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224 The Century of the Child
to express preference for change. We never
hear children say, *’
Now tell a funny story,
the one before was too gloomy." But if we
commence telling gloomy stories they want
one after another of the same type. If we
had begun telling amusing stories, they never
tire of laughing. The changeableness of
children in playing, reading, and working is
not so general a characteristic of childish
nature as is believed. It is true only of child-
ren whose readings and games are not adapted
to their nature and inclinations. Changeable-
ness is, in a certain way, nature’s self-defence
against what is unconsciously injurious.
As to comic narratives, it is found in story-
telling that the child has the most keen sense
for the humour of a situation. On the other
hand they have hardly a trace of feeling for
the humour that rests on deep intellectual
contrasts, least of all for humour of the ironi-
cal type. If a narrative out of their own world
is really to make impression on them, it must
be like a tale, full of life, with action and sur-
prises, broad and naive in its style, without
any noticeable aim. All the children’s books
which children through their life recollect and
by which they are impressed, are those that
at least in one way or another fulfil these con-
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