As a storyteller, you'll eventually be called upon to tell a scary story, either around the campfire or for a Halloween assembly. More often, though, you'll be called upon to tell a "scary but not too scary" story. Make it scary-- the teachers will ask, but don't mention blood. Or the undead. Or ghosts. What's a storyteller to do?

That's where the jump story comes in. Here's my version of an old one, to be told aloud, appropriate for listeners of all ages (although with young ones you may want to shorten it). You'll want two distinct voices for the two characters, and to practice your timing to get the startle reflex from your audience.

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The Strange Visitor

Once upon a time there was a house
in the middle of a deep, dark forest,
and inn the middle of a deep, dark night,
the only sound you could here was the creak of a rocking chair,
and the clacking of knitting needles. A woman sat in a rocking chair, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting.

She was lonely.

"How I wish I had some company!"

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of great big feet, which sat down by the fire.

The woman sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
and in came a pair of skinny skinny legs, which sat down on the feet.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of great round knees, which sat down on the skinny skinny legs.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of thin thin thighs, which sat down on the great round knees.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of huge huge hips, which sat down on the thin thin thighs.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a teeny tiny waist, which sat down on the huge huge hips.

The old woman kept on knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
and in came a pair of big broad shoulders, which sat down on the teeny tiny waist.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of teeny tiny arms, which sat down on the big broad shoulders.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in came a pair of great big hands, which sat down on the teeny tiny arms.

Still, she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
and in came a pair of scrawny scrawny neck, which sat down on the big broad shoulders.

And as she sat there, knitting and rocking, rocking and knitting,
in rolled a huge huge head, which sat down on the scrawny scrawny neck.

And the mysterious visitor sat there, and looked at the woman.

And the woman looked at her visitor, and then she said, "And how did you get such great big feet?"

Much tramping, much tramping

"And how did you get such skinny skinny legs?"

Too much water, not enough meat.

"And how did you get such great round knees?"

Much praying, much praying.

"And how did you get such thin thin thighs?"

Too much water, not enough meat.

"And how did you get such huge huge hips?"

Much sitting, much sitting.

"And how did you get such a teeny tiny waist?"

Too much water, not enough meat.

"And how did you get such broad broad shoulders?"

Much sweeping, much sweeping.

"And how did you get such small small arms?"

Too much water, not enough meat.

"And how did you get such huge huge hands?"

Much grabbing, much grabbing.

"And how did you get such a small small neck?"

Too much water, not enough meat.

"And how did you get such a huge huge head?"

Much thinking, much thinking.

"And what have you come for?"

 

 

For you !

Once upon a time in that house in the middle of a deep, dark forest, in the middle of a deep, dark night, there's no one left to make a sound.