stories to tell to children-第6部分

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and　she　saw〃the　little　girl　is　very　still；　she

would　not　disturb　that　story　by　so　much　as　a

loud　breath；　but　presently　the　comb　comes　to

a　tangle；　pulls；and　the　little　girl　begins　to

squirm。　　Instantly　the　voice　becomes　impressive；

mysterious：　〃she　went　up　to　the　table；　and

there　were　THREE　PLATES　OF　PORRIDGE。　　She　tasted

the　first　one〃the　little　girl　swallows　the　breath

she　was　going　to　whimper　with；　and　waits〃and　

it　was　too　hot！　　She　tasted　the　next　one；

and　THAT　was　too　hot。　　Then　she　tasted　the　little

bit　of　a　plate；　and　thatwasjustright！〃



How　I　remember　the　delightful　sense　of

achievement　which　stole　into　the　little　girl's

veins　when　the　voice　behind　her　said　〃just

right。〃　　I　think　she　always　chuckled　a　little；

and　hugged　her　stomach。　　So　the　story　progressed；

and　the　little　girl　got　through　her　toilet

without　crying；　owing　to　the　wonder…working

voice　and　its　marvellous　adaptation　of　climaxes

to　emergencies。　　Nine　times　out　of　ten；　it　was　the

story　of　The　Three　Bears　she　demanded　when；

with　the　appearance　of　brush　and　comb；　the　voice

asked；　〃Which　story　shall　mother　tell？〃





It　was　a　memory　of　the　little　girl　in　the

pink　room　which　made　it　easy　for　me　to　understand

some　other　children's　preferences　when

I　recently　had　occasion　to　inquire　about　them。

By　asking　many　individual　children　which　story

of　all　they　had　heard　they　liked　best；　by　taking

votes　on　the　best　story　of　a　series；　after　telling

it；　and　by　getting　some　obliging　teachers　to　put

similar　questions　to　their　pupils；　I　found　three

prime　favourites　common　to　a　great　many　children

of　about　the　kindergarten　age。　　They　were　The

Three　Bears；　Three　Little　Pigs；　and　The　Little　Pig

that　wouldn't　go　over　the　Stile。



Some　of　the　teachers　were　genuinely

disturbed　because　the　few　stories　they　had

introduced　merely　for　amusement　had　taken　so　pre…

eminent　a　place　in　the　children's　affection　over

those　which　had　been　given　seriously。　　It　was

of　no　use；　however；　to　suggest　substitutes。

The　children　knew　definitely　what　they　liked；

and　though　they　accepted　the　recapitulation

of　scientific　and　moral　stories　with　polite

approbation；　they　returned　to　the　original　answer

at　a　repetition　of　the　question。



Inasmuch　as　the　slightest　of　the　things　we

hope　to　do　for　children　by　means　of　stories　is

quite　impossible　unless　the　children　enjoy　the

stories；　it　may　be　worth　our　while　to　consider

seriously　these　three　which　they　surely　do　enjoy；

to　see　what　common　qualities　are　in　them；

explanatory　of　their　popularity；　by　which　we

may　test　the　probable　success　of　other　stories

we　wish　to　tell。



Here　they　are；three　prime　favourites　of

proved　standing。



THE　STORY　OF　THE　THREE　LITTLE　PIGS＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　Joseph　Jacobs's　English　Fairy　Tales　（David

Nutt；　57…69　Long　Acre；　W。C。　6s。）；





Once　upon　a　time　there　were　three　little　pigs；

who　went　from　home　to　seek　their　fortune。

The　first　that　went　off　met　a　man　with　a　bundle

of　straw；　and　said　to　him：



〃Good　man；　give　me　that　straw　to　build

me　a　house。〃



The　man　gave　the　straw；　and　the　little　pig

built　his　house　with　it。　　Presently　came　along

a　wolf；　and　knocked　at　the　door；　and　said：



〃Little　pig；　little　pig；　let　me　come　in。〃



But　the　pig　answered：



〃No；　no；　by　the　hair　of　my　chiny…chin…chin。〃



So　the　wolf　said：



〃Then　I'll　huff；　and　I'll　puff；　and　I'll　blow

your　house　in。〃



So　he　huffed；　and　he　puffed；　and　he　blew　his

house　in；　and　ate　up　the　little　pig。



The　second　little　pig　met　a　man　with　a

bundle　of　furze；　and　said：



〃Good　man；　give　me　that　furze　to　build　me

a　house。〃



The　man　gave　the　furze；　and　the　pig　built　his

house。　　Then　once　more　came　the　wolf；　and　said：



〃Little　pig；　little　pig；　let　me　come　in。〃



〃　No；　no；　by　the　hair　of　my　chiny…chin…chin。〃



〃Then　I'll　puff；　and　I'll　huff；　and　I'll　blow

your　house　in。〃



So　he　huffed；　and　he　puffed；　and　he　puffed

and　he　huffed；　and　at　last　he　blew　the　house　in；

and　ate　up　the　little　pig。



The　third　little　pig　met　a　man　with　a　load　of

bricks；　and　said：



〃Good　man；　give　me　those　bricks　to　build

me　a　house　with。〃



The　man　gave　the　bricks；　and　he　built　his

house　with　them。　　Again　the　wolf　came；　and

said：



〃Little　pig；　little　pig；　let　me　come　in。〃



〃No；　no；　by　the　hair　of　my　chiny…chin…chin。〃



〃Then　I'll　huff；　and　I'll　puff；　and　I'll　blow

your　house　in。〃



So　he　huffed；　and　he　puffed；　and　he　huffed；

and　he　puffed；　and　he　puffed　and　huffed；　but

he　could　NOT　get　the　house　down。　　Finding　that

he　could　not；　with　all　his　huffing　and　puffing；

blow　the　house　down；　he　said：



〃Little　pig；　I　know　where　there　is　a　nice

field　of　turnips。〃



〃Where？〃　said　the　little　pig。



〃Oh；　in　Mr　Smith's　field；　and　if　you　will　be

ready　to…morrow　morning　we　will　go　together；

and　get　some　for　dinner。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　little　pig。　　〃What

time　do　you　mean　to　go？〃



〃Oh；　at　six　o'clock。〃



So　the　little　pig　got　up　at　five；　and　got　the

turnips　before　the　wolf　came　crying：



〃Little　pig；　are　you　ready？〃



The　little　pig　said：　　〃Ready！　I　have　been　and

come　back　again；　and　got　a　nice　potful　for　dinner。〃



The　wolf　felt　very　angry　at　this；　but　thought

that　he　would　be　a　match　for　the　little　pig

somehow　or　other；　so　he　said：



〃Little　pig；　I　know　where　there　is　a　nice

apple…tree。〃



〃Where？〃　said　the　pig。



〃Down　at　Merry…garden；〃　replied　the　wolf；

〃and　if　you　will　not　deceive　me　I　will　come　for　you；

at　five　o'clock　to…morrow；　and　get　some　apples。〃



The　little　pig　got　up　next　morning　at　four

o'clock；　and　went　off　for　the　apples；　hoping　to

get　back　before　the　wolf　came；　but　it　took　long

to　climb　the　tree；　and　just　as　he　was　coming

down　from　it；　he　saw　the　wolf　coming。　　When

the　wolf　came　up　he　said：



〃Little　pig；　what！　are　you　here　before　me？

Are　they　nice　apples？〃



〃Yes；　very；〃　said　the　little　pig。　　〃I　will　throw

you　down　one。〃



And　he　threw　it　so　far　that；　while　the　wolf

was　gone　to　pick　it　up；　the　little　pig　jumped

down　and　ran　home。　　The　next　day　the　wolf

came　again；　and　said　to　the　little　pig：



〃Little　pig；　there　is　a　fair　in　town　this

afternoon；　will　you　go？'



〃Oh　yes；〃　said　the　pig；　〃I　will　go；　what　time？〃



〃At　three；〃　said　the　wolf。　　As　usual　the

little　pig　went　off　before　the　time；　and　got　to

the　fair；　and　bought　a　butter…churn；　which　he

was　rolling　home　when　he　saw　the　wolf　coming。

So　he　got　into　the　churn　to　hide；　and　in　so

doing　turned　it　round；　and　it　rolled　down　the

hill　with　the　pig　in　it；　which　frightened　the　wolf

so　much　that　he　ran　home　without　going　to　the

fair。　　He　went　to　the　little　pig's　house；　and　told

him　how　frightened　he　had　been　by　a　great

round　thing　which　came　past　him　down　the　hill。

Then　the　little　pig　said。



〃Ha！　ha！　I　frightened　you；　then！〃



Then　the　wolf　was　very　angry　indeed；　and

tried　to　get　down　the　chimney　in　order　to　eat

up　the　little　pig。　　When　the　little　pig　saw　what

he　was　about；　he　put　a　pot　full　of　water　on　the

blazing　fire；　and；　just　as　the　wolf　was　coming

down；　he　took　off　the　cover；　and　in　fell　the　wolf。

Quickly　the　little　pig　clapped　on　the　cover；　and

when　the　wolf　was　boiled　ate　him　for　supper。







THE　STORY　OF　THE　THREE　BEARS＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　Joseph　Jacobs's　English　Fairy　Tales　（David

Nutt；　57…59　Long　Acre；　W。C。　6s。）





Once　upon　a　time　there　were　Three　Bears；

who　lived　together　in　a　house　of　their　own；　in　a

wood。　　One　of　them　was　a　Little　Small　Wee

Bear；　and　one　was　a　Middle…sized　Bear；　and　the

other　was　a　Great　Huge　Bear。　　They　had　each

a　pot　for　their　porridge；a　little　pot　for　the

Little　Small　Wee　Bear；　and　a　middle…sized　pot

for　the　Middle…sized　Bear；　and　a　great　pot　for

the　Great　Huge　Bear。　　And　they　had　each　a

chair　to　sit　in；a　little　chair　for　the　Little

Small　Wee　Bear；　and　a　middle…sized　chair　for

the　Middle…sized　Bear；　and　a　great　chair　for　the

Great　Huge　Bear。　　And　they　had　each　a　bed

to　sleep　in；a　little　bed　for　the　Little　Small

Wee　Bear；　and　a　middle…sized　bed　for　the

Middle…sized　Bear；　and　a　great　bed　for　the　Great

Huge　Bear。



One　day；　after　they　had　made　the　porridge

for　their　breakfast；　and　poured　it　into　their

porridge…pots；　they　walked　out　into　the　wood

while　the　porridge　was　cooling；　that　they　might

not　burn　their　mouths；　by　beginning　too　soon　to

eat　it。　　And　while　they　were　walking；　a　little

girl　named　Goldilocks　came　to　the　house。　　She

had　never　seen　the　little　house　before；　and　it

was　such　a　strange　little　house　that　she　forgot

all　the　things　her　mother　had　told　her　about

being　polite：　first　she　looked　in　at　the　window；

and　then　she　peeped　in　at　the　keyhole；　and

seeing　nobody　in　the　house；　she　lifted　the　latch。

The　door　was　not　fastened；　because　the　Bears

were　good　Bears；　who　did　nobody　any　harm；

and　never　suspected　that　anybody　would　harm

them。　　So　Goldilocks　opened　the　door；　and

went　in；　and　well　pleased　she　was　when　she

saw　the　porridge　on　the　table。　　If　Goldilocks

had　remembered　what　her　mother　had　told　her；

she　would　have　waited　till　the　Bears　came

home；　and　then；　perhaps；　they　would　have　asked

her　to　breakfast；　for　they　were　good　Bearsa

little　rough；　as　the　manner　of　Bears　is；　but　for

all　that　very　good…natured　and　hospitable。　　But

Goldilocks　forgot；　and　set　about　helping　herself。



So　first　she　tasted　the　porridge　of　the　Great

Huge　Bear；　and　that　was　too　hot。　　And　then

she　tasted　the　porridge　of　the　Middle…sized

Bear；　and　that　was　too　cold。　　And　then　she

went　to　the　porridge　of　the　Little　Small　Wee

Bear；　and　tasted　that：　and　that　was　neither　too

hot　nor　too　cold；　but　just　right；　and　she　liked

it　so　well；　that　she　ate　it　all　up。



Then　Goldilocks　sat　down　in　the　chair　of

the　Great　Huge　Bear；　and　that　was　too　hard

for　her。　　And　then　she　sat　down