Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories. Listening for them is something more acute than listening to them. I suppose it's an early form of participation in what goes on. Listening children know stories are there. When their elders sit and begin, children are just waiting and hoping for one to come out, like a mouse from its hole.
Eudora Welty reflects on her early experiences with storytelling, emphasizing the importance of listening. She suggests that actively seeking out stories engages listeners in a deeper way than simply hearing them. For children, this listening is a formative part of their growth, as they intuitively understand that stories are waiting to be discovered whenever adults begin to share them.
This keen sense of anticipation illustrates the natural curiosity children have for narratives, likening their eagerness to catch a story to waiting for a mouse to emerge from its hiding place. Welty highlights how this early participation lays the groundwork for a lifelong appreciation of storytelling.