We’ve been listening to Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corner in the car in the last week or so. It’s a CD recording I got from the library – not just an audiobook, but a production with a cast of voices and sound effects. Pooh is voiced by Stephen Fry (Dr. Gordon Gordon to any Bones fans out there) and there are several other recognizable celebrity voices as well, Judi Dench among them. I appreciate the effort, but having recognizable voices for my favorite characters kind of takes away from the narrative for me – when I listen to Pooh, I don’t want to be thinking about “M” from the James Bond movies, or “Gordon Gordon” from Bones. Or “Moaning Myrtle” from Harry Potter, though the woman who voices Piglet isn’t the same – she just sounds like it. But here are a few favorites:
“I ought to say,” explained Pooh as they walked down tot he shore of the island, “that it isn’t just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it’s a Boat, and sometimes it’s more of an Accident. It all depends.” “Depends on what?” “Oh whether I’m on the top of it or underneath it.”
……………
“I don’t know how it is, Christopher Robin, but what with all this snow and one thing and another, not to mention icicles and such-like, it isn’t so Hot in my field about three o’clock in the morning as some people think it is.” [Eeyore]
……….
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” Said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.
Silly old bear! He always makes me laugh. I should read him more often. Thanks for sharing.
Isn't Stephen Fry also "Jeeves" ?
Yes, Pooh is priceless. And yes, Stephen Fry is also Jeeves – but I haven't seen that version of Jeeves and Wooster, so it doesn't come to mind.