14 October 1926 -- Winnie-the-Pooh Published

“Return To Pooh Corner” -- Kenny Loggins

Trivia Question: What is the only Latin language book to find a spot on the New York Times Best Seller List?

Answer: Winnie ille Pu.

Alexander Lenard, one of millions of Eastern Europeans displaced by World War II, was a most talented man: Physician, poet, author, artist,  translator, musician, and occasional educator. Master of 12 languages, Lenard published works of fiction and nonfiction alike in English, German, Hungarian, Italian,and Latin. But despite his stunning array of abilities, this amazing polyglot is best remembered for Winnie ille Pu -- his Latin translation of Winnie the Pooh.

Like so many many refugees during war, Lenard lost everything in this constant flight to escape the Nazis. His sister escaped to England, his brother perished in a Nazi labor camp, and he survived only by trading his services as a doctor in return for food and shelter. Six years after the war, Lenard resettled in Brazil with the assistance of a UN refugee organization. One of the very few items Lenard and his wife managed to retain was an English-language edition of Winnie-the-Pooh. After seven years of tedious research and writing, Lenard finished his labors his labors and unsuccessfully sought a publisher. Finding none, he self-published 100 copies and sent them abroad in hopes of snaring an interested publishing house. Then the dominos began to fall. A Swedish publisher first, and then an English one which had earlier rejected the book. Knowing a good thing when they see it, an American publishing house chose to get a piece of the action.

After the first of its 21 printings in December 1960, Winnie ille Pu found its way to the Best Seller List and would remain there for 20 weeks.

"I am Pooh," said Pooh.

"I am Tigger," said Tigger.

"Ah!" said Pooh, because he had never before seen such an animal.

"You know Christopher Robin?"

Unless your Latin skills exceed my own, you were likely introduced to dim-witted yet lovable and kindly bear by means of the A. A. Milne short story collections Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928) or perhaps even in one of Milne’s many poems.

The Great War provoked a staggering outpouring of literary riches. Among those shell-shocked and disillusioned soldiers to return home from the trenches to produce this mother lode of literature are Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves,  J. R. R. Tolkien, Ivor Gurney, Erich Maria Remarque, to name but a few of the more remarkably talented. Somewhere within this thick catalog of treasures you will find the name of Alan Alexander Milne.

Despite being battered in both mind and body, A. A. Milne fared far better than did many of his comrades. He returned to his native England where a wife, financial security, and, before long, a son awaited.This son, Christopher Robin, would lead to the most famous of Milne’s literary creations. Among Christopher’s beloved stuffed animals was a bear he named Winnie, called that after Winnipeg a Canadian black bear at the London Zoo. Inspired, Milne imagined a magical world inhabited by Christopher and Winnie as well as the remainder of his son’s stuffed animals, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger. To this remarkable menagerie, Milne added the characters of Owl and Rabbit.

Milne, Christopher Robin, and Pooh (1926)

Milne and Christopher Robin now belong to the ages, and the once boy’s toys reside under glass within the New York Public Library. Still, the power to enchant and inspire remain intact. Over the decades since his birth, Winnie has contributed to both popular culture and academia, inspiring films and sporting rituals while serving as a vehicle to teach languages and philosophy. Winnie-the-Pooh and his fellows remain popular fixtures in the arms and toyboxes of children across the world.

Winnie has also served as a muse to numerous musicians, lending name and theme to numerous songs and bands. I think the most inspired of these efforts to be Kenny Loggins’ wistful coming-of-age ballad “Return To Pooh Corner.”

Christopher Robin and I walked along

Under branches lit up by the moon

Posing our questions to Owl and Eeyore

As our days disappeared all too soon

But I've wandered much further today than I should

And I can't seem to find my way back to the Wood

So help me if you can

I've got to get back

To the House at Pooh Corner by one

You'd be surprised

There's so much to be done

Count all the bees in the hive

Chase all the clouds from the sky

Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh

Winnie the Pooh doesn't know what to do

Got a honey jar stuck on his nose

He came to me asking help and advice

From here no one knows where he goes

So I sent him to ask of the Owl if he's there

How to loosen a jar from the nose of a bear

Help me if you can

I've got to get back

To the House at Pooh Corner by one

You'd be surprised

There's so much to be done

Count all the bees in the hive

Chase all the clouds from the sky

Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh

It's hard to explain how a few precious things

Seem to follow throughout all our lives

After all's said and done I was watching my son

Sleeping there with my bear by his side

So I tucked him in, I kissed him and as I was going

I swear that the old bear whispered "Boy welcome home"

Believe me if you can

I've finally come back

To the House at Pooh Corner by one

What do you know

There's so much to be done

Count all the bees in the hive

Chase all the clouds from the sky

Back to the days of Christopher Robin

Back to the ways of Christopher Robin

Back to the days of Pooh