te, so all-embracing,
that frank failure is the only outcome, but these are so few as not to
need consideration, when dealing with so simple material as that of
children's stories. There are times, too, before an adult audience,
when a speaker can afford to let his hearers be amused with him over a
chance mistake. But with children it is most unwise to break the spell
of the entertainment in that way. Consider, in the matter of a detail
of action or description, how absolutely unimportant the mere accuracy
is, compared with the effect of smoothness and the enjoyment of the
hearers. They will not remember the detail, for good or evil, half so
long as they will remember the fact that you did not know it. So, for
their sakes, as well as for the success of your story, cover your slips
of memory, and let them be as if they were not.

And now I come to two points in method which have to do especially with
humorous stories. The first is the power of initiating the
appreciation of the joke. Every natural humorist does this by instinct
and the value of the power to story-teller can hardly be overestimated.
To initiate appreciation does not mean that one necessarily gives way
to mirth, though even that is sometimes natural and effective; one
merely feels the approach of the humorous climax, and subtly suggests
to the hearers that it will soon be "time to laugh." The suggestion
usually comes in the form of facial expression, and in the tone. And
children are so much simpler, and so much more accustomed to following
another's lead than their elders, that the expression can be much more
outright and unguarded than would be permissible with a mature audience.

Children like to feel the joke coming, in this way; they love the
anticipation of a laugh, and they will begin to dimple, often, at your
first unconscious suggestion of humor. If it is lacking, they are
sometimes afraid to follow their own instincts. Especially when you are
facing an audience of grown people and children together, you will find
that the latter are very hesitant about initiating their own expression
of humor. It is more difficult to make them forget their surroundings
then, and more desirable to give them a happy lead. Often at the
funniest point you will see some small listener in an agony of endeavor
to cloak the mirth which he--poor mite--fears to be indecorous. Let
him see that it is "the thing" to laugh, and that everybody is going to.

Havin