SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS
Thesesuggestions and questions are prepared to aid the child in getting food for thought. Many ethical questions are touched upon in these stories, phases of the great problems of life which each citizen must solve for himself. The school-room is a little community, of which each child is a unit, and there he should get training for good citizenship. Let him grapple, then, with these questions, for he would better be striving after a large truth than altogether absorbing a little one.
This story is akin to the Greek and the Latin myths, and will lead you back to the beginnings of literature, to the myth of Daphne and her changing to a laurel-tree, the myth of Dryope, and Virgil’s account of the transformation of Polydore (Æneid, Book III.)—all of which are tree-myths. Conington’s metrical translation of Virgil tells this story very musically.These dryad stories have been the inspiration of poets and artists of all ages. I hope you may some day see the beautiful picture of Daphne changing to the laurel-tree that a French artist has painted.It will add much to the value of the child’s study of literature if the teacher will read or tell these myths to the children.They may be found in Gayley’s “Classic Myths,” Murray’s “Mythology,” Bulfinch’s “Mythology,” or any classical dictionary.It is easy for us to see that, in this myth of Daphne, the Greek people were telling us, in their poetic way, that the dawn ever flew at the sun’s approach.In this story the loving helpfulness of Old Pipes brought back his strength and youth quite as much as the kiss of the Dryad; for are we not always strong and happy when helping others?What other pieces of literature teach this lesson?Read Lowell’s poem, “Rhœcus.”Compare the dryad in Stockton’s story with the dryads of the myths.How do you think this idea of dryads originated?Discuss the character of Old Pipes. Have you ever met another like him in your reading?Did the Dryad do right in not returning the money to the villagers?
This story is akin to the Greek and the Latin myths, and will lead you back to the beginnings of literature, to the myth of Daphne and her changing to a laurel-tree, the myth of Dryope, and Virgil’s account of the transformation of Polydore (Æneid, Book III.)—all of which are tree-myths. Conington’s metrical translation of Virgil tells this story very musically.
These dryad stories have been the inspiration of poets and artists of all ages. I hope you may some day see the beautiful picture of Daphne changing to the laurel-tree that a French artist has painted.
It will add much to the value of the child’s study of literature if the teacher will read or tell these myths to the children.They may be found in Gayley’s “Classic Myths,” Murray’s “Mythology,” Bulfinch’s “Mythology,” or any classical dictionary.
It is easy for us to see that, in this myth of Daphne, the Greek people were telling us, in their poetic way, that the dawn ever flew at the sun’s approach.
In this story the loving helpfulness of Old Pipes brought back his strength and youth quite as much as the kiss of the Dryad; for are we not always strong and happy when helping others?
What other pieces of literature teach this lesson?
Read Lowell’s poem, “Rhœcus.”
Compare the dryad in Stockton’s story with the dryads of the myths.
How do you think this idea of dryads originated?
Discuss the character of Old Pipes. Have you ever met another like him in your reading?
Did the Dryad do right in not returning the money to the villagers?
This story can be made a starting-point for interesting science lessons. Children can easily observe the habits of bees. In ancient times, when honey was a staple article of food, much was thought and written about the care of bees. Read with the children John Burroughs’ “Birds and Bees,” also bits from Virgil’s “Georgics,” Book IV.Lead the children to discuss the following points:Why did the bees not sting the Bee-Man?What is it that leads animals to like a person?Did his ugly appearance hinder the bees from liking the Bee-Man? Would it hinder you from liking him?Do you think the Bee-Man had flowers growing in the little garden outside his hut?What kind of flowers? Why?Do all flowers with perfume yield honey?Which would derive more pleasure from watching the life and habits of bees, a busy person or a lazy one?Do bees make weather observations? Virgil says that bees do not go far from the hive when an east wind is blowing.What do you think was the Junior Sorcerer’s reason for thinking the Bee-Man had been transformed?Do you agree with the Junior Sorcerer in his opinion of the Bee-Man: that he was a “miserable old man”?When the Bee-Man first felt himself drawn toward the Lord of the Domain, what was it that influenced him? Are appearances to be trusted?Do you ever meet people who, like the Languid Youth, dislike to face duty alone, and would always rather have someone go with them?The Bee-Man shrunk from entering the cavern, yet within it he found that phase of life toward which he was most drawn; so the unpleasant duties of life from which we so often shrink contain the best things that life has in store for us.Suppose the Languid Youth had found the baby in the cavern, what would he have done?If you had a chance to go back to your babyhood again, do you think you would grow up to be the same person that you are now?Which character in this story do you like best? Why?
This story can be made a starting-point for interesting science lessons. Children can easily observe the habits of bees. In ancient times, when honey was a staple article of food, much was thought and written about the care of bees. Read with the children John Burroughs’ “Birds and Bees,” also bits from Virgil’s “Georgics,” Book IV.
Lead the children to discuss the following points:
Why did the bees not sting the Bee-Man?
What is it that leads animals to like a person?
Did his ugly appearance hinder the bees from liking the Bee-Man? Would it hinder you from liking him?
Do you think the Bee-Man had flowers growing in the little garden outside his hut?
What kind of flowers? Why?
Do all flowers with perfume yield honey?
Which would derive more pleasure from watching the life and habits of bees, a busy person or a lazy one?
Do bees make weather observations? Virgil says that bees do not go far from the hive when an east wind is blowing.
What do you think was the Junior Sorcerer’s reason for thinking the Bee-Man had been transformed?
Do you agree with the Junior Sorcerer in his opinion of the Bee-Man: that he was a “miserable old man”?
When the Bee-Man first felt himself drawn toward the Lord of the Domain, what was it that influenced him? Are appearances to be trusted?
Do you ever meet people who, like the Languid Youth, dislike to face duty alone, and would always rather have someone go with them?
The Bee-Man shrunk from entering the cavern, yet within it he found that phase of life toward which he was most drawn; so the unpleasant duties of life from which we so often shrink contain the best things that life has in store for us.
Suppose the Languid Youth had found the baby in the cavern, what would he have done?
If you had a chance to go back to your babyhood again, do you think you would grow up to be the same person that you are now?
Which character in this story do you like best? Why?
This story naturally leads to the history of clocks and time-pieces of various kinds, from the crude hour-glass, the burning candle graduated to last a certain time, the water-clock, much the same as the hour-glass, and the dial on which the shadow of the sun is traced, down to the clocks which wehave now, and especially those of finest mechanism and beautiful ornamentation.The industry of clock-making is a very important one. In the United States it has been built up almost entirely in the last sixty years.Many years ago clock movements were made of wood; now they are made, as every child knows, of metal, which is cheaper to manufacture and more durable.In the days of the Revolution many clocks were made in Connecticut, using no machinery in their manufacture, but cutting the wheels and teeth with a saw and jack-knife. Then the makers would travel to the more recently settled country and sell these crude wooden clocks for twenty-five dollars apiece.A description and pictures of the Strasbourg Clock could be made interesting here.In what part of the world do you think Rondaine was?What characteristics should you expect to find in the people of a town containing so many clocks?What particular occupations should you expect to find these people following?For which did the people care more, clocks or time?We thought, in the early part of the story, that Arla was the only person in all Rondaine who cared to know the correct time. Do you still think so, after finishing the story?Suppose we followed the reasoning of the little old lady with white hair, saying that what was good enough for our grandfathers is good enough for us, how would it affect the world?Is there anything in this story that seems improbable, that is, does it seem like a true story?What truth does it leave with us?
This story naturally leads to the history of clocks and time-pieces of various kinds, from the crude hour-glass, the burning candle graduated to last a certain time, the water-clock, much the same as the hour-glass, and the dial on which the shadow of the sun is traced, down to the clocks which wehave now, and especially those of finest mechanism and beautiful ornamentation.
The industry of clock-making is a very important one. In the United States it has been built up almost entirely in the last sixty years.
Many years ago clock movements were made of wood; now they are made, as every child knows, of metal, which is cheaper to manufacture and more durable.
In the days of the Revolution many clocks were made in Connecticut, using no machinery in their manufacture, but cutting the wheels and teeth with a saw and jack-knife. Then the makers would travel to the more recently settled country and sell these crude wooden clocks for twenty-five dollars apiece.
A description and pictures of the Strasbourg Clock could be made interesting here.
In what part of the world do you think Rondaine was?
What characteristics should you expect to find in the people of a town containing so many clocks?
What particular occupations should you expect to find these people following?
For which did the people care more, clocks or time?
We thought, in the early part of the story, that Arla was the only person in all Rondaine who cared to know the correct time. Do you still think so, after finishing the story?
Suppose we followed the reasoning of the little old lady with white hair, saying that what was good enough for our grandfathers is good enough for us, how would it affect the world?
Is there anything in this story that seems improbable, that is, does it seem like a true story?
What truth does it leave with us?
Lead pupils to discuss their ideas of griffins before reading the story.To what age of literature do griffin and dragon stories belong?How could the Griffin know that the stone image was a good likeness of himself?What things do you think the Griffin told the Minor Canon about minerals, metals, and the wonders of the world?Stop at the point in the story just prior to the sending away of the Minor Canon, and let the children discuss whattheywould have done under those circumstances.Do you agree with the Griffin in his opinion of the only two good things in the town?What did the Griffin mean when he said, “If some things were different, other things would be otherwise”?Thus we learn that goodness, bravery, and honesty, even in a griffin, demand for companionship, goodness, bravery, and honesty.Ruskin says some very good things about dragons in the first few pages of “The Queen of the Air.”How do the things we see every day affect our characters?Some very interesting and profitable comparisons may be made between this story and Hawthorne’s story of the “Great Stone Face”; and since comparison is such a mind-strengthener, the teacher should never lose such an opportunity.
Lead pupils to discuss their ideas of griffins before reading the story.
To what age of literature do griffin and dragon stories belong?
How could the Griffin know that the stone image was a good likeness of himself?
What things do you think the Griffin told the Minor Canon about minerals, metals, and the wonders of the world?
Stop at the point in the story just prior to the sending away of the Minor Canon, and let the children discuss whattheywould have done under those circumstances.
Do you agree with the Griffin in his opinion of the only two good things in the town?
What did the Griffin mean when he said, “If some things were different, other things would be otherwise”?
Thus we learn that goodness, bravery, and honesty, even in a griffin, demand for companionship, goodness, bravery, and honesty.
Ruskin says some very good things about dragons in the first few pages of “The Queen of the Air.”
How do the things we see every day affect our characters?
Some very interesting and profitable comparisons may be made between this story and Hawthorne’s story of the “Great Stone Face”; and since comparison is such a mind-strengthener, the teacher should never lose such an opportunity.