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CERTAIN TYPES OF STORY CLASSIFIED
FOR KINDERGARTEN AND CLASS I。：
Little Rhymed Stories
（including the best of the nursery rhymes and the
more poetic fragments of Mother Goose）
Stories with Rhyme in Parts
Nature Stories
（in which the element of personification is strong）
Nonsense Tales
Wonder Tales
FOR CLASSES II。 AND III。：
Nonsense Tales
Wonder Tales
Fairy and Folk Tales
Fables
Legends
Nature Stories
（especially stories of animals）
FOR CLASSES IV。 AND V。：
Folk Tales
Fables
Myths and Allegories
Developed Animal Stories
Legends： Historic and Heroic
Historical Stories
Humorous Adventure Stories
〃True Stories 〃
The wonder tales most familiar and accessible to the
teacher are probably those included in the collections of
Andersen and the Brothers Grimm。 So constant is the
demand for these that the following list may be found
useful； as indicating which of the stories are more easily and
effectively adapted for telling； and commonly most successful。
It must be remembered that many of these standard tales
need such adapting as has been suggested； catting them
down； and ridding them of vulgar or sophisticated detail。
From the Brothers Grimm：
The Star Dollars
The Cat and the Mouse
The Nail
The Hare and the Hedgehog
Snow…White and Rose…Red
Mother Holle
Thumbling
Three Brothers
The Little Porridge Pot
Little Snow…White
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
The Sea Mouse
From Andersen：
Little Tiny
The Lark and the Daisy
The Ugly Duckling
The Seven Stories of the Snow Queen
The Flax
The Little Match Girl
The Fir…Tree
The Red Shoes
Ole Lukoie
Monday
Saturday
Sunday
The Elf of the Rose
Five Peas in a Pod
The Portuguese Duck
The Little Mermaid （much shortened）
The Nightingale （shortened）
The Girl who trod on a Loaf
The Emperor's New Clothes
Another familiar and easily attainable type of story is the
classic myth； as retold in Kupfer's Legends of Greece and
Rome。＇1＇
Of these； again； certain tales are more successfully adapted to
children than others。 Among the best for telling are：
Arachne
Pandora
Midas
Apollo and Daphne
Apollo and Hyacinthus
Narcissus
Latona and the Rustics
Proserpine
＇1＇ A well…nigh indispensable book for teachers is Guerber's
Myths of Greece and Rome； which contains in brief form a
complete collection of the classic myths。
CHAPTER III
ADAPTATION OF STORIES FOR TELLING
It soon becomes easy to pick out from a
collection such stories as can be well told； but
at no time is it easy to find a sufficient number
of such stories。 Stories simple； direct； and
sufficiently full of incident for telling； yet having
the beautiful or valuable motive we desire for
children； do not lie hidden in every book。 And
even many of the stories which are most charming
to read do not answer the double demand；
for the appeal to the eye differs in many
important respects from that to the ear。 Unless one
is able to change the form of a story to suit the
needs of oral delivery； one is likely to suffer
from poverty of material。 Perhaps the commonest
need of change is in the case of a story
too long to tell； yet embodying some one beautiful
incident or lesson； or one including a series
of such incidents。 The story of The Nurnberg
Stove； by Ouida；＇1＇ is a good example of the latter
kind； Ruskin's King of the Golden River will
serve as an illustration of the former。
＇1＇ See Bimbi； by Ouida。 （Chatto。 2s。）
The problem in one case is chiefly one of
elimination； in the other it is also in a large
degree one of rearrangement。 In both cases I
have purposely chosen extreme instances； as
furnishing plainer illustration。 The usual story
needs less adaptation than these； but the same
kind； in its own degree。 Condensation and
rearrangement are the commonest forms of change
required。
Pure condensation is probably the easier for
most persons。 With The Nurnberg Stove in
mind for reference； let us see what the process
includes。 This story can be readily found
by anyone who is interested in the following
example of adaptation； for nearly every library
includes in its catalogue the juvenile works of
Mlle。 de la Ramee （Ouida）。 The suggestions
given assume that the story is before my
readers。
The story as it stands is two thousand four
hundred words long； obviously too long to tell。
What can be left out？ Let us see what must
be kept in。
The dramatic climax toward which we are
working is the outcome of August's strange
exploit；his discovery by the king and the
opportunity for him to become an artist。 The
joy of this climax is twofold： August may stay
with his beloved Hirschvogel； and he may learn
to make beautiful things like it。 To arrive at
the twofold conclusion we must start from a
double premise；the love of the stove and the
yearning to be an artist。 It will； then； be
necessary to include in the beginning of the
story enough details of the family life to show
plainly how precious and necessary Hirschvogel
was to the children； and to state definitely
how August had learned to admire and wish to
emulate Hirschvogel's maker。 We need no
detail beyond what is necessary to make this
clear。
The beginning and the end of a story decided
upon； its body becomes the bridge from one to
the other； in this case it is August's strange
journey； beginning with the catastrophe and his
grief…dazed decision to follow the stove。 The
journey is long； and each stage of it is told in
full。 As this is impossible in oral reproduction；
it becomes necessary to choose typical incidents；
which will give the same general effect as the
whole。 The incidents which answer this purpose
are： the beginning of the journey； the
experience on the luggage train； the jolting
while being carried on men's shoulders； the final
fright and suspense before the king opens the
door。
The episode of the night in the bric…a…brac
shop introduces a wholly new and confusing
train of thought； therefore； charming as it is； it
must be omitted。 And the secondary thread of
narrative interest； that of the prices for which
the stove was sold； and the retribution visited
on the cheating dealers； is also 〃another story；〃
and must be ignored。 Each of these destroys
the clear sequence and the simplicity of plot
which must be kept for telling。
We are reduced； then； for the whole； to this：
a brief preliminary statement of the place
Hirschvogel held in the household affections； and
the ambition aroused in August； the catastrophe
of the sale； August's decision； his experiences
on the train； on the shoulders of men； and just
before the discovery； his discovery； and the