Chapter 9

           ITrainedanditrainedanditrained.Piglettoldhimselfthatneverinallhislife,andhewasgoodnessknowshowold—three,wasit,orfour?—neverhadheseensomuchrain.Daysanddaysanddays.

           "Ifonly,"hethought,ashelookedoutofthewindow,"IhadbeeninPooh’shouse,orChristopherRobin’shouse,orRabbit’shousewhenitbegantorain,thenIshouldhavehadCompanyallthistime,insteadofbeinghereallalone,withnothingtodoexceptwonderwhenitwillstop."AndheimaginedhimselfwithPooh,saying,"Didyoueverseesuchrain,Pooh?"andPoohsaying,"Isn’titawful,Piglet?"andPigletsaying,"IwonderhowitisoverChristopherRobin’sway,"andPoohsaying,"IshouldthinkpooroldRabbitisaboutfloodedoutbythistime."Itwouldhavebeenjollytotalklikethis,andreally,itwasn’tmuchgoodhavinganythingexcitinglikefloods,ifyoucouldn’tsharethemwithsomebody.

           Foritwasratherexciting.ThelittledryditchesinwhichPiglethadnosedaboutsooftenhadbecomestreams,thelittlestreamsacrosswhichhehadsplashedwererivers,andtheriver,betweenwhosesteepbankstheyhadplayedsohappily,hadsprawledoutofitsownbedandwastakingupsomuchroomeverywhere,thatPigletwasbeginningtowonderwhetheritwouldbecomingintohisbedsoon.

           "It’salittleAnxious,"hesaidtohimself,"tobeaVerySmallAnimalEntirelySurroundedbyWater.