Chapter 1

BY AUGUSTA STEVENSON

Formerly a Teacher in the Indianapolis Public Schools

1908

FOREWORD

This series of books aims to serve three distinct purposes: first, to arouse a greater interest in oral reading; second, to develop an expressive voice--sadly lacking in the case of most Americans; and third, to give freedom and grace in the bodily attitudes and movements which are involved in reading and speaking. The stories given are for the most part adaptations of favorite tales from folklore,--Andersen, Grimm, Æsop, and the Arabian Nights having been freely drawn upon.

Children are dramatic by nature. They _are_ for the time the kings, the fairies, and the heroes that they picture in their imaginations. They _are_ these characters with such abandon and with such intense pleasure that the on-looker must believe that nature intended that they should give play to this dramatic instinct, not so much formally, with all the trappings of the man-made stage, but spontaneously and naturally, as they talk and read. If this expressive instinct can be utilized in the teaching of reading, we shall be able both to add greatly to the child's enjoyment and to improve the quality of his oral reading. In these days when so many books are hastily read in school, there is a tendency to sacrifice expression to the mechanics and interpretation of reading. Those acquainted with school work know too well the resulting monotonous, indistinct speech and the self-conscious, listless attitude which characterize so much of the reading of pupils in grades above the third. It is believed that these readers will aid in overcoming these serious faults in reading, which all teachers and parents deplore. The dramatic appeal of the stories will cause the child to lose himself in the character he is impersonating and read with a naturalness and expressiveness unknown to him before, and this improvement will be evident in all his oral reading, and even in his speech.

The use of the books permits the whole range of expression, from merely reading the stories effectively, to "acting them out" with as little, or as much, stage-setting or costuming as a parent or teacher may desire. The stories are especially designed to be read as a part of the regular reading work. Many different plans for using the books will suggest themselves to the teacher. After a preliminary reading of a story during the study period, the teacher may assign different parts to various children, she herself reading the stage directions and the other brief descriptions unclosed in brackets. The italicized explanations in parentheses are not intended to be read aloud; they will aid in giving the child the cue as to the way the part should be rendered. After the story has been read in this way, if thought advisable it can be played informally and simply, with no attempt at costuming or theatric effects. It will often add to the interest of the play to have some of the children represent certain of the inanimate objects of the scene, as the forest, the town gate, a door, etc. Occasionally, for the "open day," or as a special exercise, a favorite play may be given by the children with the simplest kind of costuming and stage-setting. These can well be made in the school as a part of the manual training and sewing work. In giving the play, it will generally be better not to have pupils memorize the exact words of the book, but to depend upon the impromptu rendering of their parts. This method will contribute more largely to the training in English.

The best results will usually be obtained by using this book in the third grade. In some schools, however, it may profitably be used in the second grade.

A.S.

CONTENTS

THE CLEVER KID _Suggested by Æsop's The Wolf and the Goat._

THE WOLF AND THE HORSE _Suggested by Æsop's The Wolf and the Horse._

THE WISE CROW _Suggested by Æsop's The Crow and the Pitcher._

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB _Suggested by Æsop's The Wolf and the Lamb._

THE SELFISH WOMAN _Suggested by the folk-story, The Red-Headed Woodpecker._

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT _From the folk-story, The Blind Men._

THE STAG AND THE FAWN _Suggested by Æsop's The Stag at the Pool._

THE SHEPHERD-BOY WHO CALLED WOLF _Suggested by Æsop's The Shepherd-Boy and the Wolf._

THE WISH-BIRD _Suggested by a German folk-story._

LAZY KATE _Suggested by the German folk-story, Lazy Lizette._

THE PROUD RING-FINGER _Suggested by the German folk-story, The Proud Ringfinger._

THE TWO MILLERS _Suggested by the German folk-story, The Two Millers._

THE VAIN JACKDAW _Suggested by Æsop's The Vain Jackdaw._

THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL _Suggested by the Oriental legend. The Jackal and the Camel._

THE ENDLESS TALE _Suggested by the folk-story, The Endless Tale._

THE HOLE IN THE DIKE _Suggested by the legend, The Hole in the Dike._

THE POT OF GOLD _Suggested by Æsop's The Farmer and his Sons._

THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG _Suggested by Grimm's The Hare and the Hedgehog._

FISHING ON DRY LAND _Suggested by Grimm's The Peasant's Clever Daughter._

THE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM _Suggested by the folk-story, The Wise Men of Gotham._

THE TWO QUESTIONS _Suggested by the folk-story, The Two Questions._

POCAHONTAS AND CAPTAIN SMITH

POCAHONTAS SAVES JAMESTOWN

KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES

ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ENDLESS TALE

THE CLEVER KID

"AS I LIVE, YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH!"

THE WISE CROW

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

"WILL YOU GIVE ME A CAKE?"

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

THE STAG AND THE FAWN

THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO CALLED WOLF

"I AM TIRED OF MY RABBITS"

"GOOD-MORNING, TEACHER. HERE IS LAZY KATE"

THE PROUD RING-FINGER

THE TWO MILLERS

THE VAIN JACKDAW

THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL

"THERE IS WATER ON THE SAND HERE"

THE POT OF GOLD

THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG

FISHING ON DRY LAND

"QUICK, NOW--BEFORE THE KING COMES"

THE TWO QUESTIONS

"I WILL NOT SHOOT AT DEER"

POCAHONTAS SAVES JAMESTOWN

"NOT ONE OF THEM FIT TO EAT!"

THE CLEVER KID

TIME: _this morning._ PLACE: _a pasture._

* * * * *

GRAY WOLF. WHITE WOLF. KID.

* * * * *

[_The_ GRAY WOLF _and the_ WHITE WOLF _are standing at the foot of a hill; at the top of the hill is a_ KID.][Footnote: The explanations in brackets may be read aloud by the teacher.]

GRAY WOLF. Look, brother, there is a kid!

WHITE WOLF. Where? Where?

GRAY WOLF. On that hill to the south.

WHITE WOLF. I do not see her.

GRAY WOLF. She is on the very top.

WHITE WOLF. Ah, now I see her!

GRAY WOLF. I wish we could get at her.

WHITE WOLF. She would make a fine dinner.

GRAY WOLF. She would, my brother.

WHITE WOLF. She is so young!

GRAY WOLF. She is so tender!

WHITE WOLF. Well, we cannot get her. The hill is too steep.

GRAY WOLF. We must make her come to us.

WHITE WOLF. Yes, yes! That will be fine!

GRAY WOLF. O little Kid! Dear little Kid!

WHITE WOLF. O little Kid! Sweet little Kid!

KID. What is it, sirs?

GRAY WOLF. The grass down here is sweeter!

WHITE WOLF. And greener!

GRAY WOLF. And fresher!

WHITE WOLF. And younger!

GRAY WOLF. Come down and eat your dinner here!

KID. Do you speak of my dinner, sirs?

WOLVES. O yes, yes, yes!

KID. You _speak_ of my dinner, but you _think_ of your own. I will stay where I am, sirs.

THE WOLF AND THE HORSE

TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a field of oats._

* * * * *

WOLF. HORSE. MASTER. MAID. BOY. NEIGHBORS.

* * * * *

[_The_ WOLF _enters from the forest._]

WOLF. Ah, if I could only eat oats! What a dinner I should have! I would tell no one! No one would know, and the whole field would be mine.

(_Enter the_ HORSE _from the forest._)

Ah, good friend, such news as I can tell you!

HORSE. I will not promise to believe you.

WOLF. Well, then, believe your own eyes. There lies a field of ripe oats!

HORSE. As I live, you speak the truth!

WOLF. I have not tasted one! I have kept them all for you.

HORSE (_calling_) Master! Master!

[Note: The words in parentheses are not intended to be read aloud; they will give the child the cue as to how the part should be rendered and thus stimulate better expression.]

WOLF. Your master knows the oats are there. You do not need to tell him.

HORSE. Maid! Maid!

WOLF. The maid knows the oats are there. You do not need to call her.

HORSE. Boy! Boy!

WOLF. Stop your calling! You will have them all at me with clubs.

HORSE. Neighbors! Neighbors!

[_Enter the_ MASTER, MAID, BOY, _and_ NEIGHBORS _with clubs. They surround the Wolf._]

MASTER. Aha! I have caught you at last!

WOLF (_to horse_). This is the thanks I get for showing you--

HORSE. Something you did not want yourself. I owe you nothing, sir.

THE WISE CROW

TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a meadow._

* * * * *

THE CROW. THE SPARROW.

* * * * *

[_The_ CROW _and the_ SPARROW _meet at a spring._]

SPARROW. Ah me, the spring is dry!

CROW. All the springs are dry!

SPARROW. There may be water in the brook.

CROW. No, the brook is dry.

SPARROW. What shall we do?

CROW. There may be water in this pitcher. I will see. Aha! Here is water! Come and drink.

SPARROW. I cannot reach it. It is too low.

CROW. Stretch your neck!

SPARROW. I stretch and stretch--I cannot reach it.

CROW. Why, neither can I! Stretch as I will, I cannot reach it.

SPARROW. What shall we do?

CROW. We will break the pitcher. Come, now!

SPARROW. I strike and strike.

CROW. I strike and strike.

SPARROW. We cannot break it.

CROW. No, we cannot break it.

SPARROW. What shall we do?

CROW. Let us try to overturn it. Come, now!

SPARROW. I push and push.

CROW. I push and push.

SPARROW. We cannot overturn it.

CROW. No, we cannot overturn it.

SPARROW. We must have water! What shall we do?

CROW. Ah, I know the way to get the water!

(_He drops pebbles in the pitcher._)

SPARROW. Why do you drop pebbles in the pitcher?

(_He drops in more pebbles; the water rises._)

Please tell me why you do that.

CROW. Now come and drink, Miss Sparrow!

SPARROW. Why, I can reach the water How queer! How very queer!

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

TIME: _last spring._ PLACE: _a pasture._

* * * * *

THE LAMB. THE WOLF.

* * * * *

[_The_ LAMB _is drinking from the brook. The_ WOLF _enters._]

WOLF. Aha! There is my dinner. Now I'll make it seem that I ought to eat her. Lamb, Lamb, how dare you? How dare you?

LAMB. What do you mean, sir?

WOLF. How dare you muddle the water?

LAMB. The water is clear where you stand, sir.

WOLF. The water is muddled where I stand, miss.

LAMB. How can that be, sir?

WOLF. I say the water here is muddled.

LAMB. But, sir, the water runs from you to me.

WOLF. Oh, well, we will say no more about the water. Now just one year ago you called me names.

LAMB. How could that be, sir?

WOLF. I say you called me names, miss.

LAMB. But, sir, one year ago I was not born.

WOLF. Well, then, it was your father. It is all the same to me. I mean to eat you anyway.

THE SELFISH WOMAN

TIME: _yesterday._ PLACE: _the village._

* * * * *

WOMAN. BEGGAR.

* * * * *

[_The_ SELFISH WOMAN _is taking cakes from her oven. There is a knock at the door._]

WOMAN. Enter!

[_The_ BEGGAR _enters. She wears a long cloak._]

BEGGAR. I am hungry, good woman. Will you give me a cake?

WOMAN. The cakes are too large to give away. I will make a cake for you.

[_She makes a very small cake and puts it in the oven._]

BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.

[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]

WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will make another cake for you.

[_She makes a very, very small cake and puts it in the oven._]

BEGGAR. I thank you, good woman.

[_The woman takes the cake from the oven._]

WOMAN. This cake is too large to give away. I will give you a slice of bread.

[_She cuts a slice from a loaf of bread._]

BEGGAR. I thank you--

WOMAN. A slice is too much to give away. Here is a crust for you.

[_The beggar shakes her head._]

BEGGAR. May you never taste cake again! May the very cake in your mouth seem to be crust! If you will not give, you shall not have!

WOMAN. Go, go!

[_The beggar throws off her cloak; a_ FAIRY _is seen._]

WOMAN. A Fairy! You are a Fairy?

FAIRY. I am the Fairy of Good Deeds. You would not give--you shall not have!

[_The Fairy goes._]

WOMAN. As if cake could ever taste like bread! 'Tis impossible--impossible!

(_She eats a cake._)

What is this? I seem to be eating crust, dry crust. I'll try another cake.

(_She eats another cake._)

Why, this too changes to crust! Ah me! The Fairy's words were true. I would not give, I cannot have. Ah me! Ah me!

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

TIME: _a year ago._ PLACE: _India._

* * * * *

THE DRIVER. THE SIX BLIND MEN.

* * * * *

[_The_ SIX BLIND MEN _stand by the roadside, begging. The_ DRIVER _comes with his elephant._]

BLIND MEN. A penny, sir! A penny!

DRIVER (_throwing pennies_). There, and there, and there! Now out of the way with you! I must take my elephant by.

FIRST BLIND MAN. I have never seen an elephant, sir.

OTHER BLIND MEN. Nor I! Nor I!

DRIVER. Do you know what he is like?

BLIND MEN. No, sir! No, sir!

DRIVER. Would you like to touch him?

BLIND MEN. Yes! Yes!

DRIVER. Come, then, and stand by him.

FIRST BLIND MAN (_placing hand on elephant's side_). Well, well! Now I know all about him! He is exactly like a wall!

SECOND BLIND MAN (_feeling the tusk_). He is not like a wall! He is round and smooth and sharp. He is like a spear.

THIRD BLIND MAN (_feeling the trunk_). Both of you are wrong. He is like a snake.

FOURTH BLIND MAN (_feeling a leg_). Oh, how blind you are! He is round and tall like a tree!

FIFTH BLIND MAN (_feeling an ear_). Why, he is exactly like a great fan!

SIXTH BLIND MAN (_feeling the tail_). This elephant is not like a wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree, or a fan. He is exactly like a rope.

DRIVER. Ha, ha, ha!

[_He goes, driving elephant and laughing._]

FIRST BLIND MAN. Ha, ha, ha! Hear how he laughs at you!

SECOND BLIND MAN. He laughs at you and the others.

THIRD BLIND MAN. He does not laugh at me!

FOURTH BLIND MAN. I say he laughs at you and the others.

FIFTH BLIND MAN. You cannot say he laughs at me!

SIXTH BLIND MAN. He laughs at all of you! He knows I spoke the truth.

[_He goes._]

OTHER BLIND MEN. Hear him! Hear him!

[_They go their different ways, shaking their fingers angrily at each other._]

THE STAG AND THE FAWN