once Pooh was pushed back, he was back, and of course nobody was more
glad to see Pooh than he was, still there it was, some lived in trees
and some lived underground, and——
"You mean I'd never get out?" said Pooh.
"I mean," said Rabbit, "that having got so far, it seems a pity to
waste it."
Christopher Robin nodded.
"Then there's only one thing to be done," he said. "We shall have to
wait for you to get thin again."
"How long does getting thin take?" asked Pooh anxiously.
"About a week, I should think."
"But I can't stay here for a week!"
"You can stay here all right, silly old Bear. It's getting you out
which is so difficult."
"We'll read to you," said Rabbit cheerfully. "And I hope it won't snow,"
he added. "And I say, old fellow, you're taking up a good deal of room
in my house—do you mind if I use your back legs as a towel-horse?
Because, I mean, there they are—doing nothing—and it would be very
convenient just to hang the towels on them."
"A week!" said Pooh gloomily. "What about meals?"
"I'm afraid no meals," said Christopher Robin, "because of getting thin
quicker. But we will read to you."
Bear began to sigh, and then found he couldn't because he was so tightly
stuck; and a tear rolled down his eye, as he said:
"Then would you read a Sustaining Book, such as would help and comfort a
Wedged Bear in Great Tightness?"


So for a week Christopher Robin read that sort of book at the North end
of Pooh, and Rabbit hung his washing on the South end ... and in
between Bear felt himself getting slenderer and slenderer. And at the
end of the week Christopher Robin said, "Now!"


So he took hold of Pooh's front paws and Rabbit took hold of Christopher
Robin, and all Rabbit's friends and relations took hold of Rabbit, and
they all pulled together....
And for a long time Pooh only said "Ow!" ...
And "Oh!" ...


And then, all of a sudden, he said "Pop!" just as if a cork were
coming out of a bottle.
And Christopher Robin and Rabbit and all Rabbit's friends and relations