I. The purely imaginative or fanciful, and here belongs the so-called fairy story.

II.  The realistic, devoted to things which have happened, and might, could, would, or should happen without violence to probability.  These are generally the vehicle for moral lessons which are all the more impressive because not insisted on.

III.  The scientific, conveying bits of information about animals, flowers, rocks, and stars.

IV.  The historical, or simple, interesting accounts of the lives of heroes and events in our country’s struggle for life and liberty.

There is a great difference in opinion regarding the advisability of telling fairy stories to very young children, and there can be no question that some of them are entirely undesirable and inappropriate.  Those containing a fierce or horrible element must, of course, be promptly ruled out of court, including the “bluggy” tales of cruel stepmothers, ferocious giants and ogres, which fill the so-called fairy literature.  Yet those which are pure in tone and gay with fanciful coloring may surely be told occasionally, if only for the quickening of the imagination.  Perhaps, however, it is best to keep them as a sort of sweetmeat, to be taken on, high days and holidays only.

Let us be realistic, by all means; but beware, O story-teller! of being too realistic.  Avoid the “shuddering tale” of the wicked boy who stoned the birds, lest some hearer be inspired to try the dreadful experiment and see if it really does kill.  Tell not the story of the bears who were set on a hot stove to learn to dance, for children quickly learn to gloat over the horrible.

Deal with the positive rather than the negative in story-telling; learn to affirm, not to deny.

Some one perhaps will say here, the knowledge of cruelty and sin must come some time to the child; then why shield him from it now?  True, it must come; but take heed that you be not the one to introduce it arbitrarily.  “Stand far off from childhood,” says Jean Paul, “and brush not away the flower-dust with your rough fist.”

The truths of botany, of mineralogy, of zoology, may be woven into attractive stories which will prove as interesting to the child as the most extravagant fairy tale.  But endeavor to shape your narrative so dexterously around the bit of knowledge you wish to convey, that it may be the pivotal point of interest, that the child may not suspect for a moment your intention of instructing him under the guise of amusement.  Should this dark suspicion cross his mind, your power is Weakened from that moment, and he will look upon you henceforth as a deeply dyed hypocrite.

The historic story is easily told, and universally interesting, if you make it sufficiently clear and simple.  The account of the first Thanksgiving Day, of the discovery of America, of the origin of Independence Day, of the boyhood of our nation’s heroes,—­all these can be made intelligible and charming to children.  I suggest topics dealing with our own country only, because the child must learn to know the near-at-hand before he can appreciate the remote.  It is best that he should gain some idea of the growth of his own traditions before he wanders into the history of other lands.