He was still in the Forest!

‘Well, that’s funny,’ he thought. ‘I wonder what that bang was. I couldn’t have made such a noise just falling down. And where’s my balloon? And what’s that small piece of damp rag doing?’

It was the balloon!

‘Oh, dear!’ said Piglet. ‘Oh, dear, oh, dearie, dearie, dear! Well, it’s too late now. I can’t go back, and I haven’t another balloon, and perhaps Eeyore doesn’t like balloons so very much.’

So he trotted on, rather sadly now, and down he came to the side of the stream where Eeyore was, and called out to him.

‘Good morning, Eeyore,’ shouted Piglet.

‘Good morning, Little Piglet,’ said Eeyore. ‘If it is a good morning,’ he said. ‘Which I doubt,’ said he. ‘Not that it matters,’ he said.

‘Many happy returns of the day,’ said Piglet, having now got closer.

Eeyore stopped looking at himself in the stream, and turned to stare at Piglet.

‘Just say that again,’ he said.

‘Many hap—’

‘Wait a moment.’

Balancing on three legs, he began to bring his fourth leg very cautiously up to his ear. ‘I did this yesterday,’ he explained, as he fell down for the third time. ‘It’s quite easy. It’s so as I can hear better. … There, that’s done it! Now then, what were you saying?’ He pushed his ear forward with his hoof.

‘Many happy returns of the day,’ said Piglet again.

‘Meaning me?’

‘Of course, Eeyore.’

‘My birthday?’

‘Yes.’

‘Me having a real birthday?’

“Yes, Eeyore, and I’ve brought you a present.’

Eeyore took down his right hoof from his right ear, turned round, and with great difficulty put up his left hoof.

‘I must have that in the other ear,’ he said. ‘Now then.’

‘A present,’ said Piglet very loudly.