A good storyteller is a precious boon. Blessed is the circle of children that can enjoy him; his influence is great and ennobling; the more so, the less he seems to aim at this. With high esteem and full of respect I greet a genuine storyteller; with intense gratitude I grasp him by the hand. However, better greeting than mine is his lot; behold the joyful faces, the sparkling eyes, the merry shouts that welcome him; see the blooming circle of delighted children crowd around him, like a wreath of fresh flowers and branches around the bard of joy and delight!

Children crave fairy tales and legends, says the inventor of kindergarten.