anecdote, and on reminiscence. But the demand is never so exclusive that
fictitious narrative need be cast aside. All that is necessary is to state
frankly that the story you are telling is "just a story," or--if it be the
case--that it is "part true and part story."

At all stages I would urge the telling of Bible stories, as far as is
allowed by the special circumstances of the school. These are stories
from a source unsurpassed in our literature for purity of style and
loftiness of subject. More especially I urge the telling of the
Christ-story, in such parts as seem likely to be within the grasp of the
several classes. In all Bible stories it is well to keep as near as
possible to the original unimprovable text.[1] Some amplification can be
made, but no excessive modernising or simplifying is excusable in face of
the austere grace and majestic simplicity of the original. Such adaptation
as helps to cut the long narrative into separate units, making each an
intelligible story, I have ventured to illustrate according to my own
personal taste, in two stories given in Chapter VI. The object of the
usual modernising or enlarging of the text may be far better attained for
the child listener by infusing into the text as it stands a strong
realising sense of its meaning and vitality, letting it give its own
message through a fit medium of expression.

[Footnote 1: _Stories from the Old Testament_, by S. Platt, retells the
Old Testament story as nearly as possible in the actual words of the
Authorised Version.]

The stories given in pages 133 to 246 are grouped as illustrations of the
types suitable for different stages. They are, however, very often
interchangeable; and many stories can be told successfully to all classes.
A vitally good story is little limited in its appeal. It is,