按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
certain kinds of experience； such are the
recurrences of reference to the Cinderella story。
Sometimes it is an allusion which has its strength
in long association of certain qualities with
certain characters in fairydomlike the slyness of
Brother Fox； and the cruelty of Brother Wolf。
Sometimes the association of ideas lies below
the surface； drawing from the hidden wells of
poetic illusion which are sunk in childhood。
The man or woman whose infancy was nourished
exclusively on tales adapted from science…made…
easy； or from biographies of good men and great；
must remain blind to these beauties of literature。
He may look up the allusion； or identify the
reference； but when that is done he is but richer
by a fact or two； there is no remembered thrill
in it for him； no savour in his memory； no
suggestion to his imagination； and these are
precisely the things which really count。 Leaving
out the fairy element is a loss to literary culture
much as would be the omission of the Bible or
of Shakespeare。 Just as all adult literature is
permeated by the influence of these； familiar in
youth； so in less degree is it transfused with the
subtle reminiscences of childhood's commerce
with the wonder world。
To turn now from the inner to the outer aspects
of the old…time tale is to meet another cause of
its value to children。 This is the value of its
style。 Simplicity； directness； and virility
characterise the classic fairy tales and the most
memorable relics of folklore。 And these are
three of the very qualities which are most seriously
lacking in much of the new writing for
children； and which are always necessary elements
in the culture of taste。 Fairy stories
are not all well told； but the best fairy stories
are supremely well told。 And most folk…tales
have a movement； a sweep； and an unaffectedness
which make them splendid foundations for
taste in style。
For this； and for poetic presentation of truths
in easily assimilated form； and because it gives
joyous stimulus to the imagination； and is necessary
to full appreciation of adult literature； we
may freely use the wonder tale。
Closely related to； sometimes identical with；
the fairy tale is the old； old source of children's
love and laughter；
THE NONSENSE TALE
Under this head I wish to include all the
merely funny tales of childhood； embracing the
cumulative stories like that of the old woman
and the pig which would not go over the stile。
They all have a specific use and benefit； and are
worth the repetition children demand for them。
Their value lies； of course； in the tonic and
relaxing properties of humour。 Nowhere is that
property more welcome or needed than in the
schoolroom。 It does us all good to laugh； if
there is no sneer nor smirch in the laugh； fun
sets the blood flowing more freely in the veins；
and loosens the strained cords of feeling and
thought； the delicious shock of surprise at every
〃funny spot〃 is a kind of electric treatment for
the nerves。 But it especially does us good to
laugh when we are children。 Every little body
is released from the conscious control school
imposes on it； and huddles into restful comfort
or responds gaily to the joke。
More than this； humour teaches children； as
it does their grown…up brethren； some of the
facts and proportions of life。 What keener
teacher is there than the kindly satire？ What
more penetrating and suggestive than the humour
of exaggerated statement of familiar tendency？
Is there one of us who has not laughed himself
out of some absurd complexity of over…anxiety
with a sudden recollection of 〃clever Alice〃
and her fate？ In our household clever Alice is
an old habituee； and her timely arrival has saved
many a situation which was twining itself about
more 〃ifs〃 than it could comfortably support。
The wisdom which lies behind true humour is
found in the nonsense tale of infancy as truly as
in mature humour； but in its own kind and
degree。 〃Just for fun〃 is the first reason for the
humorous story； the wisdom in the fun is the
second。
And now we come to
THE NATURE STORY
No other type of fiction is more familiar to
the teacher； and probably no other kind is the
source of so much uncertainty of feeling。 The
nature story is much used； as I have noticed
above； to illustrate or to teach the habits of
animals and the laws of plant…growth； to stimulate
scientific interest as well as to increase
culture in scientific fact。 This is an entirely
legitimate object。 In view of its present
preponderance； it is certainly a pity； however； that
so few stories are available； the accuracy of
which； from this point of view； can be vouched
for。 The carefully prepared book of to…day is
refuted and scoffed at to…morrow。 The teacher
who wishes to use story…telling chiefly as an
element in nature study must at least limit herself
to a small amount of absolutely unquestioned
material； or else subject every new story to the
judgment of an authority in the line dealt with。
This is not easy for the teacher at a distance
from the great libraries； and for those who have
access to well…equipped libraries it is a matter
of time and thought。
It does not so greatly trouble the teacher who
uses the nature story as a story； rather than as
a test…book； for she will not be so keenly attracted
toward the books prepared with a didactic purpose。
She will find a good gift for the child in
nature stories which ARE stories； over and above
any stimulus to his curiosity about fact。 That
good gift is a certain possession of all good fiction。
One of the best things good fiction does for
any of us is to broaden our comprehension of
other lots than our own。 The average man or
woman has little opportunity actually to live
more than one kind of life。 The chances of
birth； occupation； family ties； determine for
most of us a line of experience not very
inclusive and but little varied； and this is a natural
barrier to our complete understanding of others；
whose life…line is set at a different angle。 It is
not possible wholly to sympathise with emotions
engendered by experience which one has never
had。 Yet we all long to be broad in sympathy
and inclusive in appreciation； we long； greatly；
to know the experience of others。 This yearning
is probably one of the good but misconceived
appetites so injudiciously fed by the gossip of
the daily press。 There is a hope； in the reader；
of getting for the moment into the lives of people
who move in wholly different sets of circumstances。
But the relation of dry facts in newspapers；
however tinged with journalistic colour；
helps very little to enter such other life。 The
entrance has to be by the door of the imagination；
and the journalist is rarely able to open it
for us。 But there is a genius who can open it。
The author who can write fiction o