INTRODUCTION
IfyouhappentohavereadanotherbookaboutChristopherRobin,youmayrememberthatheoncehada
हंस
swan(ortheswanhadChristopherRobin,Idon'tknowwhich)andthatheusedtocallthisहंस
swanPooh.Thatwasalongtimeago,andwhenwesaidgood-bye,wetookthenamewithus,aswedidn'tthinkthe
हंस
swanwouldwantitanymore.Well,whenEdwardBearsaidthathewouldlikeanexcitingnamealltohimself,ChristopherRobinsaidatonce,withoutstoppingtothink,thathewasWinnie-the-Pooh.
Andhewas.
So,asIhaveexplainedthePoohpart,Iwillnowexplaintherestofit.
Youcan'tbeinLondonforlongwithoutgoingtothe
चिड़ियाघर
Zoo.Therearesomepeoplewhobeginthe
चिड़ियाघर
Zooatthebeginning,calledWAYIN,andwalkasquicklyastheycanpasteveryपिंजरे
cageuntiltheygettotheonecalledWAYOUT,butthenicestpeoplegostraighttotheanimaltheylovethemost,andstaythere.SowhenChristopherRobingoestothe
चिड़ियाघर
Zoo,hegoestowheretheध्रुवीय
PolarBearsare,andhewhisperssomethingtothethirdkeeperfromtheleft,anddoorsareunlocked,andwewanderthroughdarkpassagesandupखड़ी
steepstairs,untilatlastwecometothespecialपिंजरे
cage,andthecageisopened,andouttrotssomethingbrownandfurry,andwithahappycryof"Oh,Bear!"ChristopherRobinrushesintoitsarms.
Nowthisbear'snameisWinnie,whichshowswhatagoodnameforbearsitis,butthefunnythingisthatwecan'trememberwhetherWinnieiscalledafterPooh,orPoohafterWinnie.
Wedidknowonce,butwehaveforgotten....
IhadwrittenasfarasthiswhenPigletlookedupandsaidinhissqueakyvoice,"WhataboutMe?"
"MydearPiglet,"Isaid,"thewholebookisaboutyou."
"SoitisaboutPooh,"hesqueaked.
Youseewhatitis.
HeisjealousbecausehethinksPoohishavingaGrandIntroductionalltohimself.
Poohisthefavourite,ofcourse,there'snodenyingit,butPigletcomesinforagoodmanythingswhichPoohmisses;
becauseyoucan'ttakePoohtoschoolwithouteverybodyknowingit,butPigletissosmallthatheslipsintoapocket,whereitisvery
आरामदायक
comfortingtofeelhimwhenyouarenotquitesurewhethertwicesevenistwelveortwenty-two.Sometimesheslipsoutandhasagoodlookintheink-pot,andinthiswayhehasgotmoreeducationthanPooh,butPoohdoesn'tmind.
Somehavebrains,andsomehaven't,hesays,andthereitis.
Andnowalltheothersaresaying,"WhataboutUs?"
SoperhapsthebestthingtodoistostopwritingIntroductionsandgetonwiththebook.
अध्याय
CHAPTERIINWHICHWEAREINTRODUCEDTOWINNIE-THE-POOHANDSOMEBEES,ANDTHESTORIESBEGIN
HereisEdwardBear,comingdownstairsnow,
टक्कर
bump,bump,bump,onthebackofhishead,behindChristopherRobin.Itis,asfarasheknows,theonlywayofcomingdownstairs,butsometimeshefeelsthattherereallyisanotherway,ifonlyhecouldstopbumpingforamomentandthinkofit.
Andthenhefeelsthatperhapsthereisn't.
Anyhow,hereheisatthebottom,andreadytobeintroducedtoyou.
Winnie-the-Pooh.
WhenIfirstheardhisname,Isaid,justasyouaregoingtosay,"ButIthoughthewasaboy?"
SodidI,"saidChristopherRobin.
Thenyoucan'tcallhimWinnie?"
Idon't."
Butyousaid——".
He'sWinnie-ther-Pooh.
Don'tyouknowwhat'ther'means?"
Ah,yes,nowIdo,"Isaidquickly;
andIhopeyoudotoo,becauseitisallthe
स्पष्टीकरण
explanationyouaregoingtoget.SometimesWinnie-the-Poohlikesagameofsomesortwhenhecomesdownstairs,andsometimeshelikestositquietlyinfrontofthefireandlistentoastory.
Thisevening——.
Whataboutastory?"
saidChristopherRobin.
Whataboutastory?"
Isaid.
CouldyouverysweetlytellWinnie-the-Poohone?"
IsupposeIcould,"Isaid.
"Whatsortofstoriesdoeshelike?"
Abouthimself.
Becausehe'sthatsortofBear."
Oh,Isee."
Socouldyouverysweetly?"
I'lltry,"Isaid.
SoItried.
Onceuponatime,averylongtimeagonow,aboutlastFriday,Winnie-the-PoohlivedinaforestallbyhimselfunderthenameofSanders.
("Whatdoes'underthename'mean?"
askedChristopherRobin.
Itmeanshehadthenameoverthedooringoldletters,andlivedunderit."
Winnie-the-Poohwasn'tquitesure,"saidChristopherRobin.
NowIam,"saidagrowlyvoice.
ThenIwillgoon,"saidI.)
Onedaywhenhewasoutwalking,hecametoanopenplaceinthemiddleoftheforest,andinthemiddleofthisplacewasalargeoak-tree,and,fromthetopofthetree,therecamealoudbuzzing-noise.
Winnie-the-Poohsatdownatthefootofthetree,puthisheadbetweenhispawsandbegantothink.
Firstofallhesaidtohimself:
"Thatbuzzing-noisemeanssomething.
Youdon'tgetabuzzing-noiselikethat,justbuzzingandbuzzing,withoutitsmeaningsomething.
Ifthere'sabuzzing-noise,somebody'smakingabuzzing-noise,andtheonlyreasonformakingabuzzing-noisethatIknowofisbecauseyou'reabee."
Thenhethoughtanotherlongtime,andsaid:
"Andtheonlyreasonforbeinga
मधुमक्खी
beethatIknowofismakinghoney."Andthenhegotup,andsaid:
"AndtheonlyreasonformakinghoneyissoasIcaneatit."
Sohebegantoclimbthetree.
Heclimbedandheclimbedandheclimbed,andasheclimbedhesangalittlesongtohimself.
Itwentlikethis:.
Thenheclimbedalittlefurther...
andalittlefurther...
andthenjustalittlefurther.
Bythattimehehadthoughtofanothersong.
Hewasgettingrathertiredbythistime,sothatiswhyhesangaComplainingSong.
Hewasnearlytherenow,andifhejuststoodonthat
शाखा
branch...Crack!
Oh,help!"
saidPooh,ashedroppedtenfeetonthe
शाखा
branchbelowhim.IfonlyIhadn't——"
hesaid,ashebouncedtwentyfeetontothenext
शाखा
branch.Yousee,whatImeanttodo,"heexplained,asheturnedhead-over-heels,andcrashedontoanother
शाखा
branchthirtyfeetbelow,"whatImeanttodo——".Ofcourse,itwasrather——"
headmitted,asheslitheredveryquicklythroughthenextsixbranches.
Itallcomes,Isuppose,"hedecided,ashesaidgood-byetothelast
शाखा
branch,spunroundthreetimes,andflewgracefullyintoagorse-bush,"itallcomesoflikinghoneysomuch.Oh,help!"
Hecrawledoutofthegorse-bush,brushedthepricklesfromhisnose,andbegantothinkagain.
AndthefirstpersonhethoughtofwasChristopherRobin.
("Wasthatme?"
saidChristopherRobininanawedvoice,hardlydaringtobelieveit.
Thatwasyou."
ChristopherRobinsaidnothing,buthiseyesgotlargerandlarger,andhisfacegotpinkerandpinker.)
SoWinnie-the-PoohwentroundtohisfriendChristopherRobin,wholivedbehindagreendoorinanotherpartoftheforest.
Goodmorning,ChristopherRobin,"hesaid.
Goodmorning,Winnie-ther-Pooh,"saidyou.
Iwonderifyou'vegotsuchathingasa
गुब्बारा
balloonaboutyou?"Aballoon?"
Yes,Ijustsaidtomyselfcomingalong:
'IwonderifChristopherRobinhassuchathingasa
गुब्बारा
balloonabouthim?'Ijustsaidittomyself,thinkingofballoons,andwondering."
Whatdoyouwanta
गुब्बारा
balloonfor?"yousaid.
Winnie-the-Poohlookedroundtoseethatnobodywaslistening,puthis
पंजा
pawtohismouth,andsaidinadeepwhisper:"Honey!"
Butyoudon'tgethoneywithballoons!"
Ido,"saidPooh.
Well,itjusthappenedthatyouhadbeentoapartythedaybeforeatthehouseofyourfriendPiglet,andyouhadballoonsattheparty.
Youhadhadabiggreen
गुब्बारा
balloon;andoneofRabbit'srelationshadhadabigblueone,andhadleftitbehind,beingreallytooyoungtogotoapartyatall;
andsoyouhadbroughtthegreenoneandtheblueonehomewithyou.
Whichonewouldyoulike?"
youaskedPooh.
Heputhisheadbetweenhispawsandthoughtverycarefully.
It'slikethis,"hesaid.
"Whenyougoafterhoneywithaballoon,thegreatthingisnottoletthebeesknowyou'recoming.
Now,ifyouhaveagreen
गुब्बारा
balloon,theymightthinkyouwereonlypartofthetree,andnotnoticeyou,and,ifyouhaveablueगुब्बारा
balloon,theymightthinkyouwereonlypartofthesky,andnotnoticeyou,andthequestionis:Whichismostlikely?"
Wouldn'ttheynoticeyou
नीचे
underneaththeballoon?"youasked.
Theymightortheymightnot,"saidWinnie-the-Pooh.
"Younevercantellwithbees."
Hethoughtforamomentandsaid:
"Ishalltrytolooklikeasmallblack
बादल
cloud.Thatwilldeceivethem."
Thenyouhadbetterhavetheblueballoon,"yousaid;
andsoitwasdecided.
Well,youbothwentoutwiththeblueballoon,andyoutookyourgunwithyou,justincase,asyoualwaysdid,andWinnie-the-Poohwenttoaverymuddyplacethatheknewof,androlledandrolleduntilhewasblackallover;
andthen,whenthe
गुब्बारा
balloonwasblownupasbigasbig,andyouandPoohwerebothholdingontotheस्ट्रिंग
string,youletgosuddenly,andPoohBearfloatedgracefullyupintothesky,andstayedthere—levelwiththetopofthetreeandabouttwentyfeetawayfromit.Hooray!"
youshouted.
Isn'tthatfine?"
shoutedWinnie-the-Poohdowntoyou.
"WhatdoIlooklike?"
YoulooklikeaBearholdingontoaballoon,"yousaid.
Not,"saidPoohanxiously,"—notlikeasmallblack
बादल
cloudinabluesky?"Notverymuch."
Ah,well,perhapsfromuphereitlooksdifferent.
And,asIsay,younevercantellwithbees."
Therewasnowindtoblowhimnearertothetree,sotherehestayed.
Hecouldseethehoney,hecouldsmellthehoney,buthecouldn'tquitereachthehoney.
Afteralittlewhilehecalleddowntoyou.
ChristopherRobin!"
hesaidinaloudwhisper.
Hallo!"
Ithinkthebeessuspectsomething!"
Whatsortofthing?"
Idon'tknow.
Butsomethingtellsmethatthey'resuspicious!"
Perhapstheythinkthatyou'reaftertheirhoney."
Itmaybethat.
Younevercantellwithbees."
Therewasanotherlittlesilence,andthenhecalleddowntoyouagain.
ChristopherRobin!"
Yes?"
Haveyouan
छतरी
umbrellainyourhouse?"Ithinkso."
Iwishyouwouldbringitouthere,andwalkupanddownwithit,andlookupatmeeverynowandthen,andsay'Tut-tut,itlookslikerain.'
Ithink,ifyoudidthat,itwouldhelpthedeceptionwhichwearepractisingonthesebees."
Well,youlaughedtoyourself,"SillyoldBear!"
butyoudidn'tsayitaloudbecauseyouweresofondofhim,andyouwenthomeforyour
छतरी
umbrella.Oh,thereyouare!"
calleddownWinnie-the-Pooh,assoonasyougotbacktothetree.
"Iwasbeginningtoget
चिंतित
anxious.IhavediscoveredthatthebeesarenowdefinitelySuspicious."
ShallIputmy
छतरी
umbrellaup?"yousaid.
Yes,butwaitamoment.
Wemustbe
व्यावहारिक
practical.TheimportantbeetodeceiveistheQueen
मधुमक्खी
Bee.CanyouseewhichistheQueen
मधुमक्खी
Beefromdownthere?"No."
Apity.
Well,now,ifyouwalkupanddownwithyour
छतरी
umbrella,saying,'Tut-tut,itlookslikerain,'IshalldowhatIcanbysingingalittleक्लाउड
CloudSong,suchasaक्लाउड
cloudmightsing....Go!"
So,whileyouwalkedupanddownandwonderedifitwouldrain,Winnie-the-Poohsangthissong:.
Thebeeswerestillbuzzingassuspiciouslyasever.
Someofthem,indeed,lefttheirnestsandflewallroundthe
बादल
cloudasitbeganthesecondverseofthissong,andoneमधुमक्खी
beesatdownonthenoseoftheबादल
cloudforamoment,andthengotupagain.Christopher—ow!—Robin,"calledoutthe
बादल
cloud.Yes?"
Ihavejustbeenthinking,andIhavecometoaveryimportantdecision.
Thesearethewrongsortofbees."
Arethey?"
Quitethewrongsort.
SoIshouldthinktheywouldmakethewrongsortofhoney,shouldn'tyou?"
Wouldthey?"
Yes.
SoIthinkIshallcomedown."
How?"
askedyou.
Winnie-the-Poohhadn'tthoughtaboutthis.
Ifheletgoofthestring,hewouldfall—bump—andhedidn'tliketheideaofthat.
Sohethoughtforalongtime,andthenhesaid:.
ChristopherRobin,youmustshootthe
गुब्बारा
balloonwithyourgun.Haveyougotyourgun?"
OfcourseIhave,"yousaid.
"ButifIdothat,itwill
खराब
spoiltheballoon,"yousaid.