Rat Princess 172
The Frog and the Ox 175
The Fire-Bringer 176
The Burning of the Ricefields 179
The Story of Wylie 182
Little Daylight 186
The Sailor Man 199
The Story of Jairus's Daughter 201

ESPECIALLY FOR CLASSES IV. AND V.

Arthur and the Sword 204
Tarpeia 208
The Buckwheat 210
The Judgment of Midas 211
Why the Sea is salt 213
Billy Beg and his Bull 221
The Little Hero of Haarlem 233
The Last Lesson 238
The Story of Christmas 243

THE CHILD-MIND; AND HOW TO SATISFY IT

A short List of Books in which the Story-teller will find
Stories not too far from the Form in which they are
needed 247

INTRODUCTION

Not long ago, I chanced to open a magazine at a story of Italian life
which dealt with a curious popular custom. It told of the love of the
people for the performances of a strangely clad, periodically appearing
old man who was a professional story-teller. This old man repeated whole
cycles of myth and serials of popular history, holding his
audience-chamber in whatever corner of the open court or square he
happened upon, and always surrounded by an eager crowd of listeners. So
great was the respect in which the story-teller was held, that any
interruption was likely to be resented with violence.

As I read of the absorbed silence and the changing expressions of the
crowd about the old man, I was suddenly reminded of a company of people I
had recently seen. They were gathered in one of the parlours of a women's
college, and their serious young faces had, habitually, none of the
childlike responsiveness of the Italian populace; they were suggestive,
rather, of a daily experience which precluded over-much surprise or
curiosity about anything. In the midst of the group stood a frail-looking
woman with bright eyes. She was telling a