Music Welcome to snoozecast. The podcast is designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com. If you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by A Bunch of Violets. Tonight, we'll continue the 1928 Children's Book by AA Milne, the House at Pooh Corner. In the last episode, Rapid spends the morning dashing around the forest, organizing everyone and investigating a cryptic notice on Christopher Robin's door, consulting Owl, Poo, Piglet, and Eor to figure out what Christopher Robin has been doing each morning. In the end, they discover from the revised notice, gone out back soon, that Christopher Robin simply goes out to learn and explore,

returning later in the day.

Let's get cozy.

Close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. by the time it came to the edge of the forest, the stream had grown up so that it was almost a river, and being grown up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly, for it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, there is no hurry, we shall get there someday. But all the little streams higher up in the forest went this way and that, quickly, eagerly, having so much to find out before it was too late.

There was a broad track, almost as broad as a road, leading from the outland to the forest. But before it could come to the forest, it had to cross this river. So where it crossed, there was a wooden bridge, almost as broad as a road, with wooden rails on each side of it. Christopher Robin could just get his chin to the top rail if he wanted to, but it was more fun to stand on the bottom rail so that he could lean right over and watch the river slipping slowly away beneath him. Poo could get his chin onto the bottom rail if he wanted to, but it was more fun to lie down and get his head under it and watch the river slipping slowly away beneath them. And this was the only way in which Piglet and Rue could watch the river at all because they were too small to reach the bottom rail. So they would lie down and watch it and it slipped away very slowly, being in no hurry to get there. One day, when Gu was walking towards this bridge, he was trying to make up a piece of poetry about fur cones, because there they were, lying about on each side of him, and he felt singing so he picked a furcona and looked at it, and said to himself, this is a very good furcon, and something ought to rhyme to it, but he couldn't think of anything. And then this came into his head suddenly. Here is a mystery about a little fur tree. Owl says it's his tree, and Kanga says it's her tree. Which doesn't make sense. Said Pooh, because Kanga doesn't live in a tree. He had just come to the bridge and not looking where he was going, he tripped over something, and the fur cone jerked out of his paw into the river. «Bother», said Poo, as it floated slowly under the bridge, and he went back to get another fur cone, which had a rhyme to it. But then he thought that he would just look at the river instead, because it was a peaceful sort of day. So he lay down and looked at it, and it slipped slowly away beneath him, and suddenly there was his fur cone slipping away too. That's funny. Said Poo, and I dropped it on the other side. Said Poo, and it came out on this side. I wonder if it would do it again. And he went back for some more fur counts. It did. It kept on doing it. Then he dropped two in at once, and leaned over the bridge to see which of them would come out first, and one of them did. But as they were both the same size, he didn't know if it was the one which he wanted to win, or the other one. So the next time he dropped one big one and one little one, and the big one came out first, which was what he'd said it would do. And the little one came out last, which was what he had said it would do, so he had one twice. And when he went home for tea, he had won 36 and lost 28, which meant that he was, that he had. Well, you take 28 from 36, and that's what he was, instead of the other way around. And that was the beginning of the game called Poo Sticks, which poo invented, and which he and his friends used to play on the edge of the forest. But they played with sticks instead of fur cones, because they were easier to mark. Now one day Poo and Piglet and Rabbit and Roo were all playing Poo sticks together. They had dropped their sticks in when Rabbit said, go, and then they had hurried across to the other side of the bridge, and now they were all leaning over the edge, waiting to see who stick would come out first. But it was a long time coming, because the river was very lazy that day, and hardly seemed to mind if it didn't ever get there at all. I could see mine, cried Rue. No, I can't. It's something else. Can you see yours? Pigglet. I thought I could see mine, but I couldn't. There it is. No, it isn't. Can you see yours, Pooh? No. Said Pooh. I expect my stick stuck, said Rou. Rabbit, my stick stuck is your stick stuck, Piglet? They always take longer than you think. Said Rabbit. How long do you think they'll take?" asked Rue. "'I can see yours, Piclit,' said Poo suddenly. "'Minds a sort of grayish one,' said Piclit, not daring to lean too far over in case he fell in. "'Yes, that's what I can see. It's coming over onto my side." Rabbit leaned over further than ever, looking for his, and Rue wriggled up and down, calling out, Come on, stick, stick, stick, stick, and Piglet got very excited, because his was the only one which had been seen, and that meant that he was winning. Itchcoming said Poo. Are you sure it's mine? Squeaked Piglet excitedly. Yes, because it's grey. A big grey one. Here it comes. A very big grey. Oh no, it isn't. It's Eor. And out floated Eor. Eor cried everybody. Looking very calm, very dignified, with his legs in the air, came Eor from beneath the bridge. It's Eor, cried Rue, terribly excited. Is that so, said Eor, getting caught up by a little eddy and turning slowly round three times.

I wondered. I didn't know you were playing," said Ru. I'm not said E or. E or. What are you doing there?" said Rabbit. I'll give you three guesses, Rabbit, digging holes in the ground, wrong, leaping from branch to branch of a young oak tree, wrong, waiting for somebody to help me get out of the river. Right. rabbit time and he'll always get the answer. But E.R. said poo in distress. What can we? I mean, how shall we? Do you think if we years, said Eor. One of those would be just the thing. Thank you, Poo. He's going round and round, said Rue, much impressed. And why not said Eor coldly? I can swim too, said Rue, proudly. roundNot round and round,' said Eor. It's much more difficult. I didn't want to come swimming at all today,' he went on, revolving slowly. But if, when in, I decide to practice a slight circular movement from right to left, or perhaps I should say he added as he got into another eddy from left to right just as it happens to occur to me it is nobody's business but my own. There was a moment's silence while everybody thought. I've got a sort of idea," said Poo, at last. But I don't suppose it's a very good one. I don't suppose it is either," said Eor. "'Go on, Poo,' said Rabbit. "'Let's have it. Well, if we all threw stones and things into the river on one side of Eor, the stones would make waves, and the waves would wash them to the other side. That's a very good idea," said Rapid, and Poo looked happy again. Very, said Eor. When I want to be washed, Poo, I'll let you know. Supposing we hid him by mistake, said Piclit, anxiously. Or supposing you missed him by mistake, said Eor. of all the possibilities, Piclit, before you settle down to enjoy yourselves. But Poo had got the biggest stone he could carry, and was leaning over the bridge, holding it in his paws. "'I'm not throwing it, I'm dropping it, Eor,' he explained, and then I can't miss. I mean, I can't hit you. Could you stop turning round for a moment because it muttles me, rather? No. Said Eor. I like turning around. Rabbit began to feel that it was time he took command. Now poo, he said, when I say "'when I say now, you can drop it. Eor, when I say now, Poo will drop his stone. Thank you very much, rabbit. But I expect I shall know.' Are you ready, Poo? Piglet, give Poo a little more room. Get back a bit there. Roo, are you ready? No," said Eor. Now," said Rabbit. Poo dropped his stone. There was a loud splash, and Eor disappeared. It was an anxious moment for the watchers on the bridge. They looked and looked, and Even the sight of piglets stick coming out a little in front of rabbits didn't cheer them up as much as you would have expected. And then, just as Poo was beginning to think that he must have chosen the wrong stone, or the wrong river, or the wrong day for his idea, something gray showed for a moment by the riverbank, and it got slowly bigger and bigger, and at last it was Eor coming out. With a shout, they rushed off the bridge and pushed and pulled at him, and soon he was standing among them on dry land. Oh, E Eor, you are wet,' said Piglet, feeling him. Eor shook himself and asked somebody to explain to Piglet what happened when you had been inside a river for quite a long time. "'Well done, poo,' said Rabbit kindly. That was a good idea, Vars. What was? Asked Eor. Hushing you to the bank like that. Hushing me? Said Eor, in surprise. Hushing me? You didn't think I was hushed, did you? I dived. Poo dropped a large stone on me, and so was to not be struck heavily on the chest, I dived and swam to the bank." You didn't really whispered Piglet to poo so as to comfort him? I didn't think I did," said Poo anxiously. It's just EOR!" said Picklett. I thought your idea was a very good idea.

Pooh began to feel a little more comfortable because when you are a bear, a very little brain, and you think of things, you find sometimes that a thing which seemed very thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people

looking at it. And anyhow, Eor was in the river, and now he wasn't. So he hadn't done any harm. "'How did you fall in, Eor?' asked Rabbit. As he dried him with piglets' hangar chief, I didn't, said Eor.

But how I was bounced, said Eor.

Ooh! I didn't, said Eor. But how I was bounced, said Eor. Ooh, said Roo, excitedly. Did somebody push you? Somebody bounced me. I was just thinking by the side of the river. Thinking, if any of you know what that means, when I received a loud bounce. Oh, E or said everybody. Are you sure you didn't slip? Asked Rabbit wisely. Of course I slipped if you're standing on the slippery bank of a river, and somebody bounces you loudly from behind.

You slip. What did you think I did? But who did it?" asked Rue. Eor didn't answer. I expect it was ticker," said Piglet, nervously. But EOR said Poo. Was it a joke or an accident? I mean, I didn't stop to ask Poo, even at the very bottom of the river. I didn't stop to say to myself, is this a hearty choke? Or is it the merest accident? I just floated to the surface and said to myself, it's wet, if you know what I mean. And where was Tigger?" asked Rabbit. Before Eor could answer, there was a loud noise behind them, and through the hedge came Tigger himself. Hello, everybody. Said ticker, cheerfully.

Hello, ticker.

Said Rue. Rabbit became very important suddenly. «Tigger» he said solemnly. «What happened just now? Just win» said Tigger, a little uncomfortable. «Oh, when you bouncedO. into the river, I didn't bounce him. You bounced me, said E.O. roughly. I didn't really. I had a cough and it happened to be behind E.O. and I said, you're apt. What? Said rabbit, helping picklet up and dusting him. It's all right, Piglet. It took me by surprise, said Piglet nervously. That's what I call bouncing, said Eeyore, taking people by surprise. Very unpleasant habit. I don't mind Tigger being in the forest," he went on, because it's a large forest, and there's plenty of room to bounce in it. But I don't see why he should come into my little corner of it, and bounce there. It isn't as if there was anything very wonderful about my little corner. Of course, for people who like cold, wet, ugly bits, it is something rather special, but otherwise it's just a corner. And if anybody feels bouncy, I didn't bounce, I coughed," said Tigger, crossly. Bouncier coffee, it's all the same at the bottom of the river. Well, said Rabbit, all I can say is. Well, here's Christopher Robin, so he can say it. Christopher Robin came down from the forest to the bridge, feeling all sunny and careless. And just as if twice 19 didn't matter a bit, as it didn't on such a happy afternoon, and he thought that if he stood on the bottom rail of the bridge and leaned over and watched the river sleeping slowly away beneath him, then he would suddenly know everything that there was to be known, and he would be able to tell Poo who wasn't quite sure about some of it.

But when he got to the bridge and saw all the animals there, then he knew that it wasn't

that kind of afternoon, but the other kind when you wanted to do something. It's like this, Christopher Robin began rabbit.

Tigger.

No, I didn't said Tigger.

Well anyhow, there I was,' said Eor. "'But I don't think he meant to,' said Poo. "'He just is bouncy,' said Picklett. "'And he can't help it.' "'Try bouncing me, Tigger,' said Rue eagerly. "'Ear, Tigger is going to try me. Piglet, do you think?' "'Yes, yes,' said Rabbit. We don't all want to speak at once. The point is, what does Christopher Robin think about it?' "'All I did was cough,' said Tigger. He bounced, said Eor. Well, I sort of boffed," said Tigger. Hush," said Rabbit, holding up his paw. What does Christopher Robin think about it all? That's the point. Well, said Christopher Robin, not quite sure what it was all about. I think… Yes, said everybody. I think we ought to play pooh sticks, so they did. And Eor, who had never played it before, won more times than anybody else, and Rue fell in twice the first time by accident, and the second time on purpose,

because he suddenly saw Kinga coming from the forest, and he knew he'd have to go to bed anyhow.

So then Rabbit said he'd go with them, and Tigger and Eor went off together,

because Eor wanted to tell Tigger how to win at Poo Sticks, which you do by letting your stick drop

...