The story-teller is governed most by the supreme canon of simplicity. His must be a peculiarly unelaborate, apparently artless art. In gesture and facial expression, in dramatic suggestion, in speech, his is that form or degree of the artistic manner that will carry to the listener the unaffected, frank, childlike kind of life with which the child story deals: not intense in manner; not intellectual nor artificial in gesture; not pedantic nor studied in speech—but sincere and simple.
The Child’s Part in Story-Telling
Let us tabulate some of the things the child naturally does as his part in story-telling. The table will be incomplete, but it may be suggestive. What is the child’s part in story-telling?
(1) It is listening.
(2) It is remaining silent.
(3) It is commenting.
(4) It is joining in.
(5) It is re-telling.
(6) It is partial re-telling.
(7) It is telling other stories.