Chapter 8

           ONEfinedayPoohhadstumpeduptothetopoftheForesttoseeifhisfriendChristopherRobinwasinterestedinBearsatall.Atbreakfastthatmorning(asimplemealofmarmaladespreadlightlyoverahoneycombortwo)hehadsuddenlythoughtofanewsong.Itbeganlikethis:

           "SingHo!ForthelifeofaBear."

           Whenhehadgotasfarasthis,hescratchedhishead,andthoughttohimself"That’saverygoodstartforasong,butwhataboutthesecondline?"Hetriedsinging"Ho,"twoorthreetimes,butitdidn’tseemtohelp."Perhapsitwouldbebetter,"hethought,"ifIsangHiforthelifeofaBear."Sohesangit...butitwasn’t."Verywell,then,"hesaid,"Ishallsingthatfirstlinetwice,andperhapsifIsingitveryquickly,IshallfindmyselfsingingthethirdandfourthlinesbeforeIhavetimetothinkofthem,andthatwillbeaGoodSong.Nowthen:"

           SingHo!forthelifeofaBear!

           SingHo!forthelifeofaBear!

           Idon’tmuchmindifitrainsorsnows,

           ’CosI’vegotalotofhoneyonmynicenewnose!

           Idon’tmuchcareifitsnowsorthaws,

           ’CosI’vegotalotofhoneyonmynicecleanpaws!

           SingHo!foraBear!

           SingHo!foraPooh!

           AndI’llhavealittlesomethinginanhourortwo!

           HewassopleasedwiththissongthathesangitallthewaytothetopoftheForest,"andifIgoonsingingitmuchlonger,"hethought,"itwillbetimeforthelittlesomething,andthenthelastlinewon’tbetrue."Soheturneditintoahuminstead.