This book originated in a series of little reading lessons prepared
for the first grade pupils in the Santa Rosa public schools. The
object of the lessons was three-fold: to provide reading matter for
the little ones who had only a small vocabulary of sight-words; to
acquaint them early with the heroes who have come down to us in song
and story; and to create a desire for literature.
It has been my endeavor to follow Dr. G. Stanley Hall's suggestions in
his monograph, "How to Teach Reading," where he asks for "true
child-editions, made by testing many children with the work piece-meal
and cutting and adapting the material till it really and closely
fitted the minds and hearts of the children."
Various stories were given to the pupils; discussions followed. After
a time the story was produced orally by the children. Notes were made
on expressions used and points of interest dwelt upon. Later the story
was either written on the blackboard or mimeographed and put into the
pupils' hands to read.
It gave great delight to the children to recognize an old friend in a
new dress, and as interest was aroused, but little difficulty was
encountered in recognizing words that were indeed "new" in their sight
vocabulary, but old servants in their oral vocabulary.
The spirit of the book may be illustrated by referring to the roast
turkey in the story of The Little Match Girl. The story was told as
dear old Hans Christian Andersen gave it to the little German children
of fifty years ago. But American children have a different idea of the
fowl which graces the table at Christmas time. The story as it came
from the lips of the children referred to the "turkey," and "goose"
was used in only one instance. As the story was to appeal to our
children, the word was changed to suit their ideas.
Again, in the story of Red Riding-Hood we preferred to use the German
ending, as it leaves a far happier impression on the minds of the
children than the accepted English version. The incongruity of the
wolf's swallowing whole the grandmother and child does not destroy the
child's enjoyment of the story, while the happy release of both
grandmother and little girl forms a suitable close.
Also, as this old story handed down in so many languages is an
interpretation of one of the Sun myths, it seems better to cling to
the original, especially when it meets so entirely with the child's
approval.
Before presenting the Norse myths for reading, they had been the
subject of many conversations, queries and illustrations. Some were
even dramatized--in a childlike way, of course. Detailed descriptions
of Mt. Ida, Asgard, and some of the principal heroes, were given. But,
though the little audience seemed interested in the introductory
remarks, these never came back when the children were called upon to
reproduce the story. The narrator at once plunged into the story part.
It is for this reason descriptions of heroes and places have been
omitted in these stories. It is thus left for each teacher who uses
this book to employ her own method of introducing the gods of the
hardy Norseman to her pupils.
The following works will be found useful and quite available to most
teachers: Andersen's Norse Mythology, Mabie's Norse Stories, Mara
Pratt's Stories from Norseland, Fiske's Myths and Myth Makers,
Taylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. I.; and Longfellow's Poems.
Hoping these stories will interest other children as they have
interested those who helped build them, I send them forth.