Yet the purposive stories have a place,
though a secondary one, in the work of the
story-teller. Precisely for the reason that
they have usually grown out of stories with
other meaning, the fahle, the allegory, and
in general all purposive stories serve as
symbols for the stories from which they have
been made. They are shorthand expres-
sions, so to speak, of older stories. But
they often depend for their effect upon the
presence already in the consciousness of the
hearer, of the mood or tradition that they
represent. They may best be used as re-
minders, as mnemonic devices, for bringing
to mind larger themes and feelings which
have already been established in the mind:
as currency which may keep story-themes
and value-meanings in circulation. But to
depend upon these stories, especially those
which have been created for pedagogic pur-
poses, in the effort to teach morality, is su-
perficial. These stories do not sufficiently
broaden experience, and they do not usually
stir deep response as does truly racial story.
66 STORY-TELLING IN SCHOOL AND HOME

the old story the intention is more often an
integral part of the story, or concealed be-
hind it. It is a vague mood which colours it,
but is not put explicitly into the story.
The individual story is liable to many faults.
