See the surprised look on Tom's face. Play that you are picking flowers in a meadow. Suddenly you hear a call for help. Show the class how you look up and about you to see what is the matter. What might you say when you notice the owl and the elf?
2. Look at the brave boy in the second picture. He has dropped his flowers and run over to the elf. What is he doing? What is he shouting? Do these things as if you were Tom in this picture.
Play this part of the story with two classmates.
3. The good elf has taken Tom to a wonderful tree in the woods. What do you think he is saying to Tom? Should you be a little afraid to open the door if you were Tom? Why? What questions might Tom ask before he opens it?
Play that you and a classmate are Tom and the elf in the third picture, standing in front of the door in the tree. Talk together as they probably talked together. Some of your classmates may be other elves, peeking out from behind large trees.
4. Just as Tom reached out his hand to open the door in the tree, what do you think happened? Look at the sleepy but surprised boy in the fourth picture. Why is he surprised?
Play that you are Tom. Show the class how you would look as you awoke from the exciting dream.[3] What should you probably say?
Play this part of the story with a classmate. The classmate plays that she is the mother. What do you think the mother is saying to Tom? What might Tom answer?
5. Now you and several classmates will wish to play the entire story.[4]
Then it will be fun to see others[5] play it in their way. Perhaps these will play it better. Each group of pupils playing the story tries to show exactly what happened, by what the players say and do and by the way they look.