What evidence in the text suggests that the author’s grandfather was a good storyteller? So I do just what Grandpa said, “If you want to get the
attention of a mule who’s too stubborn to listen, you take the
branch off a tree and come right down across the top of his
head.” What is my branch? A good scary story. When I tell
those kids, “I’m going to scare you,” when I start to give them
a little bit of fear, well, they’re ready to listen.
A lot of people have told me I really shouldn’t tell children
scary things. Well, children can frighten themselves without
your help. When they’re alone in bed they hear things and
they see things. So I just help them along. “It’s drk,”
I say. And there’s a strange voice, “Where’s Myy Haaairy
Toe…” That’s all they need. They remember the dark and
they’re scared again and that’s good. Children need to be frightened. We all do. It’s an emotion
that was given to all of us and it should be exercised. When
you don’t exercise it, you lose your sense of fear. That’s why my
granddaddy told me scary stories. He wanted me to know that
only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. You should be a
little hesitant sometimes, his stories were saying, you should
think twice before you go into the woods, there just might be a
hairy man and you need to be cautious.
My grandfather scared me to death. Grandma would say,
“Get up on your granddaddy’s lap and kiss him good night.”
I’d throw my arms around him and say, “I’m going to bed.”
And he’d say, “It’s dark up there.” And I’d say, “I know.” “You
know what’s in the dark?” “N.” “Monsters,” he’d say.
“What do monsters do?” “They’ll drag you off the bed and
put you in the keyhole,” he’d say. Well, I yelled and screamed
going up the stairs. Children need to be frightened. We all do. It’s an emotion
that was given to all of us and it should be exercised. When
you don’t exercise it, you lose your sense of fear. That’s why my
granddaddy told me scary stories. He wanted me to know that
only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. You should be a
little hesitant sometimes, his stories were saying, you should
think twice before you go into the woods, there just might be a
hairy man and you need to be cautious.
My grandfather scared me to death. Grandma would say,
“Get up on your granddaddy’s lap and kiss him good night.”
I’d throw my arms around him and say, “I’m going to bed.”
And he’d say, “It’s dark up there.” And I’d say, “I know.” “You
know what’s in the dark?” “N.” “Monsters,” he’d say.
“What do monsters do?” “They’ll drag you off the bed and
put you in the keyhole,” he’d say. Well, I yelled and screamed
going up the stairs.