stories to tell to children-第36节

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the　stories　accordingly。



Many　an　old　book；　which　to　a　modern　grown

person　may　seem　prim　and　over…rigid；　will　be

to　the　child　a　delight；　for　him　the　primness

and　the　severity　slip　away；　the　story　remains。

Such　a　book　as　Mrs　Sherwood's　Fairchild　Family

is　an　example　of　this。　　To　a　grown　person

reading　it　for　the　first　time；　the　loafing

propensities　of　the　immaculate　Mrs　Fairchild；　who

never　does　a　hand's　turn　of　good　work　for　anyone

from　cover　to　cover；　the　hard　piety；　the

snobbishness；　the　brutality　of　taking　the　children

to　the　old　gallows　and　seating　them　before　the

dangling　remains　of　a　murderer；　while　the　lesson

of　brotherly　love　is　impressed　are　shocking

when　they　are　not　amusing；　but　to　the　child

the　doings　of　the　naughty　and　repentant　little

Fairchilds　are　engrossing；　and　experience　proves

to　us　that　the　twentieth…century　child　is　as　eager

for　the　book　as　were　ever　his　nineteenth…century

grandfather　and　grandmother。



Good　Mrs　Timmin's　History　of　the　Robins；

too；　is　a　continuous　delight；　and　from　its

pompous　and　high…sounding　dialogue　a　skilful

adapter　may　glean　not　only　one　story；　but　one

story　with　two　versions；　for　the　infant　of

eighteen　months　can　follow　the　narrative　of　the

joys　and　troubles；　errors　and　kindnesses　of

Robin；　Dicky；　Flopsy　and　Pecksy；　while　the

child　of　five　or　ten　or　even　more　will　be　keenly

interested　in　a　fuller　account　of　the　birds'

adventures　and　the　development　of　their　several

characters　and　those　of　their　human　friends　and

enemies。



From　these　two　books；　from　Miss　Edgeworth's

wonderful　Moral　Tales；　from　Miss　Wetherell's

delightful　volume　Mr　Rutherford's　Children；

from　Jane　and　Ann　Taylor's　Original　Poems；

from　Thomas　Day's　Sandford　and　Merton；　from

Bunyan's　Pilgrim's　Progress　and　Lamb's　Tales

from　Shakespeare；　and　from　many　another　old

friend；　stories　may　be　gathered；　but　the　story

teller　will　find　that　in　almost　all　cases

adaptation　is　a　necessity。　　The　joy　of　the　hunt；

however；　is　a　real　joy；　and　with　a　field　which

stretches　from　the　myths　of　Greece　to　Uncle

Remus；　from　Le　Morte　d'Arthur　to　the　Jungle

Books；　there　need　be　no　more　lack　of　pleasure

for　the　seeker　than　for　the　receiver　of　the　spoil。







End