Heather Evans Editorial

When looking at the falling snow outside my bedroom window today, it feels like the perfect time to write about A.A Milne’s infamous creation: Christopher Robin, Pooh, and all of his friends. I have a particularly stunning edition of the second book of Pooh’s stories, The House at Pooh Corner, and these stories are the ones we remember most – where Tigger is introduced to the gang, Pooh and Piglet build a home for Eeyore, and Pooh says farewell to Christopher, promising he will be in the forest for him to find forever. This childhood gem, which I was lucky enough to pick up on a charity shop shelf, simply cannot be left on a dusty bookcase unread. Despite being first published in 1928, I feel that these stories can still teach us lessons about acceptance and tolerance, which in our current political climate is still, unfortunately, very relevant. Milne based Pooh and his surroundings on his own personal life, i.e. Pooh was his son’s, Christopher Robin Milne, actual bear, and Ashdown Forest in Sussex forms the inspiration for the forest setting. So, it’s understandable that the issues raised in the text can be transferable to our real world.

Also, this is a book that cannot be fully experienced on a kindle or any other form of screen. The magic of Pooh’s adventures radiates off the page due to the illustration of ‘Mr Shepard’, the colours illuminating the stories and warming our hearts. With this colourful edition, as E.H.Shepard added colour to his drawings 50 years after the initial publication, one has to hold the book to appreciate the craftsmanship and to follow the shape and literal mapping of the text and forest. The book is a piece of art in two ways: for the text itself, and the pictures within its binding.

The story that really grabs me in Milne’s book is the very first one – ‘Chapter One in which a house is built at Pooh corner for Eeyore’. The story begins with Winnie waking up and then deciding to call on his closest friend, Piglet. However, despite walking through the snow, Piglet is not in, and Winnie walks home singing an adorable hum to help him forget about his chilly toes. Yet, when he arrives back at his abode, Piglet is in his house, explaining how he also went to knock on Pooh and they must have missed each other. Pooh, deciding what to do with Piglet and being overly impressed with his tune, goes to find Eeyore to cheer him up with his hum. Piglet, due to the cold, snowy weather, reluctantly follows.

However, when singing the snowy song, they both realise that Eeyore has no where to live, and surely he must be getting very cold. This leads to Winnie and Piglet’s plan –

‘You have a house, Piglet, and I have a house, and they are very good houses. And Christopher Robin has a house, and Owl and Kanga and Rabbit have houses, and even Rabbit’s friend’s and relations have houses or somethings, but poor Eeyore has nothing. So what I’ve been thinking is: Let’s build him a house’

Indeed, Eeyore had been getting very cold. When talking to Christopher Robin, he exclaims how he has been searching for somewhere warm to live, but they are no houses for him. And the one he did live in, had mysteriously and unexpectedly vanished.

Nonetheless, we know that Piglet and Pooh have unknowingly stolen Eeyore’s stick house to form a new, warmer one on Pooh Corner. When presenting it to Eeyore, he believes that the wind must have blown his house to a new, better location –

‘It’s a remarkable thing,’ he said. ‘It is my house, and I built it where I said I did, so the wind must have blown it here. And the wind blew it right over the wood, and blew it down here, and here it is as good as ever. In fact, better in places’

Hence, the story ends with a happy Eeyore, and a content Piglet and Pooh who have helped a friend in need.

I think we should aspire to be like Pooh and Piglet. Although this is a heartwarming tale to read, if you truly think about it most people don’t view the homeless like we view Eeyore. Those on our own turf, and those far away in locations that aren’t as pleasant as Pooh’s forest, are often looked upon in a dehumanised way, or we believe we simply cannot help due to our abilities and distance. You don’t have to build whole infrastructures, or give your whole income away, but sometimes a little of kindness and acceptance goes a long way. After all, like Pooh’s gang, we’re all friends. Maybe the wind moving some people’s homes isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Just to end off, I thought I should be drinking something sweet like Pooh’s hunny when reading his stories. When reliving Milne’s book, I went to Boston Tea Party and I tried their Chocolate Tea. Yes, I know this sounds a bit odd, but I was surprised. Rather than it tasting overly sweet as if it had a syrup in it, which I expected, the tea just had a nice, milky aftertaste. If you want something that gives you the satisfaction of a English Breakfast, but want something with a little twist, I would highly recommend.

I hope I’ve inspired some people to go and dive into some children’s literature, or just have a think over their brew.

Happy drinking and reading!

Hev xo