Winnie the Pooh

'My birthday still?'

'Of course, Eeyore.'

'Me going on having a real birthday?'

'Yes, Eeyore, and I brought you a balloon.'

'Balloon?' said Eeyore. 'You did say balloon? One of those big coloured things you blow up? Gaiety, song-and-dance, here we are and there we are?'

'Yes, but I'm afraid-I'm very sorry, Eeyore- but when I was running along to bring it you, I fell down.'

'Dear, dear, how unlucky! You ran too fast, I expect. You didn't hurt yourself,

Little Piglet?'

'No, but I-I-oh, Eeyore, I burst the balloon!'

There was a very long silence.

'My balloon?' said Eeyore at last.

Piglet nodded.

'My birthday balloon?'

'Yes, Eeyore,' said Piglet sniffing a little. 'Here it is. With-with many happy returns of the day.' And he gave Eeyore the small piece of damp rag.

'Is this it?' said Eeyore, a little surprised.

Piglet nodded.

'My present?'

Piglet nodded again.

'The balloon?'

'Yes.'

'Thank you, Piglet,' said Eeyore. 'You don't mind my asking,' he went on, 'but what colour was this balloon when it-when it was a balloon?'

'Red.'

'I just wondered... Red,' he murmured to himself. 'My favourite colour...

How big was it?'

'About as big as me.'

'I just wondered... About as big as Piglet,' he said to himself sadly. 'My favourite size. Well, well.'

Piglet felt very miserable, and didn't know what to say. He was still opening his mouth to begin something, and then deciding that it wasn't any good saying that, when he heard a shout from the other side of the river, and there was

Pooh.

'Many happy returns of the day,' called out Pooh, forgetting that he had said it

already.