In which we are introduced to WINNIE-THE-POOH and some bees, and the story begin (6)

In which we are introduced to WINNIE-THE-POOH and some bees, and the story begin (6)

" Which one would you like ? " you asked Pooh.

He put his head between his paws and thought very carefully.
" It's like this, " he said.
" 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 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, and the question is : which is most likely ? "

" Wouldn't they notice you underneath the balloon ? "  you asked.

" They might or they might not, " said Winnie-the-Pooh.
" You never can tell with bees. "

He thought for a moment and said : " I shall try to look like a small black cloud. That will deceive them. "

" Then you had better have the blue balloon, " you said ; and so it was decided.

Well, you both went out with the blue balloon, and you took your gun with you, just in case, as you always did, and Winnie-the-Pooh went to a very muddy place that he knew of, and rolled and rolled until he was black all over, and then, when the balloon was blown up as big as big, and you and Pooh were both holding on to the string, you let go suddenly, and Pooh Bear floated gracefully into the sky, and stayed there ー level with the top of the tree and about twenty feet away from it.

" Hooray ! " you shouted.

(6/20)