represented, in this case may
be, as they come up to the Tree and talk to it. Much freedom of
originality may be displayed through the children's entering into the
character of the Fir Tree and improvising speeches.

_The Fir Tree_

_Time_.......Spring.
_Place_.......Forest.
_Characters_: Sun, Air, Hare, Woodmen, Swallow, Stork, Sparrows,
Children, Servants, and Fir Tree.

_Act I, Scene i_.
A Fir Tree in the forest.
Sun and Air talk to it.
Children sit under its branches.
A Hare comes and jumps over it.
Woodcutters come.
A Swallow comes and talks to it.
A Stork comes and talks to it.
Sparrows talk to it.

(Have the Tree removed. Apparently from a cart
outside the door, a larger Christmas Tree may be
brought in and planted in a sand-box by two
servants, students from grammar grades. The same
child now grown older, represents the Tree.)

_Act II, Scene i_. The Fir Tree brought into the room.
The decorating of the Tree by the Children and Teacher.
Talk of the Children about the Tree when decorating it.
Singing of Christmas carols; dancing of
folk-dances; or recitation of Christmas
poems, after the decoration of the Tree.

The distribution of gifts by the Children. An
audience to whom the Children wanted to give
presents, could be invited.

The Story-telling under the Tree.

The presence of visiting children would create an audience for the
story-telling. The selection of the story-teller and the story or
stories might be the result of a previous story contest. The contest
and the story-telling under the Tree would be ideal drill situations.
The entire play would serve as a fine unification of the child's work
in nature, in construction, in physical education, in music, in
composition, and in literature. Everything he does in the play will be
full of vital interest to him; and his daily tasks will seem of more
worth to him when he sees how he can use them with so much pleasure to
himself and to others. This play is an example of the organizing of
ideas which a good tale may exercise in the mind of the child and the
part the tale as an organized experience may play in his development.

The creative return desired by the teacher, as well as the