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 isnтАЩt. 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, тАЬBut I thought he was a boy?тАЭ
тАЬSo did I,тАЭ said Christopher Robin.
тАЬThen you canтАЩt call him Winnie?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt.тАЭ
тАЬBut you saidтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬHeтАЩs Winnie-ther-Pooh. DonтАЩt you know what тАШ ther тАЩ means?тАЭ
тАЬAh, yes, now I do,тАЭ 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 when he comes downstairs, and sometimes he likes to sit quietly in front of the fire and listen to a story. This eveningтБатАФ
тАЬWhat about a story?тАЭ said Christopher Robin.
тАЬ What about a story?тАЭ I said.
тАЬCould you very sweetly tell Winnie-the-Pooh one?тАЭ
тАЬI suppose I could,тАЭ I said. тАЬWhat sort of stories does he like?тАЭ