Storytelling and folktales have a vital role in fostering children's understanding of the possibilities of language. In addition to bringing people together, the telling of stories and folktales provides listeners the opportunity to belong briefly to other cultures and other times, fosters young children's growth beyond their naturally egocentric interests, and exercises listeners' imaginations. Storytelling can promote children's reading skills, opening the expanse of written language beyond the strict deciphering of symbols on paper and bringing writing to life. The telling of tales is creative writing; each tale is written at the moment of its telling and must be of high quality to keep listeners' attention. Cumulative tales or chain tales are among the best selections for children, since they present some of the best attributes of folktales and storytelling. Hearing cumulative and other tales well told causes child listeners to seek in their reading and writing the same kinds of pleasure experienced while listening, fosters an appreciation for language, and helps to develop an "inner eye" and ear for writing and reading. (GT)