One sunny morning in the Hundred Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh woke up with a very specific feeling. He sat up in bed, poked his tummy, and decided that it was time for 'a little something.' In classic Winnie the Pooh stories, this always means one thing: honey. But alas, his pots were empty.
Pooh stood in front of his mirror. He stretched his arms up high to do his morning exercises. 'Up, down, up, down,' he hummed. He was a Bear of Very Little Brain, but he knew that exercise made him hungry, and being hungry was the first step to finding food. He decided to go for a walk to visit a friend.
Humming a little tune, Pooh Bear strolled through the forest until he came to a sandy bank with a large hole in it. He knew this hole very well. It belonged to Rabbit. And where there was Rabbit, there was usually lunch. 'Is anybody at home?' called Pooh loudly into the hole.
There was a scuffling noise inside, and then silence. 'No,' said a voice that sounded very much like Rabbit. 'Nobody is here.' Pooh scratched his head. 'But someone must be there,' he thought, 'because someone said 'nobody is here'.' This logic is what makes bedtime stories for kids featuring Pooh so delightful.
Pooh pushed his head into the hole. 'Hello, Rabbit!' he said. Rabbit, realizing he couldn't hide, politely invited Pooh inside. 'Would you like a mouthful of something?' Rabbit asked. Pooh’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he had hoped for.
They sat at the table. Rabbit brought out bread, honey, and condensed milk. Pooh was so happy he didn't even bother with the bread. He ate the honey. He ate the milk. He ate until there was nothing left but sticky jars. It was a feast worthy of the best tales from the Hundred Acre Wood.
Feeling very full and very sticky, Pooh decided it was time to leave. 'Goodbye, Rabbit,' he said, patting his large, round tummy. He started to climb out of the burrow. His head went through the door. His front paws went through. His shoulders went through.
But then... he stopped. He tried to move forward, but he couldn't. He tried to move backward, but he couldn't. 'Oh, bother,' said Pooh. From inside, Rabbit pushed at Pooh’s legs. 'You are stuck,' said Rabbit perfectly logically. The bear was wedged tight like a cork in a bottle.
'It all comes from having front doors that aren't big enough,' Pooh complained, his voice muffled outside. 'It all comes from eating too much,' Rabbit replied from inside. This funny predicament is one of the most famous scenes in Winnie the Pooh stories.
Rabbit went out his back door to find help. He returned with Christopher Robin, the only person in the forest who knew what to do. Christopher Robin looked at Pooh’s sad face sticking out of the ground. 'Silly old bear,' he said lovingly, patting Pooh on the head.
Christopher Robin assessed the situation. 'There is only one thing to do,' he declared. 'We must wait for you to get thin again.' Pooh’s eyes widened. 'How long does getting thin take?' 'About a week,' said Christopher Robin. 'A week?!' Pooh cried. 'But what about meals?'
For a whole week, Pooh stayed stuck in the doorway. Christopher Robin sat by his head and read him stories about friendship and adventures to keep him entertained. Inside the burrow, Rabbit used Pooh’s legs as a towel rack, because—as Rabbit said—'It’s important to be practical.'
It was a long, hungry week. Pooh dreamt of honey pots floating in the sky. But he was brave. The animals of the forest came to visit him. Kanga brought Roo, and Eeyore visited too (though he mostly complained about his tail). They kept his spirits high.
Finally, the seventh day arrived. Christopher Robin nodded. 'I think you moved a little,' he said. He grabbed Pooh’s paws. Rabbit grabbed Christopher Robin. All of Rabbit’s friends and relations grabbed Rabbit. 'Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho!' they shouted together.
Suddenly, with a loud POP! like a cork flying out of a champagne bottle, Winnie the Pooh flew out of the hole! He tumbled through the air and landed in a prickly bush. He was free! 'I think,' said Pooh, brushing himself off, 'it is time for a little something to eat.'
