THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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self-consciousness as, nothing else will, Practice is the chief secret o f success. Preparing the children for the story deserves considerable attention, for much depends upon the way they are arranged and managed. They must be seated so as to be within direct range o f the story teller’ s eye. A semi-circle is the - best arrangement for a small group o f children. But the story-teller must be seated at a sufficient distance in front o f the circle to give'personal attention to every child. A little boy was seated at the rear o f the room while a story was being told, and although he could hear every word, he called out as the story was finished, “ Now tell it to me." He had not been within range o f the story teller’s eye. Never allow interruptions to break into the, spell. No matter how Mary or John nie may be squirming, never call attention to the fact. I f you are telling a good story well, children cannot help listening. No child is “ a conscientious l i s t e n e r h e lis tens for love o f the story and will do some thing Hse if he isn’t interested. In getting the story before the children much also depends on the approach. The minds o f the children must be prepared, made ready to understand the story. Inter est must be awakened. Especially in Bible stories will one need to connect the story with something already within the child’s interests. For instance, in telling the story o f Joseph, most children would not under stand why a boy would like a “coat o f many Colors,’’ yet their interest would be easily obtained were they told in a few words about the coats boys wore in those days- long ago. THE REQUISITES Knowing your story, being enthusiastic ally in the right mood, having your hearers well arranged, begin to tell it. Some of the requisites for its successful telling may be considered now. Simplicity is essential. There must be simplicity o f “manner as well as matter.” The language must be easily understood by the youngest child.
Amusing consequences have followed the use o f large words. A little girl, crying for more jam, finally sobbed out, “I don’t care, I just wish I’d die.” “Why, my dear,” said her mother, “ why do you wish that?” “ Cause,” answered the child, “ I’ d get all the sweet things I want in heaven.” , “Who told you that?” inquired the mother. “ You taught it to me out o f a little blue book, mother,” was the answer. The little girl insisted and finally in the little' book, “ The Catechism,” the mother read “Why do men love God?” and the answer, “ Because fie makes, preserves and keeps them.” So special care needs to be taken in telling the story simply. Then there must be directness—direct discourse should be used whenever possible. This is one o f the tricks o f the art. Instead o f telling about what the characters say, have them say it. “Let what he did tell what he was.” Brevity must take the place o f “long-winded” details, and descriptions and explanations must be avoided. Memory can remind us o f the days when in reading a book, we “skipped over” the portions dealing with descriptions and explanations, in order that we might get into the direct action o f the story. A very bad tendency, especially among amateur Bible story-tell ers, is moralizing. This must be guarded against. Let the story be direct enough to . convey its own truths. There must also be directness in the logical sequence o f the action. One thing must follow another in order, naturally. Some one has said that the teller o f a story does not need to use as many words as a writer, because the one who tells a story has the face, voice and body to help picture it. T o give a vivid picture, the story must be told with feeling, dramatic ally. To tell it dramatically does not mean to act it out, but to-arouse the imagination o f your, hearers sufficiently to cause them to picture the scenes for themselves. This depends, on one’s own ability or imagina tion, to see what you say. Some conscientious story-tellers will need
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