A Study of Fairy Tales Part 12

And all the people made merry then, merry then, merry then, etc.

Here we do not have complete dramatization, narration, or dramatic game. Only three short parts are narrated, only three leading scenes are represented, and only three high points of narrative are depicted in the dramatic game. The music, which the specialist in physical education can furnish, might be:--

Galloping...................... Wild Horseman.

Fairy Run...................... Chalef Book, p. 18.

Climbing to Tower.............. Chaly, p. 10.

Guy Walk Music.

Phyllis........................ Seymour Smith.

Bleking........................ Folk-Dance Book.

In connection with the _dramatic game_, there is only one tale in Grimm which contains a folk-game. This tale is somewhat incomplete as it stands in Grimm. It could become a tale suited for dramatization in the first grade, beginning the play with the folk-game. An original, amplified version of this tale, _The Little Lamb and the Little Fish_ is given in the _Appendix_.

An original little play similar to one which the kindergarten children could work out is given below. This play is based on the _pourquois_ tale, _Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves_.[4] It affords much play of originality because familiar trees may be used; and the talk of the Trees to the Bird may have some relation to the characteristics of the Trees. It could be used by children of six, seven, or eight years of age. It could serve as a Christmas play because of its spirit of kindness. North Wind might wear a wig and the Frost King wear a crown and carry a wand. Little Bird could have wings, one of which is broken, or simply carry one arm sleeveless.

The play might open with a rhythmic flight of the birds to the music of "The Swallow's Plight," in _Kindergarten Review_, May, 1915. The rhythm play of the birds would be especially pleasing because different birds would be represented by different children. The play would furnish a fine opportunity also for a rhythmic dance of the wind, which could form a distinct interlude later on in the play. In connection with the wind the beautiful picture-book, _Windschen_, by Elsa Beskow, might be referred to. Here the wind is personified as the playmate of Hans Georg. Its refined art, lovely color, and imaginative ill.u.s.tration, would stimulate the child's artistic representation of the wind.

_The Bird and the Trees: A Play_

_Time_ . . . . Daytime, in late autumn.

_Place_ . . . The Forest.

_Characters_: Poplar, Oak, Maple, Willow, Spruce, Pine, Juniper, the Bird, North Wind, and the Frost King.

_Trees of the forest_. "See that great crowd of birds flying away! They must be going South where the air is warm, and where they can find berries to eat. There is one left behind. Why, he is coming this way. What can he want?"

_The Bird_. "Oh, I can fly no farther! My wing hurts and I cannot hold it up. I am tired and cold and hungry. I must rest in this forest. Maybe some good kind tree will help me.

Dear friend Poplar, my wing is broken and my friends have all gone South. Will you let me live in your branches until they come back again?"

_Poplar_. "I am sorry but do you not see how my leaves are all a-tremble at the thought of taking in a strange bird?

Ask some other tree!"

_The Bird_. "It might not be very warm there at any rate.

And the wind might blow me off the branches. I will try the Oak, he is so big and mighty. Dear old Oak-tree, you are so big and strong, will you let me rest in your branches to-night among your thick warm leaves? I am a poor little Bird with a broken wing and I cannot fly!"

_Oak_. "Oh, you must not ask me, little Bird, for all day long my little friends, the squirrels, have been jumping across my branches, gathering nuts and seeking holes to store their acorns in. I have no room for a stranger."

_The Bird_. "Ah! I did not think the Oak could be so cruel.

Perhaps Maple will help me, she always seemed kind like a Mother. Dear, beautiful Maple, I am tired. May I rest among your lovely red leaves until my broken wing is mended and my friends come back to me?"

_Maple_. "Oh, no, I could not think of it! I have just dressed my leaves all in red and you might spoil their lovely clothes. Do go away. There are other trees in the forest not so gay as I."

_The Bird_. "What should I do? No one wants to help me. Can I not find one kind tree? Dear kind Willow, your branches bend almost to the ground. Could I live in them until the spring-time?"

_Willow_. "Really, little Bird with the broken wing, you are a stranger. You should have gone with the other birds. Maybe some other tree can help you but we willows are particular."

_The Bird_. "I do not know where to go and I'm so cold! I wonder if the other birds have reached the beautiful warm South."

_Spruce_. "Little Bird, little Bird, where are you going?"

_The Bird_. "I do not know. I am very cold."

_Spruce_. "Come, make a big hop and rest in this snug corner of my branches. You can stay with me all winter if you like."

_The Bird_. "You are so good, dear Spruce-tree. Will you really let me?"

_Spruce_. "If your friends the birds have left you, your other friends, the trees, will surely help you. Ho, Pine-tree, you would help a little Bird with a broken wing, wouldn't you?"

_Pine_. "Oh, yes, dear Bird! My branches are not wide but I am tall and thick, and I will keep the cold North Wind from you."

_Juniper_. "And maybe I can help. Are you hungry, little Bird? You can eat my nice little berries whenever you like."

_The Bird_. "Thank you, kind friends! I will go to sleep now on this nice branch of the Spruce-tree, Good-night, dear Trees."

_Spruce, Pine, and Juniper_. "Good-night, little Bird."

_North Wind. "Oo_,--_Oo_!--Now I must run in and out among all the trees of the forest.--But who comes here?"

_Frost King_. "Stop, North Wind! I have just gone before you, as King Winter said, and touched the trees of the forest. But the trees that have been kind to the Bird with the broken wing, those I did not touch. They shall keep their leaves. Do not you harm them!"

_North Wind_. "Very well, King Frost. Good-bye!

_Oo_!--Oo!--" (The Wind frolics among the Trees, bending branches, careering wildly, shaking leaves.) "Little Spruce-tree, you have been kind to the Bird, I will not blow on you! Dear Pine-tree, you are tall and keep the Bird warm, I will not blow on you! Little Juniper, you gave the Bird your berries, I will not blow on you!"

_(The following morning_.)

_The Bird_. "Good-morning, dear Spruce-tree, your branch was warm and safe.--Why, what has happened to the other Trees?

Look at the big Oak and the lovely Maple and all the rest!

See how bare their branches are; and on the ground their s.h.i.+ning leaves lie in red and yellow and brown heaps! O, how glad I am that your leaves have not fallen; they are bright and green! And so are Pine-tree's and Juniper's. I will call you my Evergreen Trees, and I will stay with you until the Spring!"

The English fairy tale, _The Magpie's Nest_, told by Joseph Jacobs, might be dramatized by first-grade children. This tale might offer the problem of observing how different birds make their nests and how they vary their calls. It also might offer the language problem of making suitable rhymes. An original dramatization of the _pourquois_ tale is given in the _Appendix_.

Andersen's _Fir Tree_ would offer a fine opportunity for a first grade at Christmas time. The fir tree has become vitally interesting through nature study at this time of the year. The children love to make things to decorate a tree. They have a short list of stories they can tell by this time. All this can be utilized in a Christmas tree play.--For the play use the original story, not a weakened version.--A pleasant Christmas play could end most happily with the story-telling under the tree. For the play an actual small fir tree may be in the room placed so that it may be moved easily. A child standing closely behind it may represent it and speak for it through its branches. The air and the sun, ordinarily not to be represented, in this case may be, as they come up to the Tree and talk to it. Much freedom of originality may be displayed through the children's entering into the character of the Fir Tree and improvising speeches.

_The Fir Tree_

_Time_.......Spring.

_Place_.......Forest.

_Characters_: Sun, Air, Hare, Woodmen, Swallow, Stork, Sparrows, Children, Servants, and Fir Tree.

_Act I, Scene i_.

A Fir Tree in the forest.

Sun and Air talk to it.

Children sit under its branches.

A Hare comes and jumps over it.

Woodcutters come.

A Swallow comes and talks to it.

A Stork comes and talks to it.

Sparrows talk to it.