Let the children note that the eyes, not only of the runners, but of some of the onlookers, are fixed on something in the distance - something outside the picture. What is it? Various possible answers will give direction and variety to the stories.

When the lesson has been studied through, bringing out the possibilities concerning the characters, the cause and purpose of the race, let each child decide for himself on the essential features of the story features that must, of course, be consistent throughout and in harmony with the picture that he will tell, and be prepared to tell it. The resultant stories should be even more diverse than those suggested by the following outlines:

1. The princess boasts that she is the swiftest runner in the land. The king has such confidence in her that he promises her in marriage and half his kingdom to the youth who can outstrip her. Many princes and knights try to win the double prize, but all are defeated and banished from the kingdom. Finally, the youth in the picture, a poor boy, or a real prince in disguise (?), proves his superiority. Is he rewarded as promised or punished—perhaps with imprisonment or death?

2. The girl is the daughter of a great noble. Every year he sets free any slave who outstrips his daughter in a race. The boy in the picture thus wins his freedom. Perhaps the girl helps him by dropping a slipper, or in some other way.

3. The poor boy has taken wood from the king's forest and is condemned to death. The princess pleads for his life. The king answers, "You have boasted that you can outrun any one in the land. Outrun this sturdy peasant boy and I will grant you his life."

The boy is told that if he outruns the princess he shall be free. Thus each runner is stimulated to the highest effort. The boy must win, his life depends upon it; the girl must win, the boy's life depends upon it. The boy is about to win when the princess cries in distress, "Help me! help me!" The boy turns to see what is the matter, the girl leaps forward, the winner.

Slowly the boy turns and walks back to the throne. Kneeling before the king, he says, "My life is thine." "Nay," cries the princess. "It is mine, and I give it back to thee; for at the risk of losing the race and thy life with it, ye turned to help me.”

4. The boy was a rough, boasting bully. He ill-treated the weak, despised the unfortunate, and called himself the strongest and fleetest in the land.

The king offered a purse of gold to the person who won the long race on the king's birthday. The boy boasted that he would win the purse. He also told how he would use the money in

selfish pleasure.

The princess entered the race, defeated the boy, and used the money in helping the needy, thus teaching the boy the folly of boasting and giving him an example in kindness.

II (126). More Picture Stories

Most time should be spent in helping the pupils to think of the various things, real or imaginary, that may have so thoroughly frightened the children, as they appear in the picture; for the cause of their fright will determine the character of the story.

You should come to class prepared to tell a story that the picture suggests to you. This is not for the purpose of giving the children facts to use in their stories, but rather to suggest form and style that may serve them as models.

PICTURE STORIES

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Have a large number of children tell their stories as many as are able to tell a story distinctly different from any that have been told.

Supplementary

1. Let the story be told in parts, one child beginning and carrying it on to an interesting point, another child taking it up and advancing it farther, another and then another carrying it on to a final conclusion. For example, the story might be

begun somewhat like this:

One summer day Jack, Will, and Jane took their little cousins, May and Ned, out for a walk. It was the first time May and Ned had ever visited in the country and everything seemed strange and wonderful to them. They gathered flowers, played in the hay, and chased the bright-winged butterflies. A narrow plank crossed the brook under the old willows. Just as Jack, who was leading, was about to step on this plank, the children heard a sound that filled their hearts with terror. Looking up, they saw

At this point, let another take the story.

2. Read or tell the pupils the beginning of the story, as given in the above paragraph, or make any other suitable beginning. Then let the pupils write the ending, telling what frightened the children and how they escaped.

III (128). Still More Picture Stories

All three pictures of this chapter suggest stories in which a race must form a prominent, probably

the most prominent, part. But there must be these characteristic differences in the races suggested: the stories based on the first picture (p. 124) must contain races of competition; those based on the second picture (p. 127) must contain races whose purpose is escape; while those based on the third picture (p. 129) must involve races whose purpose is to reach some place, person, or thing.

Owing to this similarity of stories suggested by these pictures, the children should need less help in working out their stories from the third picture. This does not mean that they are to imitate previous stories, but rather that they should have gained confidence and some fruitfulness of imagination from the stories growing out of the first two pictures which will aid them in the study of the third picture. Such help and suggestion as they may need, in addition to that given in their book, you should, of course, give them as you study the lesson with them.

Encourage the children, first, to make all the suggestions they can of reasons for the boy's mad ride, and of the object or purpose of it. It will then remain to tell the outcome of it, how the end of his journey was reached, and the success or failure of his mission.

When the study has thus been made, have as many complete and distinctive stories told as time and pupils' abilities will permit.

IV (130).

PICTURE STORIES

Writing Picture Stories

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Supervise the children carefully as they write; do not leave them to succeed or fail. To insure the success of some of the slower, less imaginative ones -you know who these are- let them individually tell you before they begin to write the first sentence or sentences of the story they propose; this will give them confidence.

V (130). Correcting and Copying Picture Stories

Help pupils individually to correct their stories, both in content and in form. When necessary, have the stories rewritten.

Supplementary

I. Have children make lists of suitable titles for picture stories connected with each picture of this chapter.

2. Have children write additional stories. A child might write one, or even more than one, story for each picture. It is not necessary for every child to write the same number of stories. Fit the work to each child's capacity and interest.