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 bear's 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 favourite, 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 twelve or
twenty-two. 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. M.

CONTENTS

I.IN WHICH WE ARE INTRODUCED TO WINNIE-THE-POOH AND SOME BEES, AND THE
STORIES BEGIN
II. IN WHICH POOH GOES VISITING AND GETS INTO A TIGHT PLACE
III. IN WHICH POOH AND PIGLET GO HUNTING AND NEARLY CATCH A WOOZLE
IV. IN WHICH EEYORE LOSES A TAIL AND POOH FINDS ONE
V. IN WHICH PIGLET MEETS A HEFFALUMP
VI. IN WHICH EEYORE HAS A BIRTHDAY AND GETS TWO PRESENTS