Note on skilful story (5)
I believe the answer is:
fable
'story' is the definition.
(fable is a kind of story)
'note on skilful' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'f' (musical note**).
'on' says to put letters next to each other.
'skilful' becomes 'able' (I've seen this before).
'f'+'able'='FABLE'
(Other definitions for fable that I've seen before include "Aesop story" , "It's not true" , "Story, often with moral" , "Aesop's story?" , "Short moral story" .)