bed."

NOTE.--Each pupil's expression should reveal an active imagination and
hearty response to the spirit of the selection. The whole should be very
lifelike and real. Some pupil should be asked to recite or read the
whole stanza.

Stanza II

What is there funny about the shadow? "The
funniest thing about him is the way he likes to
grow."

How is that? "He sometimes shoots up" very tall
all at once, and then he dwindles down to
nothing.

How would you expect him "to grow"? I would
expect him "to grow" as I do.

How is that? Oh, that is "very slow".

The author says "like proper children". What
does that mean? That means like real children.

What shows that he sometimes grows up very,
very quickly? The poet says he "shoots up".

What other words tell the same thing? "Like an
india-rubber ball."

How is that? The ball goes up quickly with a
bounce, and the shadow seems to spring up in
the same way.

READING AND MEMORIZATION

Let two or three children read the stanza. In the first line, the voice
should show how funny it all is; in the second, the demureness of the
"proper" child and the slowness of the growth should be revealed in the
reading; in the third and fourth lines, there should be an imitative
response to the sudden up-growth of the shadow and to the childish
surprise at his dwindling into nothing.

Memorization should be conducted as shown in Stanza I, above. There
should be no evidence of task or effort in the recitation; it is very
necessary that it be spontaneous and full of enjoyment for the pupils.

Stanza III

The shadow knows very little about one thing.
What is that? He has no "notion of how children
ought to play".

How does he "make a fool of me"? "In every sort
of way."

Well, give one way. He mimics me.

Where does he stay? He stays right "close
beside me".

Why does he do that? He does that because "he's
a coward".

How would you feel about doing the same thing?
I would feel ashamed of myself.

Reading and recitation of this stanza should now be conducted as
indicated in Stanzas I and II, above.

Stanza IV

Did you ever manage to get away from your
shadow? Yes, I did.

Tell us about how you did i