Christopher Robin explaining to Winnie-The-Pooh that this is the end of their adventures is so incredibly poignant.
Johannesburg, South Africa (06 January 2020) – A piece of text has been circulating on the internet describing Christopher Robin’s final moments with his friends in the enchanted forest. Some say it is him just growing up, while others say it is his final goodbye… but either way, the context and words are incredibly powerful.
Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts. And Winnie-The-Pooh – or Pooh Bear as he is affectionately known – is one of those much-loved characters that stay in our hearts long after we grow out of reading A.A. Milne’s series of books.
The first collection of stories about the character was the book Winnie-the-Pooh (1926), and this was followed by The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Milne also included a poem about the bear in the children’s verse book When We Were Very Young (1924) and many more in Now We Are Six (1927). All four volumes were illustrated by E. H. Shepard. The Pooh stories have been translated into many languages, including Alexander Lenard’s Latin translation, Winnie ille Pu, which was first published in 1958, and, in 1960, became the only Latin book ever to have been featured on The New York Times Best Seller list.
In 1961, Walt Disney Productions licensed certain film and other rights of Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories from the estate of A. A. Milne and the licensing agent Stephen Slesinger, Inc., and adapted the Pooh stories, using the unhyphenated name “Winnie the Pooh”, into a series of features that would eventually become one of its most successful franchises. In popular film adaptations, Pooh has been voiced by actors Sterling Holloway, Hal Smith, and Jim Cummings in English, and Yevgeny Leonov in Russian.
But its Pooh’s newest stories – written by people on social media – that is catching our attention and open up our imagination all over again!
Just like South Africans have taken to making their own Nando’s adverts (which many people believe are real), some social media users use Pooh Bear as a basis for new stories… to help us through incredibly tough times.
And this text written by an anonymous Reddit user is heartfelt, poignant and so incredibly important.
Memories Are Forever.
At the end of the Winnie The Pooh story, Christopher Robin takes Pooh to the Enchanted Place at Galleons Lap and basically lets Pooh know in ambiguous terms that this is the end of their adventures together.
“You see,” began Christopher with a long sigh. “It’s like sleeping for a long, long time.”
Christopher Robin was surrounded by his friends under his favourite tree. It rested on the top of a hill overlooking the entire Hundred Acre Wood. He was older now, and he knew that he didn’t have much more time left with them.
“But going to sleep means that some day you’ll wake up.” Pooh said with a smile.
“Precisely!” Owl exclaimed.
“And we’ll be here when you do,” Kanga added. “I’ll even make you breakfast.”
Christopher couldn’t help but smile.
“I would very much like that. But you all have to understand that it will be a very, very long time.”
“Oh ho ho! We are great at waiting a long time! Rabbit here waits every year for the carrots to grow in the garden.” Tigger chimed in.
“And every year you destroy them!” Rabbit snarled.
“But Christopher!” Roo interjected, jumping into Christopher’s lap. “What are we going to do when you’re gone?”
“Oh I won’t be gone Roo. I’ll be right here.”
Christopher placed his finger over Roo’s heart. Roo giggled and scrunched up into a ball.
“We’ll be just fine,” muttered Eeyore. “I’m used to being alone anyways.”
“None of you will be alone! You’re a family now, and while I’m gone you will all take care of each other.”
“B-b-b-ut you will b-b-be back r-r-right Christopher?” Stuttered Piglett.
Christopher let out a soft sigh and looked around at all of his friends. It was going to be difficult to help them to understand. They probably never would…
“Sometimes good things come to an end. But here’s the secret everyone— come close!”
They all huddled together underneath the tree to listen to Christopher’s secret.
“Memories. Are. Forever.” He whispered and tapped Pooh on the nose.
“Memories?” Said Pooh. “Well I have plenty of those! Like that time we saved you from the Heffalumps!”
“Or when you helped me fix my garden!” cried Rabbit.
“Or when you organized my library for me!” Exclaimed Owl.
“Or that time you built me a new house out of those sticks you found in the woods.” Eeyore added sullenly. “It didn’t last the night…but I remember it.”
“Yes, yes! All of those are memories and you will have them forever. Just like I will have my memories of all of you.”
Christopher stood up and took one last look over the Hundred Acre Wood. The sun was setting in the orange autumn sky and the trees were beginning to lose their leaves.
It was time he went home.
Christopher gathered all of his friends together and began walking back down the hill. They were all busy discussing the memories they had had with each other.
“Christopher?” Pooh said, looking up at Christopher as they walked hand in hand. “You aren’t coming back, are you?”
Christopher looked down at the ground and took a moment before he responded.
“No Pooh. I won’t be coming back this time.”
They walked in silence, listening to the sound of the crunching leaves underneath their feet.
Pooh suddenly stopped and looked intently into the ground.
“I believe I am going to miss you Christopher,” he said with a soft, broken voice.
Christopher leaned down and took his lifelong friend into his arms.
“I will miss you too Pooh. I will miss you very, very much.”
by 
Omg… as a life long fan of Winnie-the-Pooh and also having a first edition of the books, this just broke my heart into a million pieces. We all have our childhood things that we hold dear; this is one of them for me… and let me just say while I am not reduce to tears often, that did it.
Childhood lost, we all grow up, move on and die…and everything is left behind.
This is why I cannot bring myself to watch the movie “Goodbye, Christopher Robin”… I need to keep Pooh as pure and as special has he always was in my childhood.
We could all use a friend like Winnie-the-Pooh.
Thank you for this.
What happen in the movie?
Oh my goodness! This isn’t in the book, but it totally could have been. This is just as heart-wrenching as the actual ending. No joke, I’m tearing up over here. Thank you for posting and sharing this! It is beautiful, in a tragic, bittersweet way.
This was read at by his sister, (a message from his nephews) my son-in-law’s funeral. He loved Winnie the Pooh. It was very beautiful.