
resulted in habitual vitalisation。
This result was not； of course； wholly due to
the practice of story…telling； but it was in some
measure due to that。 And it was a result worth
the effort。
I beg to urge these specific uses of stories； as
both recreative and developing； and as especially
tending toward enlarged power of expression：
retelling the story； illustrating the story in seat…
work； dramatisation。
STORIES SELECTED AND ADAPTED FOR TELLING
ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN AND CLASS I。
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town；
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown；
Rapping at the window； crying through the lock；
〃Are the children in their beds； for now it's eight o'clock？〃
There was a crooked man； and he went a crooked mile；
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile；
He bought a crooked cat； which caught a crooked mouse；
And they all lived together in a little crooked house。
Cushy cow bonny； let down thy milk；
And I will give thee a gown of silk；
A gown of silk and a silver tee；
If thou wilt let down thy milk to me。
〃Little girl； little girl； where have you been？〃
〃Gathering roses to give to the queen。〃
〃Little girl； little girl； what gave she you？〃
〃She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe。〃
Little Bo…peep has lost her sheep；
And can't tell where to find them；
Leave them alone； and they'll come home；
And bring their tails behind them。
Little Bo peep fell fast asleep；
And dreamt she heard them bleating；
But when she awoke； she found it a joke；
For still they all were fleeting。
Then up she took her little crook；
Determin'd for to find them；
She found them indeed； but it made her heart bleed；
For they'd left their tails behind them。
FIVE LITTLE WHITE HEADS＇1＇
BY WALTER LEARNED
＇1＇ From Mother…Song and Child…Song； Charlotte Brewster
Jordan。
Five little white heads peeped out of the mould；
When the dew was damp and the night was cold；
And they crowded their way through the soil with pride；
〃Hurrah！ We are going to be mushrooms！〃 they cried
But the sun came up； and the sun shone down；
And the little white heads were withered and brown；
Long were their faces； their pride had a fall
They were nothing but toadstools； after all。
BIRD THOUGHTS＇2＇
＇2＇ Ibid。
I lived first in a little house；
And lived there very well；
I thought the world was small and round；
And made of pale blue shell。
I lived next in a little nest；
Nor needed any other；
I thought the world was made of straw；
And brooded by my mother。
One day I fluttered from the nest
To see what I could find。
I said； 〃The world is made of leaves；
I have been very blind。〃
At length I flew beyond the tree；
Quite fit for grown…up labours。
I don't know how the world IS made；
And neither do my neighbours！
HOW WE CAME TO HAVE PINK ROSES＇1＇
＇1＇ Told me by Miss Elizabeth McCracken。
Once； ever and ever so long ago； we didn't have
any pink roses。 All the roses in the world were
white。 There weren't any red ones at all； any
yellow ones； or any pink ones；only white roses。
And one morning； very early； a little white
rosebud woke up； and saw the sun looking at
her。 He stared so hard that the little white
rosebud did not know what to do； so she looked
up at him and said； 〃Why are you looking at me
so hard？〃
〃Because you are so pretty！〃 said the big
round sun。 And the little white rosebud
blushed！ She blushed pink。 And all her
children after her were little pink roses！
RAGGYLUG＇2＇
＇2＇ Adapted from Mr Ernest Thompson Seton's Wild Animals
I have known。 （David Nutt； 57…59 Long Acre； W。C。 6s。 net。）
Once there was a little furry rabbit； who lived
with his mother deep down in a nest under the
long grass。 His name was Raggylug； and his
mother's name was Molly Cottontail。 Every
morning； when Molly Cottontail went out to hunt
for food； she said to Raggylug； 〃Now； Raggylug；
lie still； and make no noise。 No matter what you
hear； no matter what you see； don't you move。
Remember you are only a baby rabbit； and lie
low。〃 And Raggylug always said he would。
One day； after his mother had gone； he was
lying very still in the nest； looking up through
the feathery grass。 By just cocking his eye；
so； he could see what was going on up in the
world。 Once a big bluejay perched on a twig
above him； and scolded someone very loudly；
he kept saying； 〃Thief！ thief！〃 But Raggylug
never moved his nose； nor his paws； he lay still。
Once a lady…bird took a walk down a blade of
grass； over his head； she was so top…heavy that
pretty soon she tumbled off and fell to the bottom；
and had to begin all over again。 But Raggylug
never moved his nose nor his paws； he lay still。
The sun was warm； and it was very still。
Suddenly Raggylug heard a little sound； far
off。 It sounded like 〃Swish； swish；〃 very soft
and far away。 He listened。 It was a queer
little sound； low down in the grass； 〃rustle
rustlerustle〃； Raggylug was interested。 But
he never moved his nose or his paws； he lay
still。 Then the sound came nearer； 〃rustle
rustlerustle〃； then grew fainter； then came
nearer； in and out； nearer and nearer； like
something coming； only； when Raggylug heard
anything coming he always heard its feet； stepping
ever so softly。 What could it be that came
so smoothly；rustlerustle without any feet？
He forgot his mother's warning； and sat up
on his hind paws； the sound stopped then。
〃Pooh；〃 thought Raggylug； 〃I'm not a baby
rabbit； I am three weeks old； I'll find out what
this is。〃 He stuck his head over the top of the
nest； and lookedstraight into the wicked ey