21

Now one autumn morning when the wind had blown all the leaves off the trees in the night, and was trying to blow the branches off, Pooh and Piglet were sitting in the Thoughtful Spot and wondering.
"What I think," said Pooh, "is I think we'll go to Pooh Corner and see Eeyore, because perhaps his house has been blown down, and perhaps he'd like us to build it again."
"What I think," said Piglet, "is I think we'll go and see Christopher Robin only he won't be there, so we can't."
"Let's go and see everybody," said Pooh. "Because when you've been walking in the wind for miles, and you suddenly go into somebody's house, and he says, 'Hallo, Pooh, you're just in time for a little smackerel of something,' and you are, then it's what I call a Friendly Day."
Piglet thought that they ought to have a Reason for going to see everybody, like Looking for Small or Organizing an Expotition, if Pooh could think of something.
Pooh could.
"We'll go because it's Thursday," he said, "and we'll go to wish everybody a Very Happy Thursday. Come on, Piglet."
They got up; and when Piglet had sat down again, because he didn't know the wind was so strong, and had been helped up by Pooh, they started off. They went to Pooh's house first, and luckily Pooh was at home just as they got there, so he asked them in, and they had some, and then they went on to Kanga's house, holding on to each other, and shouting, "isn't it?" and "What?" and "I can't hear".

This is from "The House At The Pooh Corner". Because they (Pooh and Piglet) went to Pooh's house, why could Pooh be at home and ask them in?

Improve this question
3
  • 4
    the most confusing part of this whole story is what happens after the bolded text. "they had some"... some what? I think this is referring to "a little smackerel of something" but I had to go back three paragraphs to find the antecedent to the pronoun. Then after this they are shouting "isn't it?" and "What?" and this makes no sense to me. What are they shouting these random phrases? I don't see any previous references to decode why they are doing this.
    – Michael
    Apr 28 at 18:03
  • 4
    @Michael - that probably deserves a separate question. You are right about "some...". They are shouting at each other because the wind is so strong and they can barely hear (that's also why they are holding onto each other). The Pooh books are written in a style that is very difficult for a non-native speaker, but that style delighted me as a child.
    – Francis Davey
    Apr 29 at 2:49
  • @FrancisDavey Thanks, I figured there was probably a simple answer that is outside the limited text provided in the question.
    – Michael
    Apr 30 at 1:21

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
67

No. It's a whimsical joke. When you visit a friend's house without notice, it's lucky they were in. They might be out, and you may not get to see them, and have a snack. But when you visit your own house, of course you are there, and you can let yourself in for a snack. Note "luckily Pooh was at home just as they got there"; he arrived when they arrived, because of course he did.

Improve this answer
3
  • 4
    Just a few hours ago I made of list of all the kings of other countries who are certain to be at the coronation of King Charles III of the UK, because they are also Charles III.
    – M. A. Golding
    Apr 29 at 19:51
  • 2
    @M.A.Golding I am too American for your joke, plz explain
    – Azor Ahai -him-
    Apr 30 at 20:17
  • 3
    @AzorAhai-him- In addition to being the Monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, he is also Monarch of the other Commonwealth Realms — it's a "job lot". You rule one, you get fourteen free. So, he's also the King of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu
    – Chronocidal
    Apr 30 at 21:34

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.