Winnie The Pooh - Piglet Has A Bath

Please enjoy this Chapter 7 of Winnie the Pooh In Which Kanga and baby Roo Come to the Forest, and Piglet has a Bath. How will Pooh, Rabbit and Piglet react when new animals appear in the forest? Rabbit devises a plan to meet the new animals but will his idea go as planned?
A. A. Milne is a wonderful story creator and I enjoy reading their work. I hope you enjoy listening.

Transcript

Please find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and relax as I read chapter 7 of Winnie the Pooh in which Kanga and Baby Roo come to the forest and Piglet has a bath.

Nobody seemed to know where they came from but there they were in the forest,

Kanga and Baby Roo.

When Pooh asked Christopher Robin,

How did they come here?

Christopher Robin said,

In the usual way.

You know what I mean,

Pooh.

And Pooh,

Who didn't,

Said,

Oh.

Then he nodded his head twice and said,

In the usual way.

Ah.

Then he went to call upon his friend Piglet to see what he thought about it.

And at Piglet's house he found Rabbit.

So they all talked about it together.

What I don't like about it is this,

Said Rabbit.

Here are we,

You,

Pooh,

And you,

Piglet,

And me.

And suddenly,

And Eeyore,

Said Pooh.

And Eeyore.

And then suddenly,

And Owl,

Said Pooh.

And Owl.

And then all of a sudden,

Oh,

And Eeyore,

Said Pooh.

I was forgetting him.

Here we are,

Said Rabbit,

Very slowly and carefully.

All of us.

And then,

Suddenly,

We wake up one morning,

And what do we find?

We find a strange animal among us.

An animal of whom we have never even heard before.

An animal who carries her family about her in her pocket.

Suppose I carried my family about with me in my pocket.

How many pockets should I want?

Ah,

Sixteen,

Said Piglet.

Seventeen,

Isn't it,

Said Rabbit.

And one more for a handkerchief.

That's eighteen.

Eighteen pockets in one suit?

I haven't time.

There was a long and thoughtful silence.

And then Pooh,

Who had been frowning very hard for some minutes,

Said,

I make it fifteen.

What?

Said Rabbit.

Fifteen.

Fifteen what?

Your family.

What about them?

Pooh rubbed his nose and said that he thought Rabbit had been talking about his family.

Did I?

Said Rabbit carelessly.

Yes,

You said.

Never mind,

Pooh,

Said Piglet impatiently.

The question is,

What are we about to do about Kenga?

Oh,

I see,

Said Pooh.

The best way,

Said Rabbit,

Would be this.

The best way would be to still Baby Roo and hide him.

And then when Kenga says,

Where's Baby Roo?

We say,

Aha.

Aha,

Said Pooh,

Practicing.

Aha.

Aha.

Of course,

He went on.

We could say Aha even if we haven't stolen Baby Roo.

Pooh,

Said Rabbit kindly.

You haven't any brain.

I know,

Said Pooh humbly.

We say Aha so that Kenga knows that we know where Baby Roo is.

Aha means we'll tell you where Baby Roo is if you promise to go away from the forest and never come back.

Now don't talk while I think.

Pooh went into a corner and tried saying Aha in that sort of voice.

Sometimes it seemed to him that it did mean what Rabbit said,

And sometimes it seemed to him that it didn't.

I suppose it's just practice,

He thought.

I wonder if Kenga will have to practice too so as to understand it.

There's just one thing,

Said Piglet fidgeting a bit.

I was talking to Christopher Robin and he said that Kenga was generally regarded as one of the fiercer animals.

I'm not frightened of fierce animals in the ordinary way,

But it is well known that,

If one of the fiercer animals is deprived of its young,

It becomes as fierce as two of the fiercer animals,

In which Aha is perhaps a foolish thing to say.

Piglet,

Said Rabbit,

Picking out a pencil and licking the end of it.

You haven't any pluck.

It's hard to be brave,

Said Piglet,

Sniffing slightly,

When you're only a very small animal.

Rabbit,

Who had begun to write very busily,

Looked up and said,

It's because you're a very small animal that you will be useful in the adventure before us.

Piglet was so excited at the idea of being useful that he forgot to be frightened anymore,

And when Rabbit went on to say that Kengas were only fierce during the winter months,

Being at other times an affectionate disposition,

He could hardly sit still.

He was so eager to begin being useful at once.

What about me?

Said Pooh sadly.

I suppose I shan't be useful.

Never mind,

Pooh,

Said Piglet comfortingly.

Another time,

Perhaps.

Without Pooh,

Said Rabbit solemnly,

As he sharpened his pencil,

The adventure would be impossible.

Oh,

Said Piglet,

And tried not to look so disappointed,

But Pooh went into a corner of the room and said proudly to himself,

Impossible without me,

That sort of bear.

Now listen,

All of you,

Said Rabbit when he had finished writing,

And Pooh and Piglet sat listening very eagerly with their mouths open.

This was what Rabbit read out.

Plan to Capture Baby Roo Number One.

General Remarks.

Kenga runs faster than any of us,

Even me.

Number Two.

More General Remarks.

Kenga never takes her eye off of Baby Roo,

Except when he's safely buttoned in her pocket.

Number Three.

Therefore,

If we are to capture Baby Roo,

We must get a long start,

Because Kenga runs faster than any of us,

Even me.

See Number One.

Number Four.

A Thought.

If Roo had jumped out of Kenga's pocket and Piglet had jumped in,

Kenga wouldn't know the difference,

Because Piglet is a very small animal.

Number Five.

Like Roo.

Number Six.

But Kenga would have to be looking the other way first,

So as not to see Piglet jumping in.

Number Seven.

See Number Two.

Number Eight.

Another Thought.

But if Poo was talking to her very excitedly,

She might look in the other way for a moment.

Number Nine.

And then could run away with Roo.

Number Ten.

Quickly.

Number Eleven.

And Kenga wouldn't discover the difference until afterwards.

Well,

Rabbit read this out proudly,

And for a little while after he had read it,

Nobody said anything.

And then Piglet,

Who had been opening and shutting his mouth without making any noise,

Managed to say very huskily.

And afterwards?

What do you mean?

When Kenga does discover the difference.

Then we'll all say,

Aha.

All three of us?

Yes.

Oh.

Why,

What's the trouble,

Piglet?

Nothing,

Said Piglet.

As long as we all three say it,

Said Piglet.

I don't mind,

He said.

But I shouldn't care to say,

Aha,

By myself.

It wouldn't sound so nearly well.

By the way,

He said,

You are quite sure about what you said about the winter months?

The winter months?

Yes,

Only being fierce in the winter months.

Oh,

Yes,

Yes.

That's all right.

Well,

Poo?

You see what you have to do?

No,

Said Pooh Bear.

Not yet,

He said.

What do I do?

Well,

You just have to talk very hard to Kenga,

So as she doesn't notice anything.

Oh,

What about?

Anything you like.

You mean like telling her a little bit of poetry or something?

That's it,

Said Rabbit.

Splendid.

Now,

Come along.

So they all went out to look for Kenga.

Kenga and Roo were spending a quiet afternoon in a sandy part of the forest.

Baby Roo was practicing very small jumps in the sand and falling down mouse holes and climbing out of them.

And Kenga was fidgeting about and saying,

And at that moment,

Roo should come stumping up the hill,

But Pooh.

Good afternoon,

Kenga.

Good afternoon,

Pooh.

Look at me jumping,

Squeaked Roo and fell into another mouse hole.

Hello,

Roo,

My favorite fellow.

We were just going home,

Said Kenga.

Good afternoon,

Rabbit.

Good afternoon,

Piglet.

Rabbit and Piglet,

Who had now come up from the other side of the hill,

Said,

Good afternoon,

And hello,

Roo.

And Roo asked them to look at him jumping.

So they stayed and looked.

And Kenga looked,

Too.

Oh,

Kenga,

You're so cute.

And Kenga looked,

Too.

Oh,

Kenga,

Said Pooh,

After Rabbit had winked at him twice.

I don't know if you're interested in poetry at all.

Hardly at all,

Said Kenga.

Oh,

Said Pooh.

Roo,

Dear,

Just one more jump and then we must go home.

There was a short silence while Roo fell down another mouse hole.

Go on,

Said Rabbit,

In a loud whisper behind his paw.

Talking of poetry,

Said Pooh,

I made up a little piece as I was coming along.

It went like this.

Er,

Let me see.

Fancy,

Said Kenga.

Now,

Roo,

Dear,

You'll like this piece of poetry,

Said Rabbit.

Said Rabbit.

You'll love it,

Said Piglet.

You must listen very carefully,

Said Rabbit.

So as not to miss any of it,

Said Piglet.

Oh,

Yes,

Said Kenga,

But she still looked at baby Roo.

How did it go,

Pooh,

Said Rabbit.

Pooh gave a little cough and began.

Lines written by a bear of very little brain.

On Monday,

When the sun is hot,

I wonder to myself a lot.

Now it is true,

Or it is not,

That what is which and which is what.

On Tuesday,

When it hails and snows,

The feeling on me grows and grows.

That hardly anybody knows if those are these and these are those.

On Wednesday,

When the sky is blue and I have nothing else to do,

I sometimes wonder if it's true that who is what and what is who.

On Thursday,

When it starts to freeze,

A hoarfrost twinkles on the trees.

How very readily one sees that these are who's but who's are these.

On Friday,

Yes,

It is,

Isn't it,

Said Kenga,

Not wanting to hear what happens on Friday.

Just one more jump,

Roo,

Dear,

And then we'll really must be going.

Rabbit gave Pooh a hurrying-up sort of nudge.

Talking of poetry,

Said Pooh quickly,

Have you ever noticed that tree right over there?

Where,

Said Kenga.

Now,

Roo,

Right over there,

Said Pooh,

Pointing behind Kenga's back.

No,

Said Kenga.

Now jump in,

Roo,

Dear,

And we'll go home.

You ought to look at that tree right over there,

Said Rabbit.

Shall I lift you in,

Roo?

And he picked up Roo with his paws.

I can see a bird in it from here,

Said Pooh.

Or is it a fish?

You ought to see that bird from here,

Said Rabbit,

Unless it's a fish.

It isn't a fish,

It's a bird,

Said Piglet.

So it is,

Said Rabbit.

Is it a startling or a blackbird,

Said Pooh?

That's the whole question,

Said Rabbit.

Is it a blackbird or a startling?

And then at last,

Kenga did turn her head to look.

And the moment that her head was turned,

Rabbit said in a loud voice,

In you go,

Roo!

And in jumped Piglet into Kenga's pocket,

And off scampered Rabbit with Roo in his paws as fast as he could.

Why,

Where's Rabbit?

Said Kenga,

Turning around again.

Are you all right,

Roo,

Dear?

Piglet made a squeaky Roo noise from the bottom of Kenga's pocket.

Rabbit had to go away,

Said Pooh.

I think he thought of something he had to go and see about suddenly.

And Piglet?

I think Piglet thought of something at the same time,

Suddenly.

Well,

We must be getting home,

Said Kenga.

Goodbye,

Pooh.

And in three large jumps,

She was gone.

Pooh looked after her as she went.

I wish I could jump like that,

He thought.

Some can,

And some can't.

That's how it is.

But there were moments that Piglet wished that Kenga couldn't.

Often,

When he had had a long walk home through the forest,

He wished that he were a bird.

But now he thought jerkily to himself at the bottom of Kenga's pocket.

If this is flying,

I shall never really take to it.

And as he went up in the air,

He said,

Ooh.

And at the same time down,

He said,

Oh.

And he was saying,

Ooh,

Oh,

Ooh,

Oh,

Ooh,

Oh,

All the way to Kenga's house.

Of course,

As soon as Kenga unbuttoned her pocket,

She saw what had happened.

Just for a moment,

She thought she was frightened.

And then she knew she wasn't.

For she felt quite sure that Christopher Robin would never let any harm happen to Roo.

So she said to herself,

If they are having a joke with me,

I will have a joke with them.

Now then,

Roo,

Dear,

She said as she took Piglet out of her pocket,

Bedtime.

Aha,

Said Piglet,

As well as he could after his terrifying journey.

But it wasn't a very good aha,

And Kenga didn't seem to understand what it meant.

Bath first,

Said Kenga in a cheerful voice.

Aha,

Said Piglet again,

Looking round anxiously for the others.

But the others weren't there.

Rabbit began playing with baby Roo in his own house and feeling more fond of him every minute.

And Poo,

Who had decided to be a Kenga,

Was still at the sandy place on the top of the forest,

Practicing jumps.

I am not at all sure,

Said Kenga in a thoughtful voice,

That it wouldn't be a good idea to have a cold bath this evening.

Would you like that,

Roo,

Dear?

Piglet,

Who had never been really fond of baths,

Shuddered a long indignant shudder and said,

In as brave of a voice as he could,

Kenga,

I see that the time has come to a spleek painly.

Funny little Roo,

Said Kenga as she got the bath water ready.

I am not Roo,

Said Piglet loudly.

I am Piglet.

Yes,

Dear,

Yes,

Said Kenga soothingly.

And imitating Piglet's voice too,

So clever of him.

She went on as she took a large bar of yellow soap out of the cupboard.

What will he be doing next?

Can't you see?

Shouted Piglet.

Haven't you got eyes?

Look at me.

I am looking,

Roo,

Dear,

Said Kenga rather severely.

And you know what I told you yesterday about making faces.

If you go on making faces like Piglet's,

You'll grow up to look like a Piglet and then think how sorry you will be.

Now then,

Into the bath and don't let me have to speak to you about it again.

Before he knew where he was,

Piglet was in the bath and Kenga was scrubbing him firmly with a large lathery flannel.

Ow,

Cried Piglet.

Let me out.

I'm Piglet.

Don't open your mouth,

Dear,

Or the soap goes in,

Said Kenga.

There,

What did I tell you?

You,

You,

You did it on purpose,

Spluttered Piglet as soon as he could speak again and then accidentally had another mouthful of lathery flannel.

That's right,

Dear,

Don't say anything,

Said Kenga.

And in another minute,

Piglet was out of the bath and being rubbed dry with a towel.

Now,

Said Kenga,

There's your medicine and then bed.

What,

What medicine?

Said Piglet.

To make you grow big and strong,

Dear.

You don't want to grow up small and weak like Piglet,

Do you?

Well then.

At that moment,

There was a knock at the door.

Come in,

Said Kenga,

And in came Christopher Robin.

Christopher Robin,

Christopher Robin,

Cried Piglet.

Tell Kenga who I am.

She keeps saying I'm Roo.

I'm not Roo.

Am I?

Christopher Robin looked at him very carefully and shook his head.

You can't be Roo,

He said,

Because I've just seen Roo playing in Rabbit's house.

Well,

Said Kenga,

Fancy that,

Fancy my making a mistake like that.

There you are,

Said Piglet.

I told you so.

I'm Piglet.

Christopher Robin shook his head again.

Oh,

You're not Piglet,

He said.

I know Piglet well,

And he's quite a different color.

Quite a different color.

Piglet began to say that this was because he had just had a bath,

And then he went that perhaps he wouldn't say that,

And as he opened his mouth to say something else,

Kenga slipped the medicine spoon in and then patted him on the back and told him that it was really quite a nice taste when you got used to it.

I knew it wasn't Piglet,

Said Kenga.

I wonder who it can be.

Perhaps it's some relation of Pooh's,

Said Christopher Robin.

What about a nephew or an uncle or something?

Kenga agreed that this was probably what it was,

And said that they would have to call it by some name.

I shall call it Poohlet,

Said Christopher Robin.

Henry Poohlet for short.

And just when it was decided,

Henry Poohlet wriggled out of Kenga's arms and jumped to the ground.

To his great joy,

Christopher Robin had left the door open.

Never had Henry Poohlet Piglet run so fast as he ran then,

And he didn't stop running until he had got quite close to his house.

But when he was a hundred yards away,

He stopped running and rolled the rest of the way home,

So as to get his own nice comfortable color again.

So Kenga and Roo stayed in the forest,

And every Tuesday,

Roo spent the day with his great friend Rabbit.

And every Tuesday,

Kenga spent the day with her great friend Pooh,

Teaching him to jump.

And every Tuesday,

Piglet spent the day with his great friend Christopher Robin.

So they were all happy again.

Thank you for listening to Chapter 7 of Winnie the Pooh,

In which Kenga and baby Roo come to the forest and Piglet has a bath.

Please come back and listen to more adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Reviews

That was very sweet. I don't know how it ended because I was asleep before it was over. Which is absolutely perfect. 😉