{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_63780/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_63780","id":"gutenberg_63780","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63780","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Short Stories","Category: Teaching & Education","Storytelling -- Periodicals"],"text":"The Story Hour:\n         A Magazine of Methods and Materials for Story Tellers\n                            (Vol. I, No. 2)\n\n\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n                             THE STORY HOUR\n\n                       A Magazine of Methods and\n                      Materials for Story Tellers\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n               VOL. I        DECEMBER, 1908        NO. 2\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n       Published Monthly (ten times a year) at Washington, D. C.\n\n         Copyright, 1908, by M. E. Sloane. All rights reserved.\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n                   WILLIAM C. RUEDIGER, Ph.D., Editor\n          Division of Education, George Washington University\n\n                  RICHARD T. WYCHE, Consulting Editor\n                President National Story Tellers\u2019 League\n\n                MERSENE E. SLOANE, Founder and Publisher\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n       Subscription: One Dollar a year (ten numbers), in advance.\n               Single and Sample Numbers, Fifteen Cents.\n\n                Advertising rates given on application.\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n                     Address all communications to\n\n                            THE STORY HOUR,\n                        406 FIFTH STREET, N.W.,\n                            WASHINGTON, D. C.\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\nMake remittances by money order, draft or registered letter, payable to\nMersene E. Sloane, Publisher. Sender risks unregistered money.\nManuscripts on story-telling, and of stories for telling, are desired.\nWhen ordering change of address be sure to give the former address.\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n       PRESS OF THE COLONIAL PRINTING COMPANY OF WASHINGTON, D. C.\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n                        OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL\n                         STORY-TELLERS\u2019 LEAGUE\n\n                             --------------\n\n               Honorary President, HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE\n       President, RICHARD T. WYCHE, 501 W. 120th Street, New York\n           Secretary, DR. RICHARD M. HODGE, Teachers College,\n                     Columbia University, New York\n            Treasurer, MR. W. H. KEISTER, Harrisonburg, Va.\n\n                             --------------\n\n                          EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE\n\n                  DR. P. P. CLAXTON, Knoxville, Tenn.\n     Professor Education, University of Tenn. Superintendent Summer\n                          School of the South\n                   MISS ANNIE LAWS, Cincinnati, Ohio\n               President Ohio Federation of Women\u2019s Clubs\n                  MISS MAUD SUMMERS, Cincinnati, Ohio\n            Member of Faculty, Kindergarten Training School\n                   MISS ANNA C. TYLER, New York City\n                          Children\u2019s Librarian\n                          DR. RICHARD M. HODGE\n                           MR. W. H. KEISTER\n                          MR. RICHARD T. WYCHE\n\n                             --------------\n\n                              ADVISORY BOARD\n\n             DR. G. STANLEY HALL, President Clark University\n                 DR. HENRY VAN DYKE, Princeton University\n              MISS ELIZABETH BROWN, City Schools, Washington\n      DR. JENNIE B. MERRILL, Supervisor Kindergartens, New York City\n              DR. A. FORTIER, Tulane University, New Orleans\n                  DR. C. W. KENT, University of Virginia\n      WHARTON S. JONES, Assist. Supt. Public Schools, Memphis, Tenn.\n                     DR. J. E. MCKEAN, Oberlin, Ohio\n          SUPT. B. C. GREGORY, Supt. of Schools, Chelsea, Mass.\n       MISS ELIZABETH HARRISON, Pres. Chicago Kindergarten College\n MISS MARIAN S. HENCKLE, Kindergarten Training School, Charleston, S. C.\n                   MISS PEARL CARPENTER, Covington, Ky.\n              MRS. A. W. COOLEY, University of North Dakota\n                MISS ELIZABETH J. BLACK, Greensboro, N.C.\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                             THE STORY HOUR\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n               VOL. I        DECEMBER, 1908        NO. 2\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                     EDITOR\u2019S AND PUBLISHER\u2019S NOTES\n\n\nWITH this issue THE STORY HOUR has the pleasant privilege of wishing all\nits readers a Merry Christmas. That the Christmas spirit may everywhere\nprevail, and prevail abundantly, is its sincerest wish; and if the\nstories herein told and retold will contribute their mite in enhancing\nthis spirit, it will indeed feel that it is fulfilling its mission.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nAMONG the many elements of cheer at Christmas time is the Santa Claus\nmyth. Belief in this myth adds greatly to the enjoyment of Christmas in\nearly childhood. The children who believe in it, and pass out of the\nliteral belief without a shock to their faith, are to be congratulated.\nThey never forget looking back to the time when they watched, waited and\nlistened for Santa Claus, animated by an expectancy tinged with a happy\nfear.\n\nBut this belief naturally cannot persist through life. Near the\nbeginning of the school period it must be replaced by a knowledge of the\nliteral truth, which the children get usually from their associates.\nWhether the knowledge of this literal truth is to be more true or less\ntrue than the belief in the myth depends upon the parents, teachers and\nadult friends in whose care the children are. It rests with them to\ntransform the myth into a symbol filled with meaning. The best things in\nlife are such things as faith, love, kindness and generosity. These we\ncannot touch, hear or see. They exist primarily as soul experiences, and\nin order to make them more palpable and give them a base of reference we\nsymbolize them. Now one of these symbols is Santa Claus. He stands for\nthe cheer, good will and love of Christmas time, and every feature of\nhis traditional representation symbolizes these qualities. He is as real\nas Uncle Sam, and his mission is no less important. He is the embodiment\nof Christmas love, and even children of six can appreciate this\nsignification of Santa Claus. The fact that they previously believed in\nthe kind saint literally only helps this appreciation. And who would not\nhave a child believe in this kind of a Santa Claus, and believe in him\nalways?\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nFOR several years Mr. Wyche has told his original Santa Claus story to\naudiences in many places. It has been in great demand, but has never\nheretofore been published. The version given in this number of THE STORY\nHOUR from a stenographic record will be a permanent addition to the\nChristmas literature of the country. It will be noted that this and all\nother articles in the magazine are copyrighted.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nREADERS are requested to write us freely regarding their experiences in\nstory telling, also to suggest stories they wish to have reproduced, or\nstories they have found useful in their own work.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nSUGGESTIONS of principles and methods contained in the notes from local\nleagues are already becoming one of the most helpful features of this\nmagazine. It was so anticipated by the publisher when he planned the\nlocal news department. It is desired to have such notes frequently from\nall local leagues in the country.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nMOTHERS are becoming interested in the new story-telling as a means of\nhome education and even discipline. They are making inquires as to\nmethods and materials. THE STORY HOUR will be a helpful counsellor for\nthem.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nA QUERY PAGE will be useful to many, especially to those who live remote\nfrom the cities and their large libraries. Any who desire information of\nany kind regarding stories, or the literature of stories, or anything at\nall related to the subject of story-telling, or the League movement may\nfeel free to write to THE STORY HOUR. Our best efforts will be made to\ngive suitable and helpful replies.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE STORY HOUR invites contributions of articles on story-telling and\nany topic related to the general subject, also stories for use in\nstory-telling. Both original and retold stories may be submitted.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nMANY expressions of interest in and approval of THE STORY HOUR magazine\nhave reached us. All say that it will supply a real need\u2014a long-felt\nwant.\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                       STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS TIME\n\n\nThe following selected list of Christmas stories is given in the hope\nthat it will prove of service to readers of THE STORY HOUR. The list is\nsuggested by Mr. Charles L. Spain, of Detroit, Mich.\n\nThe Discontented Pine Tree\u2014Anderson.\n\nThe Fir Tree\u2014Anderson.\n\nThe Little Match girl\u2014Anderson.\n\nThe Golden Cobwebs, From \u201cHow to Tell Stories to Children\u201d\u2014Bryant.\n\nFulfilled: A Legend of Christmas Eve, From \u201cHow to Tell Stories to\nChildren\u201d\u2014Bryant.\n\nStory of Christmas, From \u201cHow to Tell Stories to Children\u201d\u2014Bryant.\n\nWhy Evergreen Trees Keep Their Leaves in Winter, From \u201cHow to Tell\nStories to Children\u2014Bryant.\u201d\n\nYuletide Myth, From Old Norse Stories\u2014Brodish.\n\nChristmas Truants\u2014Fanciful Tales. Stockton.\n\nThe Ruggles\u2019 Christmas Dinner, From Brid\u2019s Christmas Carol\u2014R. D. Wiggin.\n\nLegend of St. Christopher\n\nA Christmas at Cafe Spaander. Scribners, Dec. 1902.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nNEW subscribers who did not begin with the November number, but who\ndesire the special information it contains regarding the new educational\nstory-telling movement, including the Constitution of the National Story\nTellers\u2019 League, can obtain copies by sending 25 cents to the publisher.\n\n\n                             --------------\n\n\n\n\n                     HOW THIS MAGAZINE GOT ITS NAME\n\n                     [EXPLANATION BY THE PUBLISHER]\n\n\nABOUT the time the November number of this magazine was on the press a\nletter was received from Houghton Mifflin Company saying that Miss Nora\nA. Smith had complained to them about the title of the forthcoming\nmagazine, an advance notice of which had come to her attention. It\nappears that Miss Smith and her sister Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin, some\nyears ago published, through the Houghton Mifflin Company, a book\nentitled \u201cThe Story Hour.\u201d Miss Smith assumed that this magazine was\nnamed in honor of their book, and resented it. Lest others should think\nlikewise to our discredit, it is fitting to explain that this magazine\ndid not find its name from any book, print, writing, word or advice from\nanybody, but was entirely original with the publisher, who had never\nseen or heard of any book or other print bearing such title.\n\nIn the course of the preliminary correspondence regarding a proposed\nperiodical, Mr. Wyche stated (last August) that among those interested\nin such a publication would be the playground workers, who would find it\nuseful for their story hour, referring to the practice in some\nplaygrounds of setting apart an hour each day for story-telling. It\nstruck the publisher at once that THE STORY HOUR would be just the title\nwanted, and he was delighted to have hit upon so excellent and\nappropriate a name. That he was not familiar with the book bearing the\nsame title is not a reflection upon the book, which is undoubtedly quite\nexcellent in every way, and is said to have enjoyed a wide circulation,\nbut it is due to the fact that for several years he has not been in\ndirect touch with educational interests, hence is not acquainted with\ncurrent literature along such lines.\n\nThe publisher has no apology to offer for adopting so excellent a title,\nbut does disavow any intention, inclination or necessity for \u201cborrowing\u201d\nfor this or any other literary purpose. THE STORY HOUR magazine is for\nthe benefit of a worthy educational movement\u2014for the good of\nchildren\u2014and there is room for both it and the book of the same name to\nbe a blessing to the rising generation. In doing good, time and priority\nare not factors, but the will and the deed.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                      STORIES AND HOW TO USE THEM\n\n                        BY RICHARD THOMAS WYCHE\n\n               PRESIDENT, NATIONAL STORY TELLERS\u2019 LEAGUE\n\n                           ARTICLE NUMBER TWO\n\n\nWHEN our forefathers grappled with theological problems and made\ndogmatic statements as to their faith, such as we find in some of our\ncatechisms, they had in mind the church and theological controversies,\nand not the child and his needs. The truth that they had suffered and\ndied for was contained in the catechisms, their articles of faith,\ntherefore he who committed to memory the catechism had the truth. But in\nthat reasoning they made a fatal mistake. To make children memorize\nthese dogmatic statements expecting them to grow religiously or morally\nthereby, would be like feeding them on bone meal, expecting therefrom an\nincrease in the bony tissue of the body. The lime that the body needs is\nthere, but not in an assimilative form. Nor is there truth for the child\nin dry-bone statements of religion. If the child asks for bread will you\ngive him a stone? That is what we do when we make him memorize\ntheological statements, the language and thought both of which are\nbeyond him.\n\nThe writer recalls two teachers and two methods of religious instruction\nin his childhood. One who taught him the catechism and one who told him\nBible stories. The catechism bored and wearied him, and so far as he can\nsee today was time wasted, while the stories charmed and uplifted, and\nremain even today a pleasant memory. This is not arguing that the child\nshould not memorize some things. There are many selections from\nScripture and other sources that he can memorize both with great\npleasure and profit to himself.\n\n              \u201cThe Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want,\n               He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,\n               He leadeth me beside the still waters,\u201d\n\nis full of beautiful imagery that appeals to the child. But theological\ndefinitions of sin, justification and the like, have neither feeling nor\nimagery and make no appeal to the child. The child is interested in the\ndeeds of man and not in his doctrines. Tell him connectedly the\nlife-story of Moses, Buddha, Jesus, St. Augustine, Luther or Wesley, and\nyou have given him the spirit and life of the great religious leaders\nand the institutions which grew out of their work. No catechism could do\nthat. Gladly he would hear the life story of a great religious hero and\nteacher, but his doctrines do not interest him now. Give him the\nlife-story now, and when he has reached later the philosophic period he\nwill himself raise the theological and philosophical questions, and\nknowing the lives of the great religious leaders he will have the\nhistorical background whereon to build his faith. Anyone can take a\ncatechism and have a class memorize and repeat the answers, but it takes\na teacher to so read the Bible that he can tell in a creative way the\nstory of its great heroes. That is what we must do if we base our\nmethods on true psychology. And the story should be studied connectedly\nto the close and not by piecemeal, beginning as some do with one\ncharacter and before the life-story is done dropping him and skipping to\nanother, in order to conform to a certain doctrinal theme which may\ninterest the adult but not the child. That method may account for the\nfact that Bible heroes have not always been as popular with children as\nsome others. If the story of Ulysses and Hiawatha were taught in a\nsimilar way they would lose much of their charm and interest for the\nchild.\n\nThe day school in its literature courses is incidentally giving the\nchild a comparative course in religion, greatly to the advantage of the\nSunday School worker. In Hiawatha we have an Indian Messiah who\nworshipped the Great Spirit, and prayed and fasted for his people. In\nthe Norse we have the worship of Odin, and Balder, the God of Light,\nGladsheim and the Life Beyond the Grave. In the Greek we have the gods\nin their relations to man, the upper and lower world, immortality,\nrewards and punishments. Saint George was a protector of the faith,\nwhile King Arthur had heaped upon him the attributes of a divinity,\nuntil his life-story reminds one of the Christ story.\n\nThe heroism and prowess in these stories is the main point of interest\nto the child, but none the less does the religious life of the race come\nout; and to have religion associated with physical strength as well as\nmoral heroism is an advantage. And none the less are we giving him the\ngreat truths that are common to all religions, making him tolerant and\ncharitable, and teaching him that religion is as broad as life itself\nand that it is natural for every human heart to go in quest of the\nEternal. With this broad outlook we can then better help our young\npeople interpret the old truths in terms of modern thought and\ncontribute much toward that larger religious life and thought which must\ninevitably come.\n\nThe work of story-telling covers a much larger field than the school. It\ndoes not matter whether we are kindergartners, teachers or preachers,\nevery adult owes to the rising generation of children something of the\nculture that has been given to him. The \u201cTell me a story\u201d on the part of\nthe child is his cry for spiritual food, and to hear stories from the\ngreat story-books of the world is, as Dr. G. Stanley Hall says, \u201cone of\nthe most inalienable rights of children.\u201d There is no better place in\nall the world for telling a story than in the home, that institution\nwhich is greater and more important than all other institutions\ncombined.\n\nIt is in the home that we come into the sweetest and divinest relations\nwith children and with one another. It is here that we find the best\nconditions for a play of those subtle and delicate psychic influences\nwhich enter into the story, making it both a perfect art and an\ninspiration to a noble and beautiful character. There are many homes\nthat cannot afford libraries and the rich adornments of art, but no home\nis so humble that parents cannot gather the children around the fireside\non a winter\u2019s evening or about the doorsteps in the twilight of a\nsummer\u2019s day and tell them stories. A simple fireside is a greater\nstimulant to the creative imagination than the wealth of a palace.\n\nTo enter thus into the child\u2019s world and into the joyous companionship\nof children is one of the highest privileges of parent and teacher. He\nwho fails in this does not form the deepest and most lasting ties with\nthe child, and he also robs himself of one of the greatest sources of\nperennial youth.\n\n\n                             --------------\n\n\n\n\n                     JUNIOR STORY TELLERS\u2019 LEAGUES\n\n                           ORIGIN AND GROWTH\n\n\nONE of the most interesting developments of the League idea was the\norganization of Junior Leagues. The originators of the League thought\nonly of an organization for adults. But where the children have, under\nthe guidance of a wise teacher, had a League, the work they have done\nand the interest shown reveals one of its greatest educational\npossibilities. As the child likes to build with clay, sand or wood, and\nin doing so educates himself, so he likes to build with words, voice and\ngesture an ideal world, peopling it with life as he sees it.\n\nWhile we are training children for all sorts of skilled trades, it is a\nmatter of no small satisfaction to record an experiment that has for its\nobject the revival of the ancient art of telling stories\u2014for it is an\nart.\n\nThe children of Corinth, Miss., under the supervision of Susie E.\nBlitch, were the first to organize a Junior League. The League began\nwith the children of the fifth grade. They had the usual officers, and a\nprogram of stories, songs and games, meeting out of doors when possible.\n\nThose who have had charge of Junior Leagues report the following\nprinciples for the guidance of those who wish to organize Leagues among\nthe young people:\n\n(1) Help the children to make the organization thoroughly democratic.\n\n(2) The supervisor has no right to stop or correct a member in telling a\nstory. The speaker has the floor; the atmosphere and the spirit he\nbrings with his story is the essential thing, and not grammar or\npronunciation.\n\n(3) To hear other children tell a story is a better model for a child\nthan the criticism of an older person who cannot tell a story.\n\n(4) Reciting a story is not telling a story.\n\nLast December Miss Anna C. Tyler formed a \u201cJunior Story-Tellers\u2019 League\u201d\nin the children\u2019s room of Pratt Institute Library, in Brooklyn. Out of\nan audience of from forty to sixty children, two Junior Leagues were\nformed. They all assemble regularly to hear the evening story, and the\nleagues meet afterward.\n\nEach league elects its own officers and conducts its own meetings. The\npresident takes the names of seven or eight of the children present,\nmost of whom volunteer to have a story ready for the next meeting, and\nof those so chosen there have only been a few who have not been ready\nwith a story when called upon. They know they can call upon Miss Tyler\nfor help, but seldom require her services.\n\nThere has been but little attempt to dictate to them the kind of story\nthat they shall tell, the director\u2019s only request being that they shall\nnot tell silly stories. Some of the best Norse, Greek, and Indian myths;\nanimal and nature stories by Kipling, Seton-Thompson, Charles Dudley\nWarner, and John Burroughs; \u201cMacbeth,\u201d \u201cEvangeline,\u201d \u201cThe Lady of the\nLake,\u201d \u201cA Yankee at King Arthur\u2019s Court;\u201d stories of adventure, and some\nof the most famous of the fairy-tales have been told\u2014and nearly always\nwell told\u2014by boys and girls from ten to fifteen years old. The children\nare learning to read\u2014the careful search through book after book for the\nstory they think will be the best to tell. The final selection is always\ntheir own.\n\n\u201cAfter the cycle of eighteen stories from King Arthur had been\nfinished,\u201d says Miss Tyler, \u201cthe children asked me to tell them Indian,\ndetective, and ghost stories, and tales from \u2018Arabian Nights\u2019\u2014to be told\nin that order, and I was not to tell stories that they would read for\nthemselves. The Indian myths were not so difficult to find, but good\ndetective and ghost stories were another matter; at last I remembered\nthe delicious thrill of those wondrous tales of Poe. I began with \u2018The\nPurloined Letter,\u2019 telling it, as it is written, in the first person,\nbut \u2018skipping\u2019 the parts that I knew would weary. Then followed \u2018The\nBlack Cat;\u2019 then Stephenson\u2019s \u2018The Bottle Imp.\u2019 So fascinated were they\nthat they voted to change the evening of fairy-tales for another story\nby Poe, and the story they chose was \u2018The Pit and the Pendulum.\u2019 By the\nchildren\u2019s urgent request these stories were told with the lights turned\nlow, as the best substitute for fire-light, and it is hard to say\nwhether the absorbed young listeners or the story-teller enjoyed those\nhours most.\u201d\n\nThe leagues have voted that their story-teller shall tell them Indian\nstories next winter, and she hopes, therefore, by beginning with the\nIndian myths and folk-lore, then telling of their life, warfare, and\nfamous battles, to bring her boys and girls to a vivid interest in\nreading history as told by Francis Parkman.\n\nThe writer recalls with so much pleasure a visit to a young people\u2019s\nstory tellers\u2019 league. He happened once upon a time to visit one of our\nsmaller towns, and was invited to a meeting of the Junior Story Tellers\u2019\nLeague that met on the day of his visit. He had never heard of the\norganization among children before, and was of course interested in\nseeing what the children were doing with such an organization. The\nmeeting was held out of doors on the lawn. It was in the month of May\nwhen the weather permitted such a meeting. The League was composed of\nchildren of the fifth grade, who sat in a circle on the grass. The\nteacher of the grade was present, but the children conducted their own\nmeeting\u2014a program of stories, songs and games in which all joined. The\nstories told by the children were their own selections, and were told in\na creative way. One was especially impressive, being loudly applauded by\nthe children. It was told by a twelve year old girl and was one of her\nown creation. Since then she has written enough stories to make a small\nvolume, and so popular is she as a story-teller that the children in her\nneighborhood flock to her home to hear her tell stories. Several years\nafter that the writer saw this same girl, now passing into young\nwomanhood, stand before a thousand teachers and tell in the same easy,\nnatural way some of her stories. Not seeking this opportunity to appear\nin public, [only in rare instances would the author allow children to\nappear in public], it came to her because she had something to give;\nsomething that she had for several years given every week to her\nplaymates and friends, as naturally as she would give herself to them in\ngames and play; something too, that had made her life a radiant one.\n\nMiss Elizabeth J. Black, teacher of the sixth grade in one of the public\nschools of Greensboro, N.C., has been very successful with a League\namong her pupils. Through the League she got hold of the children as\nnever before, and is enthusiastic over the results.\n\nWe give below a program of one League meeting. Miss Black has laid\nspecial emphasis on Norse stories.\n\n\n                                PROGRAM.\n\n    Chorus\u2014Carolina, American Legend\u2014The White Doe; Chorus\u2014\u201cI\u2019m a\n    Tar Heel Born and a Tar Heel Bred;\u201d Legend of Sir Galahad\u2014\u201cThe\n    Bright Boy Knight;\u201d Chorus\u2014\u201cThe Watch on the Rhine,\u201d\n    \u201cSeigfried;\u201d Rhine Legends\u2014\u201cParsifal;\u201d \u201cLohengrin,\u201d Chorus\u2014\u201cThe\n    Violet,\u201d Icelandic Saga\u2014\u201cBurnt Njal;\u201d Folklore and Nonsense,\n    \u201cThe Cat and the Parrot;\u201d Chorus\u2014\u201cWhen I\u2019m Dreaming;\u201d\n    Impersonation of Uncle Remus, \u201cMiss Sallie,\u201d \u201cUncle Remus,\u201d\n    \u201cLittle Boy,\u201d Chorus\u2014Dixie.\n\n                                                            R. T. W.\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                      A BOY\u2019S VISIT TO SANTA CLAUS\n\n                          BY RICHARD T. WYCHE\n\n\nONCE upon a time there was a little boy who talked a great deal about\nSanta Claus. He talked to his father, his mother, his brother and\nsisters, until it was Santa Claus at the breakfast table, Santa Claus at\ndinner and Santa Claus at supper. This little boy had been told that far\naway in the Northland lived Santa Claus. He was sitting by the fire one\nday watching the embers glow, and seeing castles in the glowing embers.\nThere is Santa Claus\u2019 house, he said, the great building covered with\nsnow. \u201cWhy can\u2019t I go to see him?\u201d The little boy had worked and had\nsaved some money. He took the money and went down to the depot, bought a\nticket and before his father or mother knew about it was gone to see\nSanta Claus. He traveled a long time on the train and by and by reached\nthe end of the railroad. He could go no farther on the train for there\nwas a great wide ocean, but people cross the ocean and so must the\nlittle boy, or at least a part of it, in order to reach Santa Claus\u2019\nland. There was a great ship lying in port soon to sail over the seas,\nand along with many people who went aboard the ship, went the little\nboy. Soon every sail was spread and out from the port went the ship\nleaving far behind them the town.\n\nThe ship sailed and sailed a long time, and finally land came in sight.\nThey had reached an island lying somewhere far out in the mid-seas. Some\nof the people went ashore and so did the little boy. But what a funny\nland it was to the little boy, all the people were little people. The\ngrown men were not taller than the little boy, and they rode little\nponies that were not larger than dogs. Then the little boy asked, \u201cWhat\nland is this, does Santa Claus live here?\u201d And they said\u2014\u201cNo.\u201d\n\n               \u201cThis is the land that lies east of the sun\n                And west of the moon.\n                You have not come too soon.\n                Northward you must go\n                To the land of ice and snow.\u201d\n\nAnd so one day the little boy found a ship that was going to sail to the\nNorthland and in this ship he went. The ship sailed and sailed a long\ntime until it finally came to where the sea was all frozen over, to the\nland of icebergs and snow fields. The ship could go no farther, so what\ndo you suppose the little boy did then? He was in the land of the\nreindeer, and over the snow fields he went in search of Santa Claus.\n\nOne day, as he was traveling over the snow fields to find Santa Claus\u2019\nhouse, he saw not far away what at first seemed to be a hill, but soon\nhe saw that it was not a hill, but a house covered with ice and snow.\n\u201cThat must be Santa Claus\u2019 house,\u201d he said. Soon the little boy was\nstanding in front of the great building whose towers seemed to reach the\nsky. Up the shining steps he went and soon he was standing in front of\nthe door. The little boy saw no door bell and so he knocked on the door.\nNo one answered and then louder he knocked again. Still no one answered.\nHe began to feel afraid, perhaps this was the house of a giant. If Santa\nClaus lived there, he might be angry with him for coming, but once more\nhe knocked. And then he heard a noise far down at the other end of the\nhall. Some one was coming. Then suddenly the latch went \u201cclick,\u201d and the\ndoor stood wide open, and who do you suppose was there? Santa Claus? No;\na little boy with blue eyes and a bright sweet face. Then the little boy\nsaid, \u201cGood morning. Does Santa Claus live here?\u201d And the other little\nboy said, \u201cYes. Come in, come in. I am Santa Claus\u2019 little boy.\u201d He took\nhim by the hand and said, \u201cI am very glad to see you.\u201d\n\nThen the two little boys walked down the long hallway, doors on this\nside and doors on that, until they came to the last door on the\nleft-hand side. On this door Santa Claus\u2019 little boy knocked, and a\ngreat voice said, \u201cCOME IN.\u201d He opened the door and walked in, and who\ndo you suppose was there? Santa Claus? Yes, there was Santa Claus\nhimself; a great, big fat man sitting by the fire, with long white\nbeard, blue eyes and the merriest, cheeriest face you ever saw. Then\nSanta Claus\u2019 little boy said, \u201cFather, here is a little boy who has come\nto see you.\u201d Santa Claus looked down over his spectacles and said,\n\u201cWell, how are you? I am mighty glad to see you. Yes, yes, I know him. I\nhave been to his house on many a night and filled up his stocking. How\nare Elizabeth and Louise and Katherine?\u201d Over on the other side of the\nfireplace sat Mrs. Santa Claus. She was a grandmother-looking woman,\nwith white hair and gold-rimmed spectacles. She was sitting by the fire\nknitting; she put her arms around the little boy and kissed him.\n\nThen the two little boys sat down in front of the fire and talked\ntogether. By and by, Santa Claus\u2019 little boy said to the other little\nboy, \u201cDon\u2019t you want to go over the building and see what we have in the\ndifferent rooms? This building has a thousand rooms.\u201d And the little boy\nsaid, \u201cwho-o-o-o-e.\u201d And Santa Claus\u2019 little boy said, \u201cYes, and\nsomething different in every room.\u201d\n\nThen they went in a large room and what do you suppose was in there?\nNothing but doll babies; some with long dresses and some with short;\nsome with black eyes and some with blue. Then into another room they\nwent, and it was full of toys, wagons and horses; another room was full\nof story books; another room was a candy kitchen where Santa Claus made\ncandy; another room was a workshop where Santa Claus made toys for the\nchildren. Then they went in a long, large room, the largest of them all,\nand in this room were a great many tables. On these tables were suits,\ncloaks and hats and shoes and stockings for the children. The little boy\nwanted to know what they did with so many clothes, and Santa Claus\u2019\nlittle boy said, \u201cWe take these to the little children who have no\nfather or mother to make them clothes.\u201d And so they went through all the\nrooms of the great building, except one, which was away upstairs in the\ncorner. What was in this room no one would tell the little boy, nor\nwould they take him into the room. And the little boy wondered what was\nin the room.\n\nThe little boy stayed at Santa Claus\u2019 house several days and he had a\nsplendid time. Some days the two little boys would slide down the hill\non a sled, some days they would hitch up the reindeer and go sleighing,\nsome days they would go into the candy kitchen and help Santa Claus make\ncandy, or into the workshop and help him make toys.\n\nBut one day something happened. Santa Claus came to the little boy and\nsaid, \u201cI am going away today for a little while; my wife and my little\nboy are going with me. Now,\u201d he said, \u201cyou can go with us or you can\nstay here and keep house for us while we are gone.\u201d The little boy\nthought to himself that Santa Claus had been so good to him that he\nwould stay and keep house while Santa Claus was away. So he said he\nwould stay and then Santa Claus gave him a great bunch of keys and said,\n\u201cNow you can go in all the rooms and play, but you must not go in that\nroom upstairs in the corner.\u201d The little boy said, \u201cAlright,\u201d and with\nthat Santa Claus, his wife and his little boy went down the steps, got\ninto the sleigh, wrapped themselves up in furs, popped the whip and away\nthey went! The little boy stood and watched them until they disappeared\nbehind the snow hills.\n\nThen he turned and went back into the house. He felt like a little man\nin that great house all by himself. From room to room he went. He went\ninto the game room and rolled the balls. Some of the balls were so large\nthat they were as high as the little boy\u2019s head. They were of rubber,\nand if you would drop one from the top of the house it would bounce\nclear back to the top. The little boy went into the candy kitchen and\nate some of the candy. He went into the workshop and worked on some\ntoys, then into the library and read some of the books, then into the\nparlor and banged on the piano.\n\nBut after a while, the little boy was tired, and he said, \u201cI wish Santa\nClaus would hurry and come back.\u201d He was lonely. And so he thought he\nwould go up on the housetop and look out to see if he could see Santa\nClaus coming home. Up the steps he went. When he reached the top, there\nwas another flight. Up these he went and still another flight; up, up,\nhe went until it seemed he had gone a thousand steps. But, finally, he\ncame out on top. The little boy stood there with his hands on the\nrailing and looked out, but all he could see were the snow fields, white\nand glistening. Santa Claus was not in sight. He could see the track\nover the snow that the sleigh had made, but that was all.\n\nThen down the steps he came, and it just happened that he came by the\nroom that Santa Claus told him he must not go in. As he passed, he\nstopped in front of the door and said to himself, \u201cI wonder what they\nhave in that room and why they did not want me to go in?\u201d He took hold\nof the knob and gave it a turn, but the door was locked. Then he shut\none eye and peeped through the keyhole, but he could see nothing; it was\nall dark. Then he put his mouth at the keyhole and blew through it, but\nhe could hear nothing. Then he put his nose there and smelled, but he\ncould smell nothing. \u201cI wonder what they have in the room?\u201d he said, \u201cI\nbelieve I will see just for fun which one of these keys will fit in the\nlock.\u201d The little boy had in his hand the great bunch of keys. He tried\none key and that would not fit, then he tried another and another and\nanother, and kept on until he came to the last key. Now, he said to\nhimself, \u201cIf this key does not fit I am going.\u201d He tried it and it was\nthe only key on the bunch that would fit. \u201cNow,\u201d he said, \u201cI shall not\ngo into the room, but I will just turn the key and see if it will unlock\nthe lock. It may fit in the lock and then not unlock the lock.\u201d He\nturned the key slowly and the latch went \u201cclick,\u201d \u201cclick,\u201d and the door\nflew wide open. What do you suppose was in the room? It was all dark;\nthe little boy could see nothing. He had his hand on the knob and it\nseemed to him that his hand was caught between the knob and key, and\nsomehow, as the door opened, it pulled him in. When he stepped into the\nroom, he felt a breeze blowing and, more than that, as he stepped down,\nhe found the room did not have any bottom; just a dark hole.\n\nWell, as the little boy stepped over into the room, he felt himself\nfalling, away down, down, down yonder. He shut his eyes, expecting every\nmoment to strike something and be killed. But, before he did, some one\ncaught him by the shoulders and shook him and said, \u201cWake up!\u201d \u201cWake\nup.\u201d He opened his eyes and where do you suppose the little boy was? At\nhome. It was Christmas morning and his father was calling him to get up.\nThe sun was shining across his little bed. He looked towards the\nfireplace and there all the stockings were hanging full. The little boy\nhad been to see Santa Claus, but he went by that beautiful route we call\n\u201cDREAMLAND\u201d.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                        HARALD\u2019S CHRISTMAS TREE\n\n                        BY ANNA BOGENHOLM SLOANE\n\n\nIN a little log hut at the edge of a forest in far-away Sweden lived\nHarald and his widowed mother. The winter snows crept in through the\nwindow cracks and the biting winds found their way between the decaying\nlogs. All the fuel they had was the dry sticks that Harald gathered in\nthe woods, and, indeed, nearly all the money used in their humble home\nwas earned by his hands. But, notwithstanding the poverty and\nuncomfortable habitation, Harald was as happy as though he lived in a\npalace; for he loved the fading beauty of his mother\u2019s tender face and\nthe whitening hair under her stiff cap. And for playmates he had all the\nelves and fairies about whom his mother had told him so many wonderful\ntales.\n\nHarald had never seen a Bible or heard about the Saviour, but he knew\nthe Eddas by heart and he prayed to Odin and Thor with as devout\nreverence as a Christian boy prays to the Lord Jesus, and he had firmly\nresolved to live the noble life of a brave hero so as to be worthy to\ndie on the battlefield, and by kind Valkyrias be borne to the fair\ngardens of Valhall.\n\nOne December evening, when the wind howled dismally among the forest\ntrees and piled up snow in great drifts across the roadway, little\nHarald, chilled and shivering, returned home from a hard day\u2019s work. To\nkeep up a brave heart he whistled as he walked, looking earnestly at the\nflashing flames of light which people now call the \u201cNorthern Lights,\u201d\nbut which, to him, was the flickering of the helmets and shields and\nspears of Odin\u2019s maidens; for so had he been taught.\n\nJust as he turned into the dark forest he heard a faint moan, as of a\nhuman being in distress. Hastening to the spot whence it came, he found\nan ugly Dwarf lying in the snow nearly frozen. Although Harald was quite\nnumb himself from cold, he began briskly to rub the Dwarf\u2019s hands and\nface, and after a little while helped him to his feet, and Harald then\nasked the Dwarf to go home with him where he might get warm and have\nsome supper.\n\n\u201cWhy should you befriend a poor wretch such as I am, who cannot repay\nyou?\u201d whined the Dwarf as he leaned heavily on Harald\u2019s young shoulders.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t ask to be repaid,\u201d replied Harald. \u201cHave you not heard the\nproverb, \u2018Do good and throw it into the sea. If the fishes don\u2019t know\nit, Odin will.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cYes; Odin shall know about this, you may be sure of that, and although\nI am only a poor deformed wretch, I know how to be grateful, and would\nlike to do you a favor,\u201d replied the Dwarf. \u201cI wonder if you have\nhappened to notice a little green ash tree somewhere near here.\u201d\n\n\u201cA green ash tree in winter!\u201d exclaimed Harald.\n\n\u201cIt is an unusual sight, indeed,\u201d said the Dwarf, \u201cbut in one of my\nrambles, the other night, I saw one in this vicinity. Oh, here it is,\nright before our eyes!\u201d\n\nThere, sheltered by a cluster of evergreen trees, was a small ash\nsapling, with green leaves on its branches as in summer, while the other\nforest trees stood about nodding in their slumber, their leaves all gone\nand their hearts frozen within them.\n\nWhen Harald went and touched its branches, the little tree came right up\nout of the ground.\n\n\u201cTake home the little ash and plant it beside your window,\u201d said the\nDwarf, and when Harald turned about to thank him he was gone out of\nsight.\n\nThen Harald started to run home with the little ash tree, but had gone\nonly a few steps when he struck his foot against something. Stooping to\nsee what it was, he found a bag, glistening with brightness and full of\nsomething heavy. Upon opening the bag, he found it to be full of pieces\nof gold money.\n\n\u201cI must go to town and ask who has lost a bag filled with gold,\u201d thought\nthe boy. \u201cOh, I do wish I might keep it and buy mother a nice warm\ncoat.\u201d\n\nBut the next instant he loosened his tightening grip on the bag. \u201cIt is\nnot my gold, and stolen money is worse than a mill-stone about one\u2019s\nneck, says mother, so I think it would be too heavy for me.\u201d\n\n\u201cKeep the purse, little boy,\u201d said a sweet voice at his elbow. Turning,\nhe saw a little girl as radiant as a sunbeam, dressed in shining gold.\n\n\u201cI am your friend, little boy, and I tell you that a lady who wears a\nfine cloak and a long veil, and who has more gold than she needs,\ndropped that purse, and if she asks for it I will say it fell into a\nhole in the ground.\u201d\n\n\u201cPoor misguided Angel,\u201d said Harald, \u201cyou are a beautiful temptress, but\nI must go to town and try to find the lady you speak of, who wears a fur\ncloak and a long veil.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, if you are determined to be so foolish, I will go with you to\nshow you the way,\u201d replied the Fairy, for such was the beautiful little\ngirl.\n\nSo Harald wrapped his jacket about the little ash tree, to protect the\ntender roots from the cold, and tucking it under his arm, ran to town in\nthe footsteps of his guide. The beautiful fairy led him to the doorsteps\nof a great mansion and then vanished from sight.\n\nThe lady of the house was glad to get her purse back, and offered Harald\none of the gold pieces as reward for bringing it to her. But, much as he\nwished to have it, he shook his head, saying, \u201cMy mother taught me not\nto take pay for not being a thief, and she always tells me to be honest\nwithout hope of reward.\u201d\n\nThen Harald ran home with all speed to tell his mother of his wonderful\nadventures, and while they were talking together about the strange\nlittle ash tree they discovered a soft, unfrozen spot of earth near a\nsouthern window, and there planted the green sapling. Harald cared for\nit tenderly and prayed Odin to shield it from frost and wind.\n\nNext morning was the twenty-fifth of December, and was a holy day then\nas now, though it was not called Christmas and was not celebrated in\nmemory of the birth of Christ, but to commemorate the death and\ncremation of the pure and loving Balder, who was the Saviour of the old\nNorthmen\u2019s religion.\n\nContrary to our Christian custom, the old pagans of Sweden celebrated\nthe birth of their Redeemer at Easter, when all nature becomes imbued\nwith renewed life.\n\nAt the winter solstice, when nature slumbers, they kept fires burning on\nthe mountain tops, in memory of his death and funeral pyre.\n\nEarly on Christmas morning, when Harald went out to see the Balder\nfires, he met three armed men in the forest. One of them asked gruffly\nif he knew what had become of a little green ash tree that Loki, the\ngiant, had planted there.\n\nHarald became very much frightened. He knew the men must be looking for\nthe green sapling he took home the night before, for there was no other\nsuch green bush in the forest. He also knew that Loki was a fierce and\nterrible god to offend.\n\n\u201cI will not tell,\u201d he first thought, \u201cbut run home and pull up the bush\nand burn it. Then they will never know what became of it.\u201d\n\nBut, notwithstanding his fears, he could not forget his mother\u2019s\ncounsel: \u201cSpeak always the truth, my son, even though a sword should be\nswinging over your head.\u201d Indeed, a sword was just now hanging over his\nhead, but he would speak the truth.\n\nAs soon as he could control his trembling voice Harald confessed that he\nhad removed a little green ash tree the night before. He begged for\nmercy, for he did not know that it belonged to the fearful giant.\n\nThe men told Harald to lead the way to his mother\u2019s dwelling. Arriving\nthere, they at once recognized the little green ash as the one belonging\nto Loki, and commanded Harald to pluck it up and follow them with it to\nthe giant\u2019s castle.\n\nStiff and white as though the frost giant had breathed upon him, Harald\nreached out his hand and touched the tree. Instantly it came from the\nground of its own accord. For a moment it stood quivering and shaking\nits branches, which gradually became arms, and in another moment it was\nno longer a green sapling, but a dazzling, beautiful girl.\n\n\u201cPoor men! I pity you for being in Loki\u2019s service,\u201d she said in a sweet\nvoice. \u201cGo, tell your cruel master that his plotting against me has\nfailed and that my enchantment is over. This little boy has saved me,\u201d\nshe continued, pointing to Harald. \u201cThe merciless Loki, enraged at the\nlove I bore humanity, changed me into an ash tree, but he had no power\nto keep me so forever, and was obliged to make a condition. He made the\nhardest he could think of. Said he: \u2018Since you so love mankind, none but\nthe child of man shall free you from your enchantment. You shall remain\na tree until you feel the touch of a child who is generous enough to\nshare his last loaf with a stranger; honest enough to give back a reward\nfor honesty, and brave enough to speak the truth when a lie might save\nhis life. Long shall you wait for such a deliverer.\u2019\u201d\n\nThen the soldiers left, glad the little brave boy had escaped the\nthreatened doom.\n\nHarald, looking at the beautiful child, thought she looked very much\nlike the one he had met the evening before, and spoke of it.\n\n\u201cThat little elf was my sister,\u201d replied the fairy, \u201cand the brown dwarf\nwho pointed me out to you was my dear friend. He had heard of the little\nHarald, who was said to be so generous and brave and true, and he tried\nyou, as also did my little sister, who was greatly delighted when she\nfound you could not be tempted to steal.\u201d\n\nHarald\u2019s mother, who had been standing near unnerved and speechless, now\ncame up. Clasping her boy to her heart, she said: \u201cI am prouder today\nthan I would have been if my son had slain a hundred men on the\nbattlefield.\u201d\n\nThe little grateful elf always remained Harald\u2019s true friend. She\nwhispered into the ear of the old King about the generosity, bravery,\nhonesty and truthfulness of the boy who lived in the forest.\n\nThe King sent his men to bring Harald and his mother to the palace. For\nhis noble virtues he became so well loved by everybody in the land that\nwhen the old King, who had no children, died, Harald was chosen King.\n\nFor many years he ruled, constantly widening his country\u2019s domain and\nfor his victorious sword was called Harald Hildetand, which means\n\u201cHarald, the Biting Tooth.\u201d\n\n              -------------------------------------------\n\n    [This story incorporates some fragmentary elements of certain\n    old Swedish legends, and the following explanations will be\n    useful to the unfamiliar American reader.\n\n    The Eddas, mentioned in the story, are books containing the\n    sacred lore of the old Scandinavians.\n\n    In the old Norse mythology the first human beings were\n    represented as having sprung from the ash tree; hence the use\n    made of the ash in this story.\n\n    A continual state of warfare existed among the tribes of the\n    ancient Scandinavians, and valor in war was regarded the supreme\n    virtue, and prowess in battle the supreme achievement of men.\n    Valhall was the heaven of sword-fallen heroes, called Enherjar,\n    who forever lived there in the enjoyment of fighting each other\n    daily, drinking mead from beakers, and eating the flesh of a hog\n    that was slaughtered each day, but each night became alive and\n    whole again.\n\n    In Norse mythology the Valkyrias made contests on the Vidar\n    Plains (at the North Pole) to determine which favorites should\n    enter Valhall first. In the course of these events, the spears\n    and shields of the contestants gleamed and flashed until the\n    northern heavens were illuminated\u2014the \u201cNorthern Lights.\u201d\n\n    At the winter solstice was held a great sacrificial feast in\n    memory of Balder, the second son of Odin, the god of heaven, and\n    Frigga, the goddess of earth. He was of heaven and earth, like\n    the Christ, and, like Him, was pure and loving. At the\n    instigation of the evil Loki, the son of Surtur (Satan) he was\n    killed by blind Hoder, as Christ was killed by the truth-blind\n    people.\n\n    The Scandinavian pagans believed in a God-Power so holy and\n    great that they dared not even give a name. The three head\n    representatives of this Power were Odin, Vele and Ve, who\n    overcame the evil giants. These giants strove to injure men,\n    while the gods fostered them. Thor was Odin\u2019s son, the\n    strong-arm of retribution, punishing evil doing among men and\n    giants.]\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                          THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.\n\n                           BY W. J. MORRISON.\n\n\nONE December, years and years before people had rail-roads or street\ncars, crowds of men, women and children were traveling on the roads and\npaths that led to a little town, called by the Jews, House of Bread. The\ndark-skinned Arabs, who lived out in the desert, called this town the\nHouse of Meat, but all children know it by the Bible name, Bethlehem, in\nthe country of Judea. Some of these people were riding, and some were\nwalking, toward this town of Bethlehem. Among them, seated on a donkey,\nwas a beautiful young woman by the name of Mary, the donkey being led by\nher husband, a Jew, named Joseph, who, though a poor carpenter, was\nrelated to King David, and belonged to what was called the royal family.\n\nMary and Joseph lived at Nazareth, and it was a long walk of three or\nfour days from their home to the city of Bethlehem. The way wound in and\nout, and over hills and mountains, which made it a hard road to travel.\nBethlehem was built on the top of these mountains. In the summertime it\nwas a delightful place to visit. From the city one could see the\nbeautiful gardens in the valley, together with the fig, olive and almond\norchards. The far-away hillsides were covered with rows of grape vines,\nthat changed their hues and shades as the wind tossed their leaves up\nand down, or from side to side. But, as this was December, all these\npeople were not going to Bethlehem for pleasure, or to buy Christmas\nthings. They did not even know it was Christmas-eve. These people were\ncrowding into Bethlehem, because the Roman law required that, at this\ntime, every one should go to his old home, or the place where he was\nborn, and pay his taxes. That the Roman Emperor might know how many\npeople there were in the world, they were also required to have their\nnames written on long rolls, or sheets, of dried sheep skin, for in\nthose days they did not have paper.\n\nMary and Joseph could not climb up the mountain to the city as fast as\nsome of the others and so were the last to arrive. When they got to the\ntown, they found that the only hotel or inn, in those days called a\n\u201cCaravansary,\u201d was full of people and there was no room for them. They\nwent from house to house, to get a place to stay, but found that the\npeople who had arrived before them had taken every room in the place.\nJoseph must have known something of the country about the town, for,\nwhen he could find no room in any of the houses, he began to hunt for\none of the many grottoes, or caves, that are under the sides of the\nmountains in and around Bethlehem. When he found a cave that ran away\nunder the ground, with rooms, one opening into the other, they decided\nto use this place for a home until he could find something better.\n\nNow, children, should any of you ever go to Bethlehem, you can see this\nvery cave. In those days, these caves were used as stables to shelter\nsheep and other stock in cold, bad and stormy weather.\n\nAlthough it was the last of December, it is said Mary and Joseph found\nonly an ox and an ass in this cave. The weather could not have been so\nvery cold, as Bethlehem is about as far South as the northern part of\nFlorida, and the shepherds had their sheep out in the open country\neating grass. That the sheep might not wander away at any time, or be\nstolen during the dark hours, these shepherds divided the night into\nwhat was called Watches. In other words, some of the men stood guard\nover their flocks for three or four hours, while the others slept; then\nthey would awaken their friends to look after the sheep. The men who\ncame off watch would then go to sleep by the camp fire, for the Bible\nsays, \u201cAnd there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping\nthe night watches over their flocks.\u201d\n\nIt was while some of these men were watching the sheep that they were\ngreatly startled, because a beautiful angel, who shone with the\nbrightness of God, came and stood by them. The angel saw that these poor\nmen were scared, so, in a kind and gentle voice, he told the shepherds\nnot to be afraid, for he had brought them good news, that would be of\ngreat joy to all the people. The angel then said, \u201cThis day is born to\nyou a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord. You shall find this infant\nSaviour wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.\u201d When he had\nfinished speaking, an army of angels came around him, praising God and\nsaying, \u201cGlory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good\nwill.\u201d Then all of the angels ascended into heaven.\n\nThe shepherds who beheld this glorious and beautiful sight woke those\nwho were asleep and told them what they had seen. When the other men\nheard the wonderful news that the angel had brought, they all went at\nonce to Bethlehem as fast as they could. They soon found the cave where\nMary and Joseph were. Here they saw the sweetest little baby who had for\nhis bed a manger, or horse trough, filled with straw. This little baby\ndid not have on long clothes, made of lace, embroidery and fine linen,\nlike the little babies have these days and times. He had only a cloth\nwrapped around his body, in such a way that it made for him swaddling\nclothes.\n\nAs soon as the shepherds saw the child lying in the manger, wrapped in\nswaddling clothes, they knew that this was the infant Saviour of whom\nthe angel had told them; that this Child was Christ, Son of God, and\nthat Mary was His Mother.\n\nThe day on which the infant Saviour was born has ever since been known\nas THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                           THE GOLDEN COBWEBS\n\n                A STORY TO TELL BY THE CHRISTMAS TREE[1]\n\nFootnote 1:\n\n  From HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN, by Sara Cone Bryant. Copyright\n  1905. Printed by special permission of the publishers, Houghton\n  Mifflin Company.\n\n\nI AM going to tell you a story about something wonderful that happened\nto a Christmas tree like this, ever and ever so long ago, when it was\nonce upon a time.\n\nIt was before Christmas, and the tree was all trimmed with pop-corn and\nsilver nuts and [name the trimmings of the tree before you], and stood\nsafely out of sight in a room where the doors were locked, so that the\nchildren should not see it before it was time. But ever so many other\nlittle house-people had seen it. The big black pussy saw it with her\ngreat green eyes; the little gray kitty saw it with her little blue\neyes; the kind house-dog saw it with his steady brown eyes; the yellow\ncanary saw it with his wise, bright eyes. Even the wee, wee mice that\nwere so afraid of the cat had peeped one peep when no one was by.\n\nBut there was some one who hadn\u2019t seen the Christmas tree. It was the\nlittle gray spider!\n\nYou see, the spiders lived in the corners,\u2014the warm corners of the sunny\nattic and the dark corners of the nice cellar. And they were expecting\nto see the Christmas Tree as much as anybody. But just before Christmas\na great cleaning-up began in the house. The house-mother came sweeping\nand dusting and wiping and scrubbing, to make everything grand and clean\nfor the Christ-child\u2019s birthday. Her broom went into all the corners,\npoke, poke,\u2014and of course the spiders had to run. Dear, dear, _how_ the\nspiders had to run! Not one could stay in the house while the Christmas\ncleanness lasted. So, you see, they couldn\u2019t see the Christmas Tree.\n\nSpiders like to know all about everything, and all there is to see, and\nthey were very sad. So at last they went to the Christ-child and told\nhim all about it.\n\n\u201cAll the others see the Christmas Tree, dear Christ-child,\u201d they said;\n\u201cbut we, who are so domestic and so fond of beautiful things, we are\n_cleaned up_! We cannot see it, at all.\u201d\n\nThe Christ-child was sorry for the little spiders when he heard this,\nand he said they should see the Christmas Tree.\n\nThe day before Christmas, when no body was noticing, he let them all go\nin, to look as long as ever they liked.\n\nThey came creepy, creepy, down the attic stairs, creepy, creepy, up the\ncellar stairs, creepy, creepy, along the halls,\u2014and into the beautiful\nroom. The fat mother spiders and the old papa spiders were there, all\nthe little teenty, tonty, curly spiders, the baby ones. And then they\nlooked! Round and round the tree they crawled, and looked and looked.\nOh, what a good time they had! They thought it was perfectly beautiful.\nAnd when they had looked at everything they could see from the floor,\nthey started up the tree to see more. All over the tree they ran,\ncreepy, crawly, looking at every single thing. Up and down, in and out,\nover every branch and twig, the little spiders ran, and saw every one of\nthe pretty things right up close.\n\nThey stayed till they had seen all there was to see, you may be sure,\nand then they went away at last, _quite_ happy.\n\nThen, in the still, dark night before Christmas Day, the dear\nChrist-child came to bless the tree for the children. But when he looked\nat it\u2014_what_ do you suppose?\u2014it was covered with cobwebs! Everywhere the\nlittle spiders had been they had left a spider-web; and you know they\nhad been just everywhere. So the tree was covered from its trunk to its\ntip with spider-webs, all hanging from the branches and looped around\nthe twigs; it was a strange sight.\n\nWhat could the Christ-child do? He knew that house-mothers do not like\ncobwebs; it would never, never do to have a Christmas Tree covered with\nthose. No, indeed.\n\nSo the dear Christ-child touched the spiders\u2019 webs, and turned them all\nto gold! Wasn\u2019t that a lovely trimming? They shone and shone, all over\nthe beautiful tree. And that is the way the Christmas Tree came to have\ngolden cobwebs on it.\n\n    [This story was told me in the mother-tongue of a German friend,\n    at the kindly instance of a common friend of both; the narrator\n    had heard it at home from the lips of a father of story-loving\n    children for whom he often invented such little tales. The\n    present adaptation has passed by hearsay through so many minds\n    that it is perhaps little like the original, but I venture to\n    hope it has a touch of the original fancy, at least.]\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n                           LOCAL LEAGUE WORK\n\n                             --------------\n\n\n                             MEMPHIS LEAGUE\n\n\n    The program for the current year embraces a study of the stories\n    of Ancient Greece, Rome and Italy, Germany, France, Russia, and\n    Japan, interspersed with meetings devoted to the study of\n    stories of Christmas and other holidays. One of the October\n    meetings was devoted to Thanksgiving stories. The topic for the\n    Second meeting in November was \u201cXerxes and Prehistoric Stories.\u201d\n    The meetings of this league are conducted primarily for the\n    benefit of teachers to prepare them for telling stories to their\n    classes.\n\n\n                           TUSCUMBIA, ALABAMA\n\n    Two flourishing junior leagues are maintained in the Tuscumbia\n    public schools. One is made up from pupils of the fifth and\n    sixth grades; the other from pupils of the third and fourth\n    grades. They meet every Friday afternoon for story-telling. The\n    children are greatly interested and are eager for some new\n    stories. It is the purpose of THE STORY HOUR to supply just such\n    needs, both by the stories it reproduces and by directing to\n    good books of stories.\n\n\n                          BLUE MOUNTAIN, MISS.\n\n    Excellent work is reported from the leagues in Blue Mountain\n    College, at Mississippi Heights. These three leagues are among\n    the first to have been organized in the State. One league is for\n    the teacher girls of the school and two are for the boys and\n    girls respectively. Mrs. Jennie M. Hardy, who organized these\n    leagues, more recently organized work at some of the State\n    Summer Schools. She also organized the league at the Sherman\n    State Normal, in July, this year.\n\n\n                           CINCINNATI, OHIO.\n\n    The Cincinnati Story Tellers\u2019 League was organized Sept. 23,\n    1906, at the Kindergarten Training School on Linton Street, and\n    has conducted two successful series of meetings. The last annual\n    report shows a membership of sixty. Meetings have been held once\n    a month, on the fourth Tuesday, at 7:15 p.m., sometimes in\n    School houses and at other times at the homes of members. A\n    variety of interesting subjects have been profitably considered,\n    as indicated in the following schedules of meetings:\u2014\n\n    Nov. 1906, \u201cHistorical Stories;\u201d Feb. 5, 1907, \u201cBible Stories;\u201d\n    March, 1907, \u201cParables, Fables and Allegories;\u201d April, 1907,\n    \u201cFairy Stories and Myths;\u201d Jan, 1908, \u201cLegends of the American\n    Indians;\u201d Feb. 1908, \u201cNorse Legends;\u201d March, 1908, \u201cEast India\n    and Art;\u201d April, 1908, \u201cJapan.\u201d At the May, 1908, meeting a\n    program of miscellaneous stories was given, including \u201cAn\n    Adaptation of the Story \u2018Cinderella\u2019,\u201d by Miss Lillian\n    Southgate; \u201cA Mother\u2019s Love,\u201d by Mrs. H. Dickore; \u201cThe Camel and\n    the Jackal,\u201d by Miss Pearl Carpenter; \u201cA Story of Great Love,\u201d\n    by Rabbi Grossmann; \u201cA Hindoo Tale;\u201d by Miss Reta M. Lockhart.\n    The program was enlivened with songs by Mrs. M. T. Williams.\n\n    The June meeting was held out under the trees of Eden Park, when\n    many enjoyable stories were told.\n\n\n                            DES MOINES, IOWA\n\n    The graduates of the Primary Training Department of Drake\n    University who are teaching in Des Moines met during the Summer\n    of 1908 and organized a Story Tellers\u2019 League, with Mrs. Ella\n    Ford Miller, of Drake University, as president. The first\n    meeting was held early in November at the University. It is\n    proposed to make a special study of stories and Story-telling\n    for primary grades.\n\n    The girls of the Primary Training Department of Drake University\n    have also organized a club to meet twice a month, taking up\n    practically the same work.\n\n\n                    COVINGTON, KY., TEACHERS\u2019 LEAGUE\n\n    A number of teachers in the Public Schools of Covington, Ky.,\n    who believe in the value of constructive literature,\n    particularly in the primary and grammar grades, organized\n    themselves into a Story Tellers\u2019 League in October, 1908. These\n    teachers represent all the grades of the Public Schools and\n    every school in the city. Their purpose is to cultivate the art\n    of story-telling so that they may make use of it in the\n    school-room for ethical instruction, as an aid to composition,\n    both oral and written, to enliven the teaching of history and\n    geography, and to stimulate nature-study. There is filed with\n    the editor of this league the source, the outline, the purpose\n    of each story told, so that the members who may have use for it\n    in their work may have ready access to it. By the interchange of\n    their experiences with their stories in the school-room, the\n    teachers hope to develop a plan by which the pupils in their\n    charge may be made acquainted, in a systematic and natural way,\n    with the great stories every child should know.\n\n\n                     COVINGTON, KY., JUNIOR LEAGUE\n\n    In November, 1906, some forty students in the High School at\n    Covington, Ky., were organized into a Junior Story Tellers\u2019\n    League. They met in the school on alternate Fridays, immediately\n    after dismissal. From the beginning, the meetings were\n    interesting, profitable and instructive. So enjoyable were they,\n    that members of the faculty were pleased to come in, not\n    occasionally, but regularly, to listen, and to contribute their\n    share to the pleasure of the meeting. The programs were\n    definitely planned, and a variety of stories was told at each\n    meeting. These included myths, fairy-tales, folk-tales, fables,\n    festival-stories, Bible-stories, and an occasional good\n    anecdote. During the first year, also, there was a systematic\n    presentation of the King Arthur legends in story form; and\n    during the second year the story of Ulysses was developed in the\n    same manner. At the close of the regular program, volunteer\n    stories were called for, and there was always a response.\n\n    Many excellent story-tellers were developed, and one genius was\n    discovered. The latter was a girl, who, at fifteen, gave promise\n    of becoming a rival to Uncle Remus, himself, in telling, in\n    dialect, the folk-tales of the South. Our National President,\n    after hearing her, saw fit to invite her to tell stories before\n    the Knoxville Convention of 1907.\n\n    In May, 1908, a public meeting was held, to which the parents,\n    teachers, and friends of the story-tellers were invited. No\n    successful evening\u2019s entertainment was ever so easily prepared.\n    Seven students, whose stories, told at the regular meetings, had\n    been so well selected and so charmingly presented that their\n    companions desired to hear them again, were elected to tell them\n    in public. This, with some musical selections furnished by the\n    school glee-clubs, formed the program of the evening, which an\n    enthusiastic audience voted a success. The outcome of that\n    meeting was a demand for two more leagues, one of which has\n    recently been organized.\n\n\n                             MANKATO, MINN.\n\n    Our organization is very simple. The club membership changes\n    from term to term of our school year. Three times a year a group\n    of from fifteen to twenty-five comes to me as student teachers.\n    We then organize a Story Club which meets once in two weeks. We\n    elect an Executive Committee. This Committee, a group of three,\n    prepare the programs. We have our meetings in different homes\n    and serve very simple refreshments. Those not on the program\n    bring their needle work.\n\n    I have had in mind these ends in keeping up the\n    organization,\u2014First, A good time together;\u2014Second, A better\n    knowledge of Story material; and Third, An opportunity to _tell_\n    stories.\n\n    We have as yet no Junior organization. I have thought of it, but\n    am not quite sure whether it is the best thing for us. All\n    teachers should feel indebted to the National League. I have\n    this year for the first time told stories to \u201cgrown-ups\u201d and am\n    amazed at their delight in them.\n\n                                                  HELEN M. REYNOLDS.\n\n\n                             OXFORD, OHIO.\n\n    Among the lecturers in the summer term of the Ohio State Normal\n    College of Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, during the summer\n    of 1908, was Mr. Richard Wyche, who has done so much to advance\n    the great movement known as the Story Tellers\u2019 League. Through\n    his inspiration there gathered at twilight every Wednesday\n    evening under the magnificent trees of the campus a group of\n    students and faculty members to tell stories.\n\n    Realizing the possibilities for a greater field of work, a\n    permanent organization was effected known as the Story Telling\n    League of the Ohio State Normal College of Miami University. The\n    constitution was a very flexible one, the main condition being\n    for each member to pledge himself on his return home to organize\n    a branch league. One hundred and fifty-six members promised\n    service.\n\n    In various County Teachers\u2019 Institutes held in the State during\n    the month of August, branch leagues were formed, meeting in\n    church, school house, library, village park or courthouse.\n    Everywhere the harvest fields were ripe and workers ready and\n    eager. From all parts of the country, even as remote as the\n    state of Washington, came inquiries for help in the movement of\n    such promising influence.\n\n                                                     ANNIE E. LOGAN.\n\n\n                             --------------\n\n                         NATIONAL LEAGUE NOTES\n\n\nOn November 19, at 2:45 p.m., the Detroit University School held an\ninvitation gathering in honor of Richard T. Wyche, President of the\nNational Story Tellers\u2019 League. Mr. Wyche made an address on story\ntelling to children.\n\n                  *       *       *       *       *\n\nDr. Henry Van Dyke, Princeton University, who is a member of the\nAdvisory Board of the National Story Tellers\u2019 League, has accepted the\nAmerican Lectureship in the University of Paris for the current year. He\nwrites to express interest in the League work, but regrets that, on\naccount of absence, he will not be able to take any active part this\nyear.\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n_Prof. A. E. Frye, Author of the well-known School Geographies, says_:\n\n\u201cI have been greatly interested in examining your Geography and History\ngames. While the minds of children are keenly alert in the rivalry of\ngames, important facts are easily and firmly fixed in memory.\n* * * The products of happy work carry farthest in our lives.\u201d\n\n\n                            The \u201cNEW GAMES\u201d\n                       Graded Educational Series\n\n                               NOW READY\n\n                 AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1783, Intermediate\n                  LIFE OF CHRIST (for Sunday), Special\n                       WORLD GEOGRAPHY, Advanced\n\n                             --------------\n\n                  PRICE FOR THIS SALE, ONLY 15\u00a2. EACH\n\n                             --------------\n\n                        \u201cOTHERS\u201d IN PREPARATION\n\n                             --------------\n\n                    The Fidelity Publishing Company\n              406 Fifth Street N.W.      Washington, D. C.\n\n\nHugh Cork, Sec\u2019y International Sunday School Ass\u2019n, Chicago, says:\n\n\u201cI have tried it (the Bible \u201cNEW GAME\u201d) with my five children on Sunday\nafternoons and find it most interesting, profitable, and in line with\nwhat should be the spirit of the day. I believe it will solve the\nquestion as to what to do with children on Sunday.\u201d\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n                       Story-Telling to Children\n\n\nBY MISS SUSAN HOLTON at Clubs, Churches, Schools, Libraries, and Private\nHouses. Send for circular. 37 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, Mass., or 311\nN. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, Penna.\n\n\n           --------------------------------------------------\n\n                            SCHOOL PRINTING\n\n           --------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\u00b6 WE Can Save You Money on this class of work. Our plant is equipped\nwith the best modern machinery, we employ only the most skilled workmen,\nand give the same attention to all jobs, large or small. Mail orders\ngiven prompt attention.\n\n\n           --------------------------------------------------\n\n                     The Colonial Printing Company\n              406 Fifth Street N.W.      Washington, D. C.\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n \u25cf Transcriber\u2019s Notes:\n    \u25cb Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.\n    \u25cb Typographical errors were silently corrected.\n    \u25cb Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only\n      when a predominant form was found in this book.\n    \u25cb Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).","title":"The Story Hour, Vol. I, No. 2, December, 1908: A Magazine of Methods and Materials for Story Tellers","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":12109}