Winnie The Pooh - Introduction & Chapter One

Good evening.

My name is Bill Larson.

Every year new titles become available for me to narrate and tonight it is my pleasure to begin one of the most beloved children's stories of all time Winnie the Pooh by A.

A.

Milne.

To her,

Hand in hand we come,

Christopher Robin and I,

To lay this book in your lap.

Say you're surprised.

Say it's just what you wanted.

Because it's yours.

Because we love you.

Introduction.

If you happen to have read another book about Christopher Robin,

You may remember that he once had a swan or the swan had Christopher Robin.

I don't know which.

And that he used to call this swan Pooh.

That was a long time ago and when we said goodbye we took the name with us as we didn't think the swan would want it anymore.

Well when Edward Baer said that he would like an exciting name all to himself,

Christopher Robin said at once without stopping to think that he was Winnie the Pooh.

And he was.

So as I have explained the Pooh part,

I will now explain the rest of it.

You can't be in London for long without going to the zoo.

There are some people who begin the zoo at the beginning called way in and walk as quickly as they can past every cage until they get to the one called way out.

But the nicest people go straight to the animal they love the most and stay there.

So when Christopher Robin goes to the zoo,

He goes to where the polar bears are and he whispers something to the third keeper from the left and doors are unlocked and we wander through dark passages and up steep stairs until at last we come to the special cage and the cage is opened and out trots something brown and furry and with a happy cry of oh bear Christopher Robin rushes into its arms.

Now this bears name is Winnie which shows what a good name for bears it is.

But the funny thing is that we can't remember whether Winnie is called after Pooh or Pooh after Winnie.

We did know once but we have forgotten.

I had written as far as this when Piglet looked up and said in his squeaky voice what about me?

My dear Piglet I said the whole book is about you.

So it is about Pooh he squeaked.

You see what it is.

He is jealous because he thinks Pooh is having a grand introduction all to himself.

Pooh is the favorite of course there's no denying it but Piglet comes in for a good many things which Pooh misses because you can't take Pooh to school without everybody knowing it.

But Piglet is so small that he slips into a pocket where it is very comforting to feel him when you are not quite sure whether twice seven is 12 or 22.

Sometimes he slips out and has a good look in the ink pot and in this way he has got more education than Pooh but Pooh doesn't mind.

Some have brains and some haven't he says and there it is.

And now all the others are saying what about us?

So perhaps the best thing to do is to stop writing introductions and get on with the book.

A.

A.

Milne.

Winnie the Pooh chapter 1 in which we are introduced to Winnie the Pooh and some bees and the stories begin.

Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now bump bump bump on the back of his head behind Christopher Robin.

It is as far as he knows the only way of coming downstairs but sometimes he feels that there really is another way if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.

And then he feels that perhaps there isn't.

Anyhow here he is at the bottom and ready to be introduced to you.

Winnie the Pooh.

When I first heard his name I said just as you are going to say but I thought he was a boy.

So did I said Christopher Robin.

Then you can't call him Winnie.

I don't but you said he's Winnie the Pooh.

Don't you know what there means?

Ah yes now I do I said quickly and I hope you do too because it is all the explanation you are going to get.

Sometimes Winnie the Pooh likes a game of some sort where he comes downstairs and sometimes he likes to sit quietly in front of the fire and listen to a story.

This evening what about a story said Christopher Robin.

What about a story I said.

Could you very sweetly tell Winnie the Pooh one?

I suppose I could I said.

What sort of stories does he like?

About himself because he's that sort of bear.

Oh I see so could you very sweetly?

I'll try I said.

So I tried.

Once upon a time a very long time ago now about last Friday Winnie the Pooh lived in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders.

What does under the name mean asked Christopher Robin.

It means he had the name over the door in gold letters and lived under it.

Winnie the Pooh wasn't quite sure said Christopher Robin.

Now I am said in a growly voice.

Then I will go on said I.

One day when he was out walking he came to an open place in the middle of the forest and in the middle of this place was a large oak tree and from the top of the tree there came a loud buzzing noise.

Winnie the Pooh sat down at the foot of the tree put his head between his paws and began to think.

First of all he said to himself that buzzing noise means something.

You don't get a buzzing noise like that just buzzing and buzzing without it meaning something.

If there's a buzzing noise somebody's making a buzzing noise and the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you're a bee.

Then he thought another long time and said and the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey.

And then he got up and said and the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.

So he began to climb the tree.

He climbed and he climbed and he climbed and as he climbed he sang a little song to himself.

It went like this.

Isn't it funny how a bear likes honey?

Buzz buzz buzz.

I wonder why he does.

Then he climbed a little further and a little further and then just a little further.

By that time he had thought of another song.

It's a very funny thought that if bears were bees they'd build their nests at the bottom of trees and that being so if the bees were bears we shouldn't have to climb up all these stairs.

He was getting rather tired by this time so that is why he sang a complaining song.

He was getting rather tired by this time so that is why he sang a complaining song.

He was nearly there now and if he just stood on that branch crack oh help said poo as he dropped 10 feet on the branch below him.

If only I hadn't he said as he bounced 20 feet on to the next branch.

You see what I meant to do he explained as he turned head over heels and crashed on to another branch 30 feet below.

Of course it was rather he admitted as he slithered very quickly through the next six branches.

It all comes I suppose he decided as he said goodbye to the last branch spun round three times and flew gracefully into a gorse bush.

It all comes of liking honey so much oh help.

He crawled out of the gorse bush brushed the prickles from his nose and began to think again and the first person he thought of was Christopher Robin.

Was that me said Christopher Robin in an odd voice hardly daring to believe it.

That was you.

Christopher Robin said nothing but his eyes got larger and larger and his face got pinker and pinker.

So Winnie the Pooh went round to his friend Christopher Robin who lived behind a green door in another part of the forest.

Good morning Christopher Robin he said.

Good morning Winnie the Pooh said you.

I wonder if you've got such a thing as a balloon about you.

A balloon?

Yes I just said to myself coming along I wonder if Christopher Robin has such a thing as a balloon about him.

I just said it to myself thinking of balloons and wondering what do you want a balloon for you said.

Winnie the Pooh looked around to see that nobody was listening put a paw to his mouth and said in a deep whisper honey.

But you don't get honey with balloons.

I do said Pooh.

Well it just happened that you had been to a party the day before at the house of your friend Piglet and you had balloons at the party.

You had had a big green balloon and one of rabbits relations had had a big blue one and had left it behind being really too young to go to a party at all and so you had brought the green one and the blue one home with you.

Which one would you like you asked Pooh.

He put his head between his paws and thought very carefully.

It's like this he said when you go after honey with a balloon the great thing is not to let the bees know you're coming.

Now if you have a green balloon they might think you were only part of the tree and not notice you and if you have a blue balloon they might think you were only part of the sky and not notice you and the question is which is most likely.

Wouldn't they notice you underneath the balloon you asked.

They might or they might not said Winnie the Pooh.

You never can tell with bees.

He thought for a moment and said I shall try to look like a small black cloud that will deceive them.

Then you had better have the blue balloon you said and so it was decided.

Well you both went out with the blue balloon and you took your gun with you just in case as you always did and Winnie the Pooh went to a very muddy place that he knew of and rolled and rolled until he was black all over.

And then when the balloon was blown up as big as big and you and Pooh were both holding on to the string you let go suddenly and Pooh Bear floated gracefully up into the sky and stayed there level with the top of the tree and about 20 feet away from it.

Hooray!

You shouted.

Isn't that fine?

Shouted Winnie the Pooh down to you.

What do I look like?

You look like a bear holding on to a balloon you said.

Not said Pooh anxiously.

Not like a small black cloud in a blue sky.

Not very much.

Ah well perhaps from up here it looks different and as I say you never can tell with bees.

There was no wind to blow him nearer to the tree so there he stayed.

He could see the honey.

He could smell the honey but he couldn't quite reach the honey.

After a little while he called down to you.

Christopher Robin he said in a loud whisper.

Hello.

I think the bees suspect something.

What sort of thing?

I don't know but something tells me that they're suspicious.

Perhaps they think that you're after their honey.

It may be that.

You never can tell with bees.

There was another little silence and then he called down to you again.

Christopher Robin.

Yes.

Have you an umbrella in your house?

I think so.

I wish you would bring it out here and walk up and down with it and look up at me every now and then and say to toot it looks like rain.

I think if you did that it would help the deception which we are practicing on these bees.

Well you laugh to yourself.

Silly old bear.

But you didn't say it aloud because you were so fond of him and you went home for your umbrella.

Oh there you are.

Called down Winnie the Pooh as soon as you got back to the tree.

I was beginning to get anxious.

I have discovered that the bees are now definitely suspicious.

Shall I put my umbrella up?

You said.

Yes but wait a moment.

We must be practical.

The important bee to deceive is the queen bee.

Can you see which is the queen bee from down there?

No.

Hmm a pity.

Well now if you walk up and down with your umbrella saying toot toot it looks like rain.

I shall do what I can by singing a little cloud song.

Such as a cloud might sing.

Go.

So while you walked up and down and wondered if it would rain Winnie the Pooh sang this song.

How sweet to be a cloud floating in the blue.

Every little cloud always sings out loud.

How sweet to be a cloud floating in the blue.

It makes him very proud to be a little cloud.

The bees were still buzzing as suspiciously as ever.

Some of them indeed left their nests and flew all around the cloud as it began the second verse of this song.

And one bee sat down on the nose of the cloud for a moment and then got up again.

Christopher,

Ow Robin called out the cloud.

Yes I have just been thinking and I have come to a very important decision.

These are the wrong sort of bees.

Are they?

Quite the wrong sort.

So I should think they would make the wrong sort of honey.

Shouldn't you?

Would they?

Yes.

So I think I shall come down.

How?

Asked you.

Winnie the Pooh hadn't thought about this.

If he let go of the string he would fall,

Bump,

And he didn't like the idea of that.

So he thought for a long time and then he said,

Christopher Robin you must shoot the balloon with your gun.

Have you got your gun?

Of course I have,

You said,

But if I do that it will spoil the balloon,

You said.

But if you don't,

Said Pooh,

I shall have to let go and that would spoil me.

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.

I'm so sorry,

You said,

And you fired again and this time you hit the balloon and the air came slowly out and Winnie the Pooh floated down to the ground.

But his arms were so stiff from holding on to the string of the balloon all that time that they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off.

And I think,

But I am not sure,

That that is why he was always called Pooh.

Is that the end of the story?

Asked Christopher Robin.

That's the end of that one.

There are others.

About Pooh and me?

And Piglet and Rabbit and all of you.

Don't you remember?

I do remember and then when I try to remember I forget.

That day when Pooh and Piglet tried to catch the heffalump.

They didn't catch it,

Did they?

No.

Pooh couldn't because he hasn't any brain.

Did I catch it?

Well,

That comes into the story.

Christopher Robin nodded.

I do remember,

He said.

Only Pooh doesn't very well,

So that's why he likes having it told to him again because then it's a real story and not just a remembering.

That's just how I feel,

I said.

Christopher Robin gave a deep sigh,

Picked his bear up by the leg and walked off to the door trailing Pooh behind him.

At the door he turned and said,

Coming to see me have my bath?

I didn't hurt him when I shot him,

Did I?

Not a bit.

He nodded and went out and in a moment I heard Winnie the Pooh bump bump bump going up the stairs behind him.