BIRTH CERTIFICATE
When the first stories of WINNIE-THE-POOH were written there were three
animals in the nursery: stuffed animals to the visitor, but to the
resident very much alive. They were Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore. Pooh had
been the first birthday present, Eeyore was the Christmas present of a
few months later. Piglet was an undated arrival at the hands of a
stranger, who had often noticed a little boy walking in the street with
his nurse and sometimes stopped and talked with them.
With these three friends, and an imaginary Owl and Rabbit, the stories
began; and as they went on, additions to the family were made in the
persons of Kanga (with Roo in her pouch) and Tigger. It must be
confessed that the newcomers were carefully chosen, with the idea of
not only giving pleasure to the reader, but also fresh inspiration to
the chronicler of their adventures.
Five of these animals are paying a personal visit to America in the hope
that some of those who have read about them will now be pleased to meet
them. Anyone who does so will recognize them at once, for they were
drawn from life for the illustrations in the books. The sixth one, Roo,
is believed to be somewhere in Sussex, but no details are available. A
subsequent dog, who became part of the establishment, took him for a walk
once and left him in a hollow tree, from which he was extracted a year
later. But the spirit of adventure was now strong upon him, and soon
afterwards he was off again -- whether or not with the co-operation of the
dog this time is not known. The latter was one of those friendly but
unbalanced young things who must have company; and if Piglet's face now
gives the impression of having seen better days, they were the days
before the dog joined the party. But no explanation is needed for the
world-weariness of Pooh and Eeyore. Time's hand has been upon them
since 1921. That was a long time ago.
Signed
A. A. Milne
[his signature]
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