By: A. A. Milne
From: When We Were Very Young
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat
Which is not to be wondered at;
He gets what exercise he can
By falling off the ottoman,
But generally seems to lack,
The energy to clamber back.
Which gets a fellow wondering;
And Teddy worried lots about
The fact that he was rather stout.
He thought:"If only I were thin!
But how does anyone begin?"
He thought: "It really isn't fair
To grudge me exercise and air."
His nose against the window-pane,
And envied those who walked about
Reducing their unwanted stout.
None of the people he could see
"Is quite" (he said)"as fat as me!"
Then, with a still more moving sigh,
"I mean" (he said)"as fat as I!"
Slept in the ottoman at night,
And with him crowded in as well
More animals than I can tell;
Not only these, but books and things,
Such as a kind relation brings--
Old tales of "Once upon a time,"
And history retold in rhyme.
To read about this famous King,
Nicknamed "The Handsome." There he sat,
And certainly the man was fat.
Nicknamed "The Handsome."Not a doubt
The man was defintely stout.
Why then, a bear (for all his tub)
Might yet be named "The Handsome Cub"!
That years ago he "might have been"?
For now he felt a slight misgiving:
"Is Louis So and So still living?
Fashions in beauty have a way
Of altering from day to day.
Is 'Handsome Louis' with us yet?
Unfortunately I forget."
The doubt occurred to him again.
One question hammered in his head:
"Is he alive or is he dead?"
Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but
The lattice window, loosely shut,
Swung open. With one startled "Oh!"
Our Teddy disappeared below.
A plump man with a twinkling eye,
Who, seeing Teddy in the street,
Raised him politely to his feet,
And murmured kindly in his ear
Soft words of comfort and of cheer:
"Well, well!" "Allow me!""Not at all."
"Tut-tut! A very nasty fall."
It's doubrful if he even heard.
Our bear could only look and look:
The stout man in the picture-book!
That "handsome"King--could this be he,
This man of adiposity?
"Impossible," he thought. "But still,
No harm in asking. Yes I will!"
His Magesty the King of France?"
The other answered, "I am that,"
Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
The said, "Excuse me," with an air,
"But is it Mr. Edward Bear?"
And Teddy, bending very low,
Replied politely, "Even so!"
The King and Mr. Edward Bear,
And handsome, if a trifle fat,
Talked carelessly of this and that...
Then said His Majesty, "Well, well,
I must get on," and rang the bell.
"Your bear, i think," he smiled. "Good-day!"
And turned, and went upon his way.
A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at.
But do you think it worries him
To know that he is far from slim?
No, just the other way about--
He's proudof being short and stout.
