Szívünknek kedves Mackóról

Alan Alexander Milne was born on the 18th of January 1882 in (Hampstead,)London. (He was the youngest of three sons born to John Vine Milne and Sarah Maria Heginbotham.) His father was a schoolmaster at the school where Alan get his first education. He continued his education at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics (in 1903). Milne's first literary efforts were published in the humorous magazine Punch, where, in 1906 Milne started to work as Assistant Editor. In 1913 Milne married Dorothy de Selincourt, the God-daughter of Punch editor,( Owen Seaman.)

With the outbreak of the First World War, Milne joined the army (as a signaling officer) in February 1915. He was sent to France in the Spring of 1916 but he left the front lines later that year suffering from fever. He discharged from the army in February 1919. After leaving the army, Milne gave up his post at Punch and concentrated on writing plays. In 1923 his first children's poem 'Vespers' was published in Vanity Fair. The poem featured his son Christopher Robin.

In 1924, after the success of 'Vespers' Milne published a book of children's poems entitled 'When We Were Very Young', with drawings by Punch illustrator, Ernest Shepard. This book includes a poem about a Teddy Bear. This was Pooh's first unofficial appearance in A.A. Milne's writing. 'When We Were Very Young' proved to be an instant success and sold over 50,000 copies within eight weeks.

A collection of short stories for children Gallery of Children, and other stories that became part of the Winnie-the-Pooh books, were first published in 1925. Milne's contribution for the Christmas Eve issue of the Evening News was a bedtime story that he had made up for his son about adventures he had with his Teddy Bear who was known as Winnie the Pooh. It was also at this time that the Milne family moved to the cottage at Cotchford Farm in Sussex which later provided the setting for the Pooh books.

This bedtime story formed the first chapter of Milnes next book entitled 'Winnie-the-Pooh' (1926). This book was followed by the verses 'Now We are Six' (1927), and 'The House at Pooh Corner' (1928). In an attempt to shield his son from the publicity generated by the success of the Pooh stories, Milne announced that 'The House at Pooh Corner' would be his last Christopher Robin book.

Interestingly, Milne didn't write the Pooh stories and poems for children but instead intended them for the child within us. He also never read the stories and poems to his son Christopher. Although Milne went on to write other plays and novels, these Pooh stories remain his best known work.

In 1952, Milne underwent an operation of the brain, which left him an invalid. He survived the operation and returned to his home in Sussex, where he spent the rest of his life. After a long illness, he died on 31st January, 1956.

Ashdown Forest: the setting for the stories

The Winnie-the-Pooh stories are set in Ashdown Forest, Sussex, England. Alan Milne, bought a country retreat for himself and his family at Cotchford Farm, near Hartfield, East Sussex, in 1925. Christopher, who was an only child born in 1920 and whose closest childhood relationship was with his nanny, spent his early years happily exploring the Forest. It is the Ashdown Forest landscape, and Christopher's reports of his experiences and discoveries there, that provided inspiration and material for A.A. Milne's stories.  Many locations in the stories can be linked to real places in and around the forest. Several of the sites described in the books can be easily identified, although their names have been changed. For example, Five Hundred Acre Wood, became Hundred Acre Wood.

Tigger

A stripy, bouncy animal. making " loud noises all the time. Ask him and he'll say that he swims, jumps, flies, and climbs trees better than anyone—but one thing is for sure, Tigger is a master at bouncing. Described as Friendly, Grand, Large, and Helpful. Although his endless energy can sometimes get him in trouble. Like a playmate for kids.
"Tigger said it was difficult to explain to anybody who wasn't a Tigger himself..."

Rabbit

A Very Important Animal. With so many friends and relations to look after, Rabbit's days are busy indeed! But Rabbit is an expert at Organization (and Thinking and Spelling, too) and always finds time to visit—or devise a Plan. Full of  Ideas, Rabbit is the Brain in the group.
"Rabbit's clever…and he has a Brain. I suppose that's why he never understands anything..."

Owl

A Wise and Thoughtful Animal. Owl's intelligence is known throughout the Hundred Acre Wood, as his talents for writing, spelling, and other educated and special tasks. Owl's home at The Chestnuts is grander than everyone else's—equipped with both a knocker and a bell-pull! Owl is wise and often consulted for advice.
"And if anyone knows anything about anything, it's Owl who knows something about something..."

Kanga

A kangaroo, mother of Roo. Kanga is a doting and thoughtful mother, routinely found carrying Roo around in her pouch. She displays many maternal attributes, such as: making sure that there are enough watercress sandwiches to go round, telling you what to do, giving baths, and knowing how to play a joke. Not only is she the fastest animal in the Hundred Acre Wood, but she is also one of the most generous. For kids : Like parents, they need to feel safety and adult behavior and the most important: true love towards her kid. patience towards Tigger for example.
"Now it happened that Kanga had felt rather motherly that morning..."

Winnie the Pooh books and videos have been translated in 29 languages.

You can see all of the real plushies that inspired the characters at the New York Public Library. With one exception –Christopher Robin lost his Roo plush in the thirties, so it is sadly missing from the collection.

Winnie the Pooh is also called Pooh, or Pooh Bear, but never, ever, just Winnie.

He has also left his mark on the real world as well. There are streets in Warsaw and Budapest named after him. (Pesterzsébet)

10 things Winnie the Pooh taught me about life:

1. Positive Thinking. “However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.” (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 11) Although Eeyore is generally known as the gloomy one, even he can look on the bright side occasionally.

2. Empathy. “What about me?” said Pooh sadly. “I suppose I shan’t be useful?” “Never mind, Pooh,” said Piglet comfortingly. “Another time, perhaps.” (Winnie the Pooh, p. 95) Piglet, being a Very Small Animal, acutely understands what it is like to feel useless.  

3. Gratitude. But Eeyore wasn’t listening. He was taking the balloon out, and putting it back again, as happy as could be… (Winnie the Pooh, p. 89) It doesn’t matter to Eeyore that Piglet meant to give him an inflated balloon and Pooh meant to give him a pot of honey for his birthday and what he got was a popped balloon and an empty pot. He enjoys his gifts because his friends thought to give them to him.  

4. Creative Problem Solving. In the very first story of the very first book we learn about Pooh’s Passion for Honey. In Pooh’s quest for honey, the bees have become suspicious of him, and thus he needs a new plan that will allow him to fly under the radar and stealthily take the honey. He decides on attaching himself to a balloon. But a blue balloon or a green balloon?  He explains the benefit of each to Christopher Robin: “When you go after honey with a balloon, the great thing is not to let the bees know you’re coming. Now, if you have a green balloon, they might think you were only part of the tree and not notice you, and if you have a blue balloon, they might think you were only part of the sky and not notice you.” (Winnie The Pooh, p. 13) 

5. The Importance of Education. “But to the Educated - mark this, little Piglet – to the Educated, not meaning Poohs and Piglets, it’s a great and glorious A." (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 88) Those who can spell in the Hundred Acre Wood are the ones the others look up to. Owl is wise and often consulted for advice because he can spell Tuesday.

6. Taking Pleasure in the Simple Things in Life. And that was the beginning of a game called Poohsticks, which Pooh invented, and which he and his friends used to play on the edge of the forest. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 95) Poohsticks may be one of the simplest games invented, but with the right friends, it can be endlessly entertaining.  

7. Get Along With Everyone. “Tigger is all right, really,” said Piglet lazily. “Of course he is,” said Christopher Robin. “Everybody is really,” said Pooh. “That’s what I think.” (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 108) Even though Tigger is strange to them at first, the other characters soon embrace him as a friend. If these woodland creatures are able to put aside their, at times, staggering differences, certainly we human beings can as well.  

8. Take Time to Do Nothing. “It means just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 173). In an increasingly stressful world is it important to remember that a break is necessary to one’s physical and mental health.  

9. Embrace Your Individuality. There are so many wonderful things about Tigger, but what’s the MOST wonderful thing? That he’s the only one! Being different is great.   

10. Friendship. “Pooh, promise you won’t forget about me, ever. Not even when I’m a hundred." Pooh thought for a little. “How old shall I be then?” “Ninety-nine.” “I promise,” he said. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 179). The overall theme of Winnie the Pooh is the importance of forming solid, lasting friendships. With good friends, you will always have someone there to lean on, someone who will go on adventures and expeditions with you, and even someone who might invite you over for tea and a mouthful of something.

International names:

	Winnie the Pooh	Piglet	Tigger	Eeyoor
Danish	Peter Plys	Grisling	Tigerdyret	Æsel
Dutch	Winnie de Poeh	Knorretje	Teigetje	Iejoor
German	Pu der Bär	Ferke	Tiger	I-Ah
Finnish	Nalle Puh	Nasu	Tikru	Ihaa
French	Winnie l'Ourson	Porcinet	Tigrou	Bourriquet
Hungarian	Micimackó	Malacka	Tigris	Füles
Italian	Winnie-the-Pooh	Pimpi	Tigro	Ih-Oh
Norwegian	Ole Brumm	Nasse Nøff	Tigergutt	Tussi
Polish	Kubus Puchatek	Prosiaczka	Tygryska	Tygryska
Portuguese	Ursinho Puff	Leitäo	Tigräo	Bisonho
Spanish	Winnie the Pooh	Winnie the Pooh	Tigger	Ígor
Swedish	Nalle Puh	Nasse	Tiger	I-or