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__**Story Telling**__ A genre to help a student's reading comprehension.

My dad, Ed Bell, was a National Story Teller and delighted the young and the old alike with his whitty tales. I would go to sleep at night hearing him recount stories to his customers and friends. I would wake up in the morning to his bolsterious laugh after sharing or hearing a story. His stories were recorded and placed into the Libraries of University of Texas, Berkley University (Cal.), and the Texas Culture Preservation in San Antonio. I think it is only right that I treat you with one of his tales.
 * __The Old Hound Dog__**

Back in the day when I was a boy I lived with my momma and papa in the Sand Hills of Caldwell County. Papa had a ranch up there. And, we were miles from the nearest neighbor. I usually kept several animals as pet and most of that time I had an old hound dog. This story is about Ol'Blue. Now Ol' Blue was one of the smartest dogs I ever knew. He was so smart that when I got my gun he would start out to the woods and point for me. If I was to go squirrel huntin' he knew that too, and he would head out into the woods and tree squirrls for me. One day I decided to play a trick on Ol' Blue. I took out my rifle and Ol' Blue took off into the woods to tree a squirrel. I ran and got my shotgun, Ol' Blue ran into the woods to point at birds. I put up the shotgun and got my fishing pole. Ol' Blue looked a little confused and began running between my legs near' trippin' me several times. I got kinda mad and told him to behave. I knew that somethin' bad was wrong. So, I asked him, "Blue, what the devil is wrong with you?"

At that he took off and ran back to the house. I followed as fast as I could. Mama was on the front porch stringing green beans, I panted, "Mom have you seen Ol' Blue come by here?"

Mama looked at me and replied, "That ol' dog of yourn, ran behind the house." I continued around the house where I saw Ol'Blue diggin' away and puttin' somethin' in the bucket. It turned out I had forgotten the bait and Ol'Blue was diggin' up the worms for me.

It is my opinion that as children begin retelling stories in both first and third person they are better able to remember facts and stay on topic than they did before they told stories. It is my desire to have children tell, read, and write stories for themselves, others, and at competitions.

Leann Bell Olivarez