Winnie-the-Pooh (AmazonClassics Edition)

by A.A. Milne

When he put it like this, you saw how it was, and you aimed very carefully at the balloon, and fired. “Ow!” said Pooh. “Did I miss?” you asked. “You didn’t exactly miss,” said Pooh, “but you missed the balloon.”

Then Piglet saw what a Foolish Piglet he had been, and he was so ashamed of himself that he ran straight off home and went to bed with a headache.

“Why, what’s the matter?” “Nothing, Pooh Bear, nothing. We can’t all, and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it.” “Can’t all what?” said Pooh, rubbing his nose. “Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush.”

Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.”

BANG!!!???***!!! Piglet lay there, wondering what had happened. At first he thought that the whole world had blown up; and then he thought that perhaps only the Forest part of it had; and then he thought that perhaps only he had, and he was now alone in the moon or somewhere, and would never see Christopher Robin or Pooh or Eeyore again. And then he thought, “Well, even if I’m in the moon, I needn’t be face downwards all the time,” so he got cautiously up and looked about him. He was still in the Forest!

“Good morning, Little Piglet,” said Eeyore. “If it is a good morning,” he said. “Which I doubt,” said he. “Not that it matters,” he said.

“Hallo, Rabbit,” he said, “is that you?” “Let’s pretend it isn’t,” said Rabbit, “and see what happens.”

“This is the first verse,” he said to Piglet, when he was ready with it. “First verse of what?” “My song.” “What song?” “This one.” “Which one?” “Well, if you listen, Piglet, you’ll hear it.” “How do you know I’m not listening?” Pooh couldn’t answer that one, so he began to sing.

“We are not talking about gorse-bushes,” said Owl a little crossly. “I am,” said Pooh.

“Hullo, Eeyore,” said Pooh, coming up to them with his pole. “Hullo, Pooh. Thank you for asking, but I shall be able to use it again in a day or two.” “Use what?” said Pooh. “What we are talking about.” “I wasn’t talking about anything,” said Pooh, looking puzzled. “My mistake again. I thought you were saying how sorry you were about my tail, being all numb, and could you do anything to help?” “No,” said Pooh. “That wasn’t me,” he said. He thought for a little and then suggested helpfully, “Perhaps it was somebody else.” “Well, thank him for me when you see him.” Pooh looked anxiously at Christopher Robin.