Alan Alexander Milne

. It is the best way to write poetry, letting things come.”

‘Many happy returns of Eeyore’s birthday,’ said Pooh.

‘Oh, is that what it is?’

‘What are you giving him, Owl?’

‘What are you giving him, Pooh?’

‘I’m giving him a Useful Pot to Keep Things In, and I wanted to ask you—’

‘Is this it?’ said Owl, taking it out of Pooh’s paw.

‘Yes, and I wanted to ask you—’

‘Somebody has been keeping honey in it,’ said Owl.

‘You can keep anything in it,’ said Pooh earnestly. ‘It’s Very Useful like that. And I wanted to ask you—’

‘You ought to write “A Happy Birthday” on it.’

‘That was what I wanted to ask you,’ said Pooh. ‘Because my spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places. Would you write “A Happy Birthday” on it for me?’

‘It’s a nice pot,’ said Owl, looking at it all round. ‘Couldn’t I give it too? From both of us?’

‘No,’ said Pooh. ‘That would not be a good plan. Now I’ll just wash it first, and then you can write on it.’

Well, he washed the pot out, and dried it, while Owl licked the end of his pencil, and wondered how to spell ‘birthday’.

‘Can you read, Pooh?’ he asked a little anxiously. ‘There’s a notice about knocking and ringing outside my door, which Christopher Robin wrote. Could you read it?’

‘Christopher Robin told me what it said, and then I could.’

‘And many happy returns to you, Pooh Bear.’

‘But it isn’t my birthday.’

‘No, it’s mine.’

‘But you said “Many happy returns” – ’

‘Well, why not? You don’t always want to be miserable on my birthday, do you?’

‘Oh, I see,’ said Pooh.

‘It’s bad enough,’ said Eeyore, almost breaking down, ‘being miserable myself, what with no presents and no cake and no candles, and no proper notice taken of me at all, but if everybody else is going to be miserable too – ’

This was too much for Pooh. ‘Stay there!’ he called to Eeyore, as he turned and hurried back home as quick as he could; for he felt that he must get poor Eeyore a present of some sort at once, and he could