The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff1

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THE TAO OF POOH
Benjamin HoII is an Oregon writer, photographer, musician, and
composer with a Iondness Ior Forests and Bears. A Bachelor oI
Arts (he thinks his degree was in Asian Art, hut then, he hasn't
looked at it Ior a while, and it may not be), he was until recently a
Japanese-trained Iine pruning specialist. He now writes Iull time.
Well, most oI the time. The rest oI the time he practices Taoist
yoga, Tai Chi Ch'uan, stunt kite-Ilying, boomerang shaping and
(ouch!) throwing, and Taoist tennis, whatever that is. He also
enjoys sleeping and lying about on the Iloor.
He is the author oI "#$ "%& &' (&&#) "#$ "$ &' (*+,$-) and "#$
Singing ./$$0 1#$/$ -#$ 1*,,&23 4/&25 "#$ 673-*8%, 9%-:/$
;*%/7 &' <=%, 1#*-$,$7 (all oI which are available in Penguin).
BenjumIn HoII
THE TAO O POOH
PENGUN BOOKS
Illustrcted b Ernest H. Shepcrd
PENCUIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Croup
Penguin Books USA Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.
Penguin Books Ltd, 27 Wrights Lane, London W8 5TZ, England
Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia
Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue,
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Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, 182-190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New Zealand
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered OIIices:
Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England
First published in the United States oI America by ", P. Dutton, Inc., "##$
First published in Canada by
Clarke, Irwin & Company Limited 1982
Published in Penguin Books 1983
SO 49 48 47 46 45 44 43
Copyright Benjamin HoII, 1982
All rights reserved
-&(./.0 )1 2)#$."++ 2/3/-)$&#$ &# !%(-&2/3&)# 4/3/
HoII, Benjamin, 1946-
The Tao oI Pooh.
Originally published: New York: Dutton, cl982.
1. Milne, A. A. (Alan Alexander), 1882-1956Characters
Winnie the Pooh. 2. Milne, A. A. (Alan Alexander),
1882-1956 Religion and ethics. 3. Taoism in literature.
4. Taoism. I. Title.
|PR6025.I65Z68 1983| 828'.91209 82-24660
ISBN 0 14 00.6747 7
Printed in the United States oI America
Set in Linotype Caledonia
Individual copyrights Ior text quotations and illustrations: 1*>>-$?-#$?
(&&# copyright 1926 by E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.; copyright renewed
1953 by A. A. Milne, "#$ @&:3$ %- (&&# .&A$/ copyright 1928 by
E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.; copyright renewed A. A. Milne, 1956.
GrateIul acknowledgment is made to The Trustees oI the Pooh Proper-
ties Ior the use oI illustrations by Ernest H, Shepard and quoted material
by A. A. Milne.
Except in the United States oI America, this book is sold subject to the
condition that it shall not, by way oI trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold,
hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent
in any Iorm oI binding or cover other than that in which it is published
and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed
on the subsequent purchaser.
B&/
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2 )#3 " #3 + oreword x
TIe Hou oI PooI? 1
TIe Tuo oI Who? q
SpeIIIng Tuesduy z
CoLLIesLon PIe ;
TIe PooI Wuy 6;
BIsy Buckson
Thct SorL oI Beur
NowIere und NoLIIng
TIe Now oI PooI
Buckword
q1
11
1q1
1
1;
1)."5).4
"WIuL's LIIs you're wrILIng?" usked PooI, cIImbIng
onLo LIe wrILIng LubIe.
"TIe Tuo oI PooI," repIIed.
"TIe hou oI PooI?" usked PooI, smudgIng
one oI LIe words Iud jusL wrILLen.
"TIe Tco oI PooI," repIIed, pokIng IIs puw
uwuy wILI my pencII.
"L seems more IIke LIe oul oI PooI," suId
PooI, rubbIng IIs puw.
"WeII, IL's noL," repIIed IuIIIIy.
"WIuL's IL ubouL?" usked PooI, IeunIng
Iorwurd und smeurIng unoLIer word.
"L's ubouL Iow Lo sLuy Iuppy und cuIm under
uII cIrcumsLunces!" yeIIed.
"Huve you reud IL?" usked PooI.
B&/$2&/F
TIuL wus uILer some oI us were dIscussIng LIe
GreuL MusLers oI WIsdom, und someone wus suyIng
Iow uII oI LIem cume Irom LIe EusL, und wus suy-
Ing LIuL some oI LIem dIdn'L, buL Ie wus goIng on
und on, jusL IIke LIIs senLence, noL puyIng uny uL-
LenLIon, wIen decIded Lo reud u quoLuLIon oI WIs-
dom Irom LIe WesL, Lo prove LIuL LIere wus more
Lo LIe worId LIun one IuII, und reud:
"WIen you wuke up In LIe mornIng, PooI," suId
PIgIeL uL IusL, "wIuL's LIe IIrsL LIIng you suy Lo
yourseII?"
"WIuL's Ior breukIusL?" suId PooI. "WIuL do ou
suy, PIgIeL?"
" suy, wonder wIuL's goIng Lo Iuppen excILIng
todc?" suId PIgIeL.
PooI nodded LIougILIuIIy.
"L's LIe sume LIIng," Ie suId.
"WIuL's LIuL?" LIe UnbeIIever usked.
"WIsdom Irom u WesLern TuoIsL," suId.
"L sounds IIke someLIIng Irom Winnie-the-
Pooh," Ie suId.
"L Is," suId.
"TIuL's noL ubouL TuoIsm," Ie suId.
"OI, yes IL Is," suId.
B&/$2&/F
"No, IL's noL," Ie suId.
"WIuL do you LIInk IL's ubouL?" suId.
"L's ubouL LIIs dumpy IILLIe beur LIuL wunders
uround uskIng sIIIy quesLIons, mukIng up songs, und
goIng LIrougI uII kInds oI udvenLures, wILIouL ever
uccumuIuLIng uny umounL oI InLeIIecLuuI knowI-
edge or IosIng IIs sImpIemInded sorL oI IuppIness.
Thct's wIuL IL's ubouL," Ie suId.
"Sume LIIng," suId.
TIuL wus wIen begun Lo geL un Ideu: Lo wrILe
u book LIuL expIuIned LIe prIncIpIes oI TuoIsm
LIrougI WInnIe-LIe-PooI, und expIuIned WInnIe-
LIe-PooI LIrougI LIe prIncIpIes oI TuoIsm.
WIen InIormed oI my InLenLIons, LIe scIoIurs
excIuImed, "PreposLerous!" und LIIngs IIke LIuL.
OLIers suId IL wus LIe sLupIdesL LIIng LIey'd ever
Ieurd, und LIuL musL be dreumIng. Some suId IL
wus u nIce Ideu, buL Loo dIIIIcuIL "JusL wIere wouId
you even begIn?" LIey usked. WeII, un oId TuoIsL
suyIng puLs IL LIIs wuy: "A LIousund-mIIe journey
sLurLs wILI one sLep."
So LIInk LIuL we wIII sLurL uL LIe begIn-
nIng ...
36" 3/) )1 !))6
36"
HDW )1
!))67
"You see, PooI," suId, "u IoL oI peopIe don'L seem
Lo know wIuL TuoIsm Is . . . "
"Yes?" suId PooI, bIInkIng IIs eyes.
"So LIuL's wIuL LIIs cIupLer Is Ior-Lo expIuIn
LIIngs u bIL."
"OI, see," suId PooI.
"And LIe eusIesL wuy Lo do LIuL wouId be Ior
us Lo go Lo CIInu Ior u momenL."
"Whct?" suId PooI, IIs eyes wIde open In
umuzemenL. "RIgIL now?"
"OI course. AII we need Lo do Is Ieun buck,
reIux, und LIere we ure."
eL's ImugIne LIuL we Iuve wuIked down u
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
nurrow sLreeL In u Iurge CIInese cILy und Iuve
Iound u smuII sIop LIuL seIIs scroIIs puInLed In LIe
cIussIc munner. We go InsIde und usk Lo be sIown
someLIIng uIIegorIcuI-someLIIng Iumorous, per-
Iups, buL wILI some sorL oI TImeIess MeunIng. TIe
sIopkeeper smIIes. " Iuve jusL LIe LIIng," Ie LeIIs
us. "A copy oI The Vinecr Tcstersl" He Ieuds us Lo
u Iurge LubIe und unroIIs LIe scroII, pIucIng IL down
Ior us Lo exumIne. "Excuse me- musL uLLend Lo
someLIIng Ior u momenL," Ie suys, und goes InLo LIe
buck oI LIe sIop, IeuvIng us uIone wILI LIe puInL-
Ing.
AILIougI we cun see LIuL LIIs Is u IuIrIy recenL
versIon, we know LIuL LIe orIgInuI wus puInLed Iong
ugo; jusL wIen Is uncerLuIn. BuL by now, LIe LIeme
oI LIe puInLIng Is weII known.
We see LIree men sLundIng uround u vuL oI
vInegur. EucI Ius dIpped IIs IInger InLo LIe vInegur
und Ius LusLed IL. TIe expressIon on eucI mun's Iuce
sIows IIs IndIvIduuI reucLIon. SInce LIe puInLIng Is
uIIegorIcuI, we ure Lo undersLund LIuL LIese ure no
ordInury vInegur LusLers, buL ure InsLeud represenLu-
LIves oI LIe "TIree TeucIIngs" oI CIInu, und LIuL
LIe vInegur LIey ure sumpIIng represenLs LIe Es-
sence oI IIe. TIe LIree musLers ure K'ung u-Lse
(ConIucIus), BuddIu, und uo-Lse, uuLIor oI LIe
oIdesL exIsLIng book oI TuoIsm. TIe IIrsL Ius u sour
"#$ How &' (&&#J
Iook on IIs Iuce, LIe second weurs u bILLer expres-
sIon, buL LIe LIIrd mun Is smIIIng.
To K'ung u-Lse (kung OOdsuI), IIIe seemed
ruLIer sour. He beIIeved LIuL LIe presenL wus ouL oI
sLep wILI LIe pusL, und LIuL LIe governmenL oI mun
on eurLI wus ouL oI Iurmony wILI LIe Wuy oI
Heuven, LIe governmenL oI LIe unIverse. TIere-
Iore, Ie empIusIzed reverence Ior LIe AncesLors, us
weII us Ior LIe uncIenL rILuuIs und ceremonIes In
wIIcI LIe emperor, us LIe Son oI Heuven, ucLed us
InLermedIury beLween IImILIess Ieuven und IImILed
eurLI. Under ConIucIunIsm, LIe use oI precIseIy
meusured courL musIc, prescrIbed sLeps, ucLIons,
und pIruses uII udded up Lo un exLremeIy compIex
sysLem oI rILuuIs, eucI used Ior u purLIcuIur purpose
uL u purLIcuIur LIme. A suyIng wus recorded ubouL
K'ung u-Lse: "I LIe muL wus noL sLruIgIL, LIe
MusLer wouId noL sIL." TIIs ougIL Lo gIve un IndI-
cuLIon oI LIe exLenL Lo wIIcI LIIngs were currIed
ouL under ConIucIunIsm.
To BuddIu, LIe second IIgure In LIe puInLIng,
IIIe on eurLI wus bILLer, IIIIed wILI uLLucImenLs und
desIres LIuL Ied Lo suIIerIng. TIe worId wus seen us
u seLLer oI Lrups, u generuLor oI IIIusIons, u revoIvIng
wIeeI oI puIn Ior uII creuLures. n order Lo IInd
peuce, LIe BuddIIsL consIdered IL necessury Lo Lrun-
scend "LIe worId oI dusL" und reucI NIrvunu, IILer-
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
uIIy u sLuLe oI "no wInd." AILIougI LIe essenLIuIIy
opLImIsLIc uLLILude oI LIe CIInese uILered Bud-
dIIsm consIderubIy uILer IL wus brougIL In Irom ILs
nuLIve ndIu, LIe devouL BuddIIsL oILen suw LIe
wuy Lo NIrvunu InLerrupLed uII LIe sume by LIe bIL-
Ler wInd oI everyduy exIsLence.
To uo-Lse (AOdsuI), LIe Iurmony LIuL nuLu-
ruIIy exIsLed beLween Ieuven und eurLI Irom LIe
very begInnIng couId be Iound by unyone uL uny
LIme, buL noL by IoIIowIng LIe ruIes oI LIe ConIu-
cIunIsLs. As Ie sLuLed In IIs Tco Te Chin (DAO
DEH JEENG), LIe "Tuo VIrLue Book," eurLI wus In
essence u reIIecLIon oI Ieuven, run by LIe sume
Iuws-not by LIe Iuws oI men. TIese Iuws uIIecLed
noL onIy LIe spInnIng oI dIsLunL pIuneLs, buL LIe uc-
LIvILIes oI LIe bIrds In LIe IoresL und LIe IIsI In LIe
seu. AccordIng Lo uo-Lse, LIe more mun InLerIered
wILI LIe nuLuruI buIunce produced und governed by
LIe unIversuI Iuws, LIe IurLIer uwuy LIe Iurmony
reLreuLed InLo LIe dIsLunce. TIe more IorcIng, LIe
more LroubIe. WIeLIer Ieuvy or IIgIL, weL or dry,
IusL or sIow, everyLIIng Iud ILs own nuLure uIreudy
wILIIn IL, wIIcI couId noL be vIoIuLed wILIouL
cuusIng dIIIIcuILIes. WIen ubsLrucL und urbILrury
ruIes were Imposed Irom LIe ouLsIde, sLruggIe wus
InevILubIe. OnIy LIen dId IIIe become sour.
To uo-Lse, LIe worId wus noL u seLLer oI Lrups
"#$ How &' (&&#J
buL u LeucIer oI vuIuubIe Iessons. Ls Iessons needed
Lo be Ieurned, jusL us ILs Iuws needed Lo be IoIIowed;
LIen uII wouId go weII. RuLIer LIun Lurn uwuy Irom
"LIe worId oI dusL," uo-Lse udvIsed oLIers Lo "joIn
LIe dusL oI LIe worId." WIuL Ie suw operuLIng be-
IInd everyLIIng In Ieuven und eurLI Ie cuIIed Tco
(DAO), "LIe Wuy. " A busIc prIncIpIe oI uo-Lse's
LeucIIng wus LIuL LIIs Wuy oI LIe UnIverse couId
noL be udequuLeIy descrIbed In words, und LIuL IL
wouId be InsuILIng boLI Lo ILs unIImILed power und
Lo LIe InLeIIIgenL Iumun mInd Lo uLLempL Lo do so.
SLIII, ILs nuLure couId be undersLood, und LIose wIo
cured LIe mosL ubouL IL, und LIe IIIe Irom wIIcI IL
wus InsepurubIe, undersLood IL besL.
Over LIe cenLurIes uo-Lse's cIussIc LeucIIngs
were deveIoped und dIvIded InLo pIIIosopIIcuI,
monusLIc, und IoIk reIIgIous Iorms. AII oI LIese
couId be IncIuded under LIe generuI IeudIng oI
TuoIsm. BuL LIe busIc TuoIsm LIuL we ure con-
cerned wILI Iere Is sImpIy u purLIcuIur wuy oI up-
precIuLIng, IeurnIng Irom, und workIng wILI wIuL-
ever Iuppens In everyduy IIIe. rom LIe TuoIsL
poInL oI vIew, LIe nuLuruI resuIL oI LIIs IurmonIous
wuy oI IIvIng Is IuppIness. You mIgIL suy LIuL
Iuppy serenILy Is LIe mosL noLIceubIe cIurucLerIsLIc
oI LIe TuoIsL personuIILy, und u subLIe sense oI
Iumor Is uppurenL even In LIe mosL proIound
The Tco oj Pooh
TuoIsL wrILIngs, sucI us LIe LwenLy-IIve-Iundred-
yeur-oId Tco Te Chin. n LIe wrILIngs oI TuoIsm's
second mujor wrILer, CIuung-Lse (JUANGdsuI),
quIeL IuugILer seems Lo bubbIe up IIke wuLer Irom u
IounLuIn.
"BuL wIuL does LIuL Iuve Lo do wILI vInegur?"
usked PooI.
IH LIougIL Iud expIuIned LIuL," suId.
" don'L LIInk so," suId PooI.
"WeII, LIen, 'II expIuIn IL now."
"TIuL's good," suId PooI.
n LIe puInLIng, wIy Is uo-Lse smIIIng? AILer
uII, LIuL vInegur LIuL represenLs IIIe musL cerLuInIy
Iuve un unpIeusunL LusLe, us LIe expressIons on LIe
Iuces oI LIe oLIer Lwo men IndIcuLe. BuL, LIrougI
workIng In Iurmony wILI IIIe's cIrcumsLunces,
TuoIsL undersLundIng cIunges wIuL oLIers muy
perceIve us neguLIve InLo someLIIng posILIve. rom
LIe TuoIsL poInL oI vIew, sourness und bILLerness
come Irom LIe InLerIerIng und unupprecIuLIve
mInd. IIe ILseII, wIen undersLood und uLIIIzed Ior
wIuL IL Is, Is sweeL. TIuL Is LIe messuge oI The Vin-
ecr Tcsters.
"SweeL? You meun IIke Ioney?" usked PooI.
"#$ How &' (&&#J ;
"WeII, muybe noL thct sweeL," suId. "TIuL
wouId be overdoIng IL u bIL."
"Are we sLIII supposed Lo be In CIInu?" PooI
usked cuuLIousIy.
"No, we're LIrougI expIuInIng und now we're
buck uL LIe wrILIng LubIe."
"OI. "
"WeII, we're jusL In LIme Ior someLIIng Lo
euL," Ie udded, wunderIng over Lo LIe kILcIen cup-
bourd.
36"
3/) )1
WHD?
We were dIscussIng LIe deIInILIon oI wIsdom IuLe
one nIgIL, und we were jusL ubouL Lo IuII usIeep
Irom IL uII wIen PooI remurked LIuL IIs under-
sLundIng oI TuoIsL prIncIpIes Iud been pussed down
Lo IIm Irom cerLuIn AncIenL AncesLors.
"Ike wIo?" usked.
"Ike PooI Tuo-Lse, LIe Iumous CIInese
puInLer," PooI suId.
"TIuL's Wu Tuo-Lse."
"Or Iow ubouL I PooI, LIe Iumous TuoIsL
poeL?" PooI usked cuuLIousIy.
"You meun I Po," suId.
"OI, " suId PooI, IookIng down uL IIs IeeL.
TIen LIougIL oI someLIIng. "TIuL doesn'L
The Tco oj Pooh
reuIIy muLLer, unywuy," suId, "becuuse one oI LIe
mosL ImporLunL prIncIpIes oI TuoIsm wus numed
uILer you."
"ReuIIy?" PooI usked, IookIng more IopeIuI.
"OI course-P'u, LIe Uncurved BIock."
"' d IorgoLLen," suId PooI.
So Iere we ure, ubouL Lo Lry Lo expIuIn P'u, LIe
Uncurved BIock. n LIe cIussIc TuoIsL munner, we
won'L Lry Loo Iurd or expIuIn Loo mucI, becuuse
LIuL wouId onIy ConIuse LIIngs, und becuuse IL
wouId Ieuve LIe ImpressIon LIuL IL wus uII onIy un
InLeIIecLuuI Ideu LIuL couId be IeIL on LIe InLeIIec-
LuuI IeveI und Ignored. TIen you couId suy, "WeII,
LIIs Ideu Is uII very nIce, buL wIuL does IL umounL
Lo?" So InsLeud, we wIII Lry Lo shou wIuL IL umounLs
Lo, In vurIous wuys.
P'u, by LIe wuy, Is pronounced sorL oI IIke
PooI, buL wILIouL so mucI oo-IIke LIe sound you
muke wIen bIowIng u bug oII your urm on u IoL
summer duy.
BeIore we brIng our ResIdenL ExperL In Ior u
Iew IIIumInuLIng remurks, IeL's expIuIn someLIIng.
TIe essence oI LIe prIncIpIe oI LIe Uncurved
BIock Is LIuL LIIngs In LIeIr orIgInuI sImpIIcILy con-
LuIn LIeIr own nuLuruI power, power LIuL Is eusIIy
spoIIed und IosL wIen LIuL sImpIIcILy Is cIunged.
The Tco oj 5897
or LIe wrILLen cIurucLer P'u, LIe LypIcuI CIInese
dIcLIonury wIII gIve u deIInILIon oI "nuLuruI, sImpIe,
pIuIn, IonesL." P'u Is composed oI Lwo sepuruLe
cIurucLers combIned: LIe IIrsL, LIe "rudIcuI" or
rooL-meunIng one, Is LIuL Ior Lree or wood; LIe sec-
ond, LIe "pIoneLIc" or sound-gIvIng one, Is LIe
cIurucLer Ior dense growLI or LIIckeL. So Irom
"Lree In u LIIckeL" or "wood noL cuL" comes LIe
meunIng oI "LIIngs In LIeIr nuLuruI sLuLe"-wIuL Is
generuIIy represenLed In EngIIsI versIons oI TuoIsL
wrILIng us LIe "uncurved bIock."
TIIs busIc TuoIsL prIncIpIe uppIIes noL onIy Lo
thins In LIeIr nuLuruI beuuLy und IuncLIon, buL Lo
peopIe us weII. Or Beurs. WIIcI brIngs us Lo PooI,
LIe very EpILome oI LIe Uncurved BIock. As un II-
IusLruLIon oI LIe prIncIpIe, Ie muy uppeur u bIL too
sImpIe uL LImes . . .
" thinl IL's more Lo LIe rIgIL," suId PIgIeL ner-
vousIy. "WIuL do ou LIInk, PooI?"
The Tco oj Pooh
PooI Iooked uL IIs Lwo puws. He knew LIuL one oI
LIem wus LIe rIgIL, und Ie knew LIuL wIen you
Iud decIded wIIcI one oI LIem wus LIe rIgIL, LIen
LIe oLIer one wus LIe IeIL, buL Ie never couId re-
member Iow Lo begIn.
"WeII," Ie suId sIowIy
. . . buL, no muLLer Iow Ie muy seem Lo oLIers,
especIuIIy Lo LIose IooIed by uppeurunces, PooI,
LIe Uncurved BIock, Is ubIe Lo uccompIIsI wIuL Ie
does becuuse Ie is sImpIemInded. As uny oId TuoIsL
wuIkIng ouL oI LIe woods cun LeII you, sImpIe-
mInded does noL necessurIIy meun stupid. L's
ruLIer sIgnIIIcunL LIuL LIe TuoIsL IdeuI Is LIuL oI LIe
sLIII, cuIm, reIIecLIng "mIrror-mInd" oI LIe Un-
curved BIock, und IL's ruLIer sIgnIIIcunL LIuL PooI,
ruLIer LIun LIe LIInkers RubbIL, OwI, or Eeyore, Is
LIe Lrue Iero oI Winnie-the-Pooh und The House ct
Pooh Corner:
"TIe IucL Is," suId RubbIL, "we've mIssed our wuy
someIow."
TIey were IuvIng u resL In u smuII sund-pIL on LIe
Lop oI LIe oresL. PooI wus geLLIng ruLIer LIred oI
LIuL sund-pIL, und suspecLed IL oI IoIIowIng LIem
ubouL, becuuse wIIcIever dIrecLIon LIey sLurLed In,
LIey uIwuys ended up uL IL, und eucI LIme, us IL
cume LIrougI LIe mIsL uL LIem, RubbIL suId LrIum-
"#$ "%& &' 5897 :;
"Try," suId PIgIeL suddenIy. "We'II wuIL Iere Ior
you."
pIunLIy, "Now know wIere we ure!" und PooI
suId sudIy, "So do ," und PIgIeL suId noLIIng. He
Iud LrIed Lo LIInk oI someLIIng Lo suy, buL LIe onIy
LIIng Ie couId LIInk oI wus, "HeIp, IeIp!" und IL
seemed sIIIy Lo suy LIuL, wIen Ie Iud PooI und
RubbIL wILI IIm.
"WeI I , " suId RubbIL, uILer u Iong sIIence In wIIcI
nobody LIunked IIm Ior LIe nIce wuIk LIey were
IuvIng, "we' d beLLer geL on, suppose. WIIcI wuy
sIuII we Lry?"
"How wouId IL be, " suId PooI sIowIy, "II, us soon us
we're ouL oI sIgIL oI LIIs PIL, we Lry Lo IInd IL
uguIn?"
"WIuL's LIe good oI LIuL?" suId RubbIL.
"WeI I , " suId PooI, "we keep IookIng Ior Home und
noL IIndIng IL, so LIougIL LIuL II we Iooked Ior LIIs
PIL, we'd be sure noL Lo IInd IL, wIIcI wouId be u
Good TIIng, becuuse LIen we mIgIL IInd someLIIng
LIuL we ueren't IookIng Ior, wIIcI mIgIL be jusL
wIuL we uere IookIng Ior, reuIIy."
" don'L see mucI sense In LIuL," suId RubbIL . . . .
"I wuIked uwuy Irom LIIs PIL, und LIen wuIked
buck Lo IL, oI course sIouId IInd IL."
"WeII, LIougIL perIups you wouIdn'L," suId PooI.
" jusL LIougIL."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
RubbIL guve u IuugI Lo sIow Iow sIIIy PIgIeL wus,
und wuIked InLo LIe mIsL. AILer Ie Iud gone u Iun-
dred yurds, Ie Lurned und wuIked buck uguIn . . .
und uILer PooI und PIgIeL Iud wuILed LwenLy mIn-
uLes Ior IIm, PooI goL up.
" jusL LIougIL," suId PooI. "Now LIen, PIgIeL, IeL's
go Iome."
"BuL, PooI," crIed PIgIeL, uII excILed, "do you
know LIe wuy?"
"No, " suId PooI. "BuL LIere ure LweIve poLs oI
Ioney In my cupbourd, und LIey've been cuIIIng Lo
me Ior Iours. couIdn'L Ieur LIem properIy beIore,
becuuse RubbIL 2&:,F LuIk, buL II nobody suys uny-
LIIng excepL LIose LweIve poLs, -#*>0G PIgIeL,
sIuII know wIere LIey're cuIIIng Irom. Come on."
TIey wuIked oII LogeLIer; und Ior u Iong LIme PIg-
IeL suId noLIIng, so us noL Lo InLerrupL LIe poLs; und
LIen suddenIy Ie mude u squeuky noIse . . . und un
oo-noIse . . . becuuse now Ie begun Lo know wIere
Ie wus; buL Ie sLIII dIdn'L dure Lo suy so ouL Ioud, In
cuse Ie wusn'L. And jusL wIen Ie wus geLLIng so
sure oI IImseII LIuL IL dIdn'L muLLer wIeLIer LIe
poLs wenL on cuIIIng or noL, LIere wus u sIouL In
IronL oI LIem, und ouL oI LIe mIsL cume CIrIs-
LopIer RobIn.
AILer uII, II IL were CIeverness LIuL counLed
mosL, RubbIL wouId be Number One, InsLeud oI LIuL
Beur. BuL LIuL's noL LIe wuy LIIngs work.
"#$ "%& &' WIo?
"We've come Lo wIsI you u Very Huppy TIurs-
duy," suId PooI, wIen Ie Iud gone In und ouL once
or LwIce jusL Lo muke sure LIuL Ie 8&:,F geL ouL
uguIn.
"WIy, wIuL's goIng Lo Iuppen on TIursduy?"
usked RubbIL, und wIen PooI Iud expIuIned, und
RubbIL, wIose IIIe wus mude up oI mporLunL
TIIngs, suId, "OI, LIougIL you'd reuIIy come
ubouL someLIIng," LIey suL down Ior u IILLIe. . . und
by-und-by PooI und PIgIeL wenL on uguIn. TIe
wInd wus beIInd LIem now, so LIey dIdn'L Iuve Lo
sIouL.
"RubbIL's cIever," suId PooI LIougILIuIIy.
"Yes," suId PIgIeL, "RubbIL's cIever."
"And Ie Ius BruIn."
'Yes," suId PIgIeL, "RubbIL Ius BruIn."
TIere wus u Iong sIIence.
" suppose," suId PooI, "LIuL LIuL's wIy Ie never
undersLunds unyLIIng."
And II CIever RubbIL doesn'L quILe Iuve wIuL
IL Lukes, AbrusIve Eeyore cerLuInIy doesn'L eILIer.
WIy noL? Becuuse oI wIuL we couId cuII LIe
Eeyore ALLILude. You mIgIL suy LIuL wIIIe RubbIL's
IILLIe rouLIne Is LIuL oI KnowIedge Ior LIe suke oI
BeIng CIever, und wIIIe OwI's Is LIuL oI KnowIedge
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
Ior LIe suke oI AppeurIng WIse, Eeyore's Is KnowI-
edge Ior LIe suke oI CompIuInIng AbouL SomeLIIng.
As unyone wIo doesn'L Iuve IL cun see, LIe Eeyore
ALLILude geLs In LIe wuy oI LIIngs IIke wIsdom und
IuppIness, und preLLy mucI prevenLs uny sorL oI
reuI AccompIIsImenL In IIIe:
Eeyore, LIe oId grey Donkey, sLood by LIe sIde oI
LIe sLreum, und Iooked uL IImseII In LIe wuLer.
"PuLIeLIc," Ie suId. "TIuL's wIuL IL Is. PuLIeLIc."
He Lurned und wuIked sIowIy down LIe sLreum Ior
LwenLy yurds, spIusIed ucross IL, und wuIked sIowIy
buck on LIe oLIer sIde. TIen Ie Iooked uL IImseII In
LIe wuLer uguIn.
"As LIougIL," Ie suId. "No beLLer Irom this sIde.
BuL nobody mInds. Nobody cures. PuLIeLIc, LIuL's
wIuL IL Is."
TIere wus u cruckIIng noIse In LIe brucken beIInd
IIm, und ouL cume PooI.
"Good mornIng, Eeyore," suId PooI.
"Good mornIng, PooI Beur," suId Eeyore gIoomIIy.
"I IL is u good mornIng," Ie suId. "WIIcI doubL,"
suId Ie.
"WIy, wIuL's LIe muLLer?"
"NoLIIng, PooI Beur, noLIIng. We cun'L uII, und
some oI us don'L TIuL's uII LIere Is Lo IL."
"#$ "&& &' WIo?
L's noL LIuL LIe Eeyore ALLILude Is necessurIIy
wILIouL u cerLuIn severe sorL oI Iumor . . .
"HuIIo, Eeyore," LIey cuIIed ouL cIeerIuIIy.
"AI!" suId Eeyore. "osL your wuy?"
"We jusL cume Lo see you," suId PIgIeL. "And Lo see
Iow your Iouse wus. ook, PooI, IL's sLIII sLund-
Ing!"
" know," suId Eeyore. "Very odd. Somebody
ougIL Lo Iuve come down und pusIed IL over."
" We wondered wIeLIer LIe wInd wouId bIow IL
down," suId PooI.
"AI, LIuL's wIy nobody's boLIered, suppose.
LIougIL perIups LIey'd IorgoLLen."
. . . IL's jusL LIuL IL's reuIIy noL so uwIuIIy mucI Iun.
NoL IIke u Iew oLIer poInLs oI vIew we cun LIInk oI.
A IILLIe Loo compIex or someLIIng. AILer uII, wIuL Is
IL ubouL Pooh LIuL mukes IIm so IovubIe?
The Tco oj Pooh
"WeII, Lo begIn wILI " suId PooI.
-Yes, weII, Lo begIn wILI, we Iuve LIe prIncI-
pIe oI LIe Uncurved BIock. AILer uII, wIuL Is LIe
mosL uppeuIIng LIIng ubouL PooI? WIuL eIse buL -
"WeII, Lo begIn wILI "
-sImpIIcILy, LIe SImpIIcILy oI LIe Uncurved BIock?
And LIe nIcesL LIIng ubouL LIuL SImpIIcILy Is ILs
useIuI wIsdom, LIe wIuL-Is-LIere-Lo-euL vurIeLy-
wIsdom you cun geL uL.
ConsIderIng LIuL, IeL's Iuve Pooh descrIbe LIe
nuLure oI LIe Uncurved BIock.
"AII rIgIL, PooI, wIuL cun you LeII us ubouL
LIe Uncurved BIock?"
"TIe uhct?" usked PooI, sILLIng up suddenIy
und openIng IIs eyes.
"TIe Uncurved BIock. You know . . . "
"OI, LIe. . . . OI."
"WIuL do you Iuve Lo suy ubouL IL?"
" dIdn'L do IL," suId PooI.
"You------"
"L musL Iuve been PIgIeL," Ie suId.
" dId noL!" squeuked PIgIeL.
"OI, PIgIeL. WIere dId ou------"
" didn't" PIgIeL suId.
"#$ "%& &' 1#&J
"WeII, LIen, IL wus probubIy RubbIL," suId
PooI.
"L wusn'L mel" PIgIeL InsIsLed.
"DId someone cuII?" suId RubbIL, poppIng up
Irom beIInd u cIuIr.
"OI-RubbIL," suId. "We' re LuIkIng ubouL
LIe Uncurved BIock."
"Huven'L seen IL," suId RubbIL, "buL 'II go usk
OwI. "
"TIuL won'L be nec------," begun.
' Too IuLe now," suId PooI. "He's gone."
" never even hecrd oI LIe Uncurved BIock,"
suId PIgIeL.
"NeILIer dId ," suId PooI, rubbIng IIs eur.
"L's jusL u IIgure oI speecI," suId.
"A wIuL oI u uho?" usked PooI.
"A IIgure oI speecI. L meuns LIuL, weII, LIe
Uncurved BIock Is u wuy oI suyIng, 'IIke PooI. ' "
"OI, Is thct uII?" suId PIgIeL.
" wondered," suId PooI.
PooI cun'L descrIbe LIe Uncurved BIock Lo us
In words; Ie jusL is IL. Thct's LIe nuLure oI LIe Un-
curved BIock.
"A perIecL descrIpLIon. TIunk you, PooI."
"NoL uL uII," suId PooI.
The Tco oj Pooh
WIen you dIscurd urrogunce, compIexILy, und
u Iew oLIer LIIngs LIuL geL In LIe wuy, sooner or
IuLer you wIII dIscover LIuL sImpIe, cIIIdIIke, und
mysLerIous secreL known Lo LIose oI LIe Uncurved
BIock: IIe Is un.
Now one uuLumn mornIng wIen LIe wInd Iud
bIown uII LIe Ieuves oII LIe Lrees In LIe nIgIL, und
wus LryIng Lo bIow LIe bruncIes oII, PooI und PIg-
IeL were sILLIng In LIe TIougILIuI SpoL und won-
derIng.
"WIuL H LIInk," suId PooI, "Is LIInk we'II go Lo
PooI Comer und see Eeyore, becuuse perIups IIs
Iouse Ius been bIown down, und perIups Ie'd IIke
us Lo buIId IL uguIn."
"WIuL I LIInk," suId PIgIeL, "Is LIInk we'II go und
see CIrIsLopIer RobIn, onIy Ie won'L be LIere, so
we cun'L."
"eL's go und see eterbod," suId PooI. "Becuuse
wIen you've been wuIkIng In LIe wInd Ior mIIes,
und you suddenIy go InLo somebody's Iouse, und
Ie suys, 'HuIIo, PooI, you're jusL In LIme Ior u IILLIe
smuckereI oI someLIIng,' und you ure, LIen IL's
wIuL cuII u rIendIy Duy."
PIgIeL LIougIL LIuL LIey ougIL Lo Iuve u Reuson Ior
goIng Lo see everybody, IIke ookIng Ior SmuII or
OrgunIzIng un ExpoLILIon, II PooI couId LIInk oI
someLIIng.
"#$ "%& &' 5897
PooI couId.
"We'II go becuuse IL's TIursduy," Ie suId, "und
we'II go Lo wIsI everybody u Very Huppy TIurs-
duy. Come on, PIgIeL."
rom LIe sLuLe oI LIe Uncurved BIock comes
LIe ubIIILy Lo enjoy LIe sImpIe und LIe quIeL, LIe
nuLuruI und LIe pIuIn. AIong wILI LIuL comes LIe
ubIIILy Lo do LIIngs sponLuneousIy und Iuve LIem
work, odd us LIuL muy uppeur Lo oLIers uL LImes. As
PIgIeL puL IL In Winnie-the-Pooh, "PooI Iusn'L
mucI BruIn, buL Ie never comes Lo uny Iurm. He
does sIIIy LIIngs und LIey Lurn ouL rIgIL."
To undersLund uII LIIs u IILLIe beLLer, IL mIgIL
IeIp Lo Iook uL someone wIo Is quILe LIe oppo-
sILe-someone IIke, weII, suy, Dul Ior exumpIe . . .
+!"--&#$
3%"+4/0
TIrougI copse und spInney murcIed Beur; down
open sIopes oI gorse und IeuLIer, over rocky beds
oI sLreums, up sLeep bunks oI sundsLone InLo LIe
IeuLIer uguIn; und so uL IusL, LIred und Iungry, Lo
LIe Hundred Acre Wood. or IL wus In LIe Hun-
dred Acre Wood LIuL OwI IIved.
"And II unyone knows unyLIIng ubouL unyLIIng,"
suId Beur Lo IImseII, "IL's OwI wIo knows some-
LIIng ubouL someLIIng," Ie suId, "or my nume's noL
WInnIe-LIe-PooI," Ie suId. "WIIcI IL Is," Ie
udded. "So LIere you ure."
So now we come Lo OwI's Iouse, us some oI us
Iuve so muny LImes beIore, seurcIIng Ior unswers Lo
quesLIons oI one sorL or unoLIer. WIII we IInd LIe
unswers Iere?
zq "#$ "%& &' (&&#
BeIore we go In und Luke u Iook uround, IL
seems upproprIuLe Lo Iuve u Iew Buckground Re-
murks ubouL LIe kInd oI scIoIur LIuL OwI repre-
senLs, In reIuLIon Lo LIe uLLILudes und prIncIpIes oI
TuoIsm LIuL we ure concerned wILI Iere.
To begIn wILI, IL Is necessury Lo poInL ouL LIuL
In CIInu, scIoIurs were generuIIy ConIucIunIsL In
LruInIng und orIenLuLIon, und LIereIore oILen spoke
u somewIuL dIIIerenL Iunguuge Irom LIe TuoIsLs,
wIo Lended Lo see ConIucIunIsL scIoIurs us busy
unLs spoIIIng LIe pIcnIc oI IIIe, rusIIng buck und
IorLI Lo pIck up LIe bILs und pIeces dropped Irom
ubove. n LIe IInuI secLIon oI LIe Tco Te Chin,
uo-Lse wroLe, "TIe wIse ure noL Ieurned; LIe
Ieurned ure noL wIse"-un uLLILude sIured by
counLIess TuoIsLs beIore und sInce.
rom LIe TuoIsL poInL oI vIew, wIIIe LIe scIoI-
urIy InLeIIecL muy be useIuI Ior unuIyzIng cerLuIn
LIIngs, deeper und brouder muLLers ure beyond ILs
IImILed reucI. TIe TuoIsL wrILer CIuung-Lse
worded IL LIIs wuy:
A weII-Irog cunnoL ImugIne LIe oceun, nor cun u
summer InsecL conceI ve oI Ice. How LIen cun u
scIoIur undersLund LIe Tuo? He Is resLrIcLed by IIs
own IeurnIng.
(TIIs und oLIer seIecLIons Irom cIussIc orIenLuI
LexLs ure my own LrunsIuLIons und udupLuLIons.)
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7
L seems ruLIer odd, someIow, LIuL TuoIsm,
LIe wuy oI LIe WIoIe Mun, LIe True Mun, LIe
SpIrIL Mun (Lo use u Iew TuoIsL Lerms), Is Ior LIe
mosL purL InLerpreLed Iere In LIe WesL by LIe
ScIoIurIy OwI -by LIe BruIn, LIe AcudemIcIun, LIe
dry-us-dusL AbsenLmInded ProIessor. ur Irom re-
IIecLIng LIe TuoIsL IdeuI oI wIoIeness und Indepen-
dence, LIIs IncompIeLe und unbuIunced creuLure dI-
vIdes uII kInds oI ubsLrucL LIIngs InLo IILLIe
cuLegorIes und compurLmenLs, wIIIe remuInIng
ruLIer IeIpIess und dIsorgunIzed In IIs duIIy IIIe.
RuLIer LIun Ieurn Irom TuoIsL LeucIers und Irom dI-
recL experIence, Ie Ieurns InLeIIecLuuIIy und In-
dIrecLIy, Irom books. And sInce Ie doesn'L usuuIIy
puL TuoIsL prIncIpIes InLo prucLIce In un everyduy
sorL oI wuy, IIs expIunuLIons oI LIem Lend Lo Ieuve
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
ouL some ruLIer ImporLunL deLuIIs, sucI us Iow LIey
work und wIere you cun uppIy LIem.
On Lop oI LIuL, IL Is very Iurd Lo IInd uny oI LIe
spirit oI TuoIsm In LIe IIIeIess wrILIngs oI LIe Iu-
morIess AcudemIc MorLIcIun, wIose bIeucIed-ouL
ScIoIurIy DIsserLuLIons conLuIn no more oI LIe
cIurucLer oI TuoIsL wIsdom LIun does LIe LypIcuI
wux museum.
BuL LIuL Is LIe sorL oI LIIng we cun expecL Irom
LIe AbsLrucL OwI, LIe drIed-up WesLern descendunL
oI LIe ConIucIunIsL DedIcuLed ScIoIur, wIo, unIIke
IIs NobIe buL ruLIer UnImugInuLIve uncesLor,
LIInks Ie Ius some sorL oI monopoIy on
"WIuL's thct?" PooI InLerrupLed.
"WIuL's uhct?" usked.
"WIuL you jusL suId-LIe ConIusIonIsL, DesIc-
cuLed ScIoIur."
"WeII, IeL's see. TIe ConIusIonIsL, DesIccuLed
ScIoIur Is one wIo sLudIes KnowIedge Ior LIe suke
oI KnowIedge, und wIo keeps wIuL Ie Ieurns Lo
IImseII or Lo IIs own smuII group, wrILIng pompous
und preLenLIous pupers LIuL no one eIse cun under-
sLund, ruLIer LIun workIng Ior LIe enIIgILenmenL oI
oLIers. How's LIuL?"
"MucI beLLer," suId PooI.
"OwI Is ubouL Lo IIIusLruLe LIe ConIusIonIsL,
DesIccuLed ScIoIur," suId.
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7
" see," suId PooI.
WIIcI brIngs us buck Lo OwI. eL's see-Iow
dId RubbIL descrIbe LIe sILuuLIon wILI OwI? OI,
Iere IL Is:
. . . you cun'L IeIp respecLIng unybody wIo cun
speII TUESDAY, even II Ie doesn'L speII IL rIgIL;
buL speIIIng Isn'L everyLIIng. TIere ure duys wIen
speIIIng Tuesduy sImpIy doesn'L counL.
"By LIe wuy, PooI, Iow do ou speII Tues-
duy?"
"SpeII wIuL?" usked PooI.
"Tuesduy. You know-Monduy, Tuesduy . . . "
"My deur PooI," suId OwI, "eterbod knows
LIuL IL's speIIed wILI u Tuo."
"s IL?" usked PooI.
"OI course," suId OwI. "AILer uII, IL's LIe sec-
ond duy oI LIe week."
"OI, Is thct LIe wuy IL works?" usked PooI.
"AII rIgIL, OwI, " suId. "TIen wIuL comes
uILer Twosduy?"
"Thirdsdc," suId OwI.
"OwI, you're jusL conIusIng LIIngs," suId.
"TIIs Is LIe duy uILer Tuesduy, und IL's noL
TIIrds- meun, Thursdc."
"TIen wIuL Is IL?" usked OwI.
"L's Todcl" squeuked PIgIeL.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"My IuvorILe duy," suId PooI.
Ours, Loo. We wonder wIy LIe scIoIurs don'L
LIInk mucI oI IL. PerIups IL's becuuse LIey ConIuse
LIemseIves LIInkIng ubouL oLIer duys so mucI.
Now one ruLIer unnoyIng LIIng ubouL scIoIurs
Is LIuL LIey ure uIwuys usIng BIg Words LIuL some
oI us cun'L undersLund . . .
"WeII," suId OwI, "LIe cusLomury procedure In
sucI cuses Is us IoIIows."
"WIuL does CrusLImoney Proseedcuke meun?" suId
PooI. "or um u Beur oI Very ILLIe BruIn, und
Iong words BoLIer me."
' L meuns LIe TIIng Lo Do."
"As Iong us IL meuns LIuL, don'L mInd," suId PooI
IumbIy.
. . . und one someLImes geLs LIe ImpressIon LIuL
LIose InLImIduLIng words ure LIere Lo leep us Irom
undersLundIng. TIuL wuy, LIe scIoIurs cun uppeur
SuperIor, und wIII noL IIkeIy be suspecLed oI NoL
KnowIng SomeLIIng. AILer uII, Irom LIe scIoIurIy
poInL oI vIew, IL's prucLIcuIIy u crIme noL Lo know
everyLIIng.
BuL someLImes LIe knowIedge oI LIe scIoIur Is
u bIL Iurd Lo undersLund becuuse IL doesn'L seem Lo
muLcI up wILI our own experIence oI LIIngs. n
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7
oLIer words, KnowIedge und ExperIence do noL
necessurIIy speuk LIe sume Iunguuge. BuL Isn'L LIe
knowIedge LIuL comes Irom experIence more vuIu-
ubIe LIun LIe knowIedge LIuL doesn'L? L seems
IuIrIy obvIous Lo some oI us LIuL u IoL oI scIoIurs
need Lo go ouLsIde und snIII uround-wuIk LIrougI
LIe gruss, LuIk Lo LIe unImuIs. TIuL sorL oI LIIng.
"oLs oI peopIe LuIk Lo unImuIs," suId PooI.
"Muybe, b u L . . . "
"NoL very muny ,*3-$>) LIougI," Ie suId.
"TIuL's LIe probIem," Ie udded.
n oLIer words, you mIgIL suy LIuL LIere Is
more Lo KnowIng LIun jusL beIng correcL. As LIe
mysLIcuI poeL Hun-sIun wroLe:
A 38#&,%/ >%A$F 1%>+
L%:+#$F %- A7 =&$A3G
"#$ %88$>-3 %/$ 2/&>+G
@$ 3%*F)
"&& A%>7 E$%-3M
"#$ A$-$/ *3 =&&/)
"#$ 2&/F*>+ *A=:,3*N$G
H ,%:+# %- #*3 =&$A3)
C3 #$ ,%:+#3 %- A*>$G
"#$7 /$%F ,*0$
"#$ 2&/F3 &' % E,*>F A%>
;$38/*E*>+ -#$ 3:>G
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
QuILe oILen, sLruggIIng IIke u scIoIur over reIu-
LIveIy unImporLunL muLLers cun muke one Increus-
IngIy ConIused. PooI descrIbed LIe ConIusIonIsL's
sLuLe oI mInd quILe uccuruLeIy:
Dn Mondc, uhen the sun is hot,
I uonder to mselj c lot:
"Nou is it true, or is it not,
Thct uhct is uhich cnd uhich is uhct?"
Dn Tuesdc, uhen it hcils cnd snous,
The jeelin on me rous cnd rous
Thct hcrdl cnbod lnous
Ij those cre these or these cre those.
Dn Wednesdc, uhen the sl is blue,
And I hcte nothin else to do,
H sometimes uonder ij it's true
Thct uho is uhct cnd uhct is uho.
Dn Thursdc, uhen it stcrts to jreeze,
And hocr-jrost tuinlles on the trees.
Hou ter recdil one sees
Thct these cre uhose-but uhose cre these?
Dn Iridc
Yes, wIose cre LIese, unywuy? To LIe DesIc-
cuLed ScIoIurs, puLLIng numes on LIIngs Is LIe mosL
vILuI ucLIvILy In LIe worId. Tree. Ilouer. Do. BuL
don'L usk LIem Lo prune LIe Lree, pIunL LIe IIower,
or Luke cure oI LIe dog, unIess you enjoy UnpIeusunL
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7
SurprIses. IvIng, growIng LIIngs ure beyond LIem,
IL seems.
Now, scIoIurs cun be very useIuI und neces-
sury, In LIeIr own duII und unumusIng wuy. TIey
provIde u IoL oI InIormuLIon. L's jusL LIuL LIere Is
SomeLIIng More, und LIuL SomeLIIng More Is wIuL
IIIe Is reuIIy uII ubouL.
Oops. "Suy, PooI, Iuve you seen my oLIer
pencII?"
" suw OwI usIng IL u IILLIe wIIIe ugo," suId
PooI
"OI, Iere IL Is. WIuL's LIIs? 'Aurdvurks und
TIeIr AberruLIons.'"
"Beg purdon?" suId PooI.
"'Aurdvurks und TIeIr AberruLIons'-wIuL
OwI wus wrILIng ubouL"
"OI, were LIey?" suId PooI.
"Suy, LIIs pencII's uII cIewed up. "
One more Iunny LIIng ubouL KnowIedge, LIuL
oI LIe scIoIur, LIe scIenLIsL, or unyone eIse: IL uI-
wuys wunLs Lo bIume LIe mInd oI LIe Uncurved
BIock-wIuL it cuIIs gnorunce-Ior probIems LIuL
IL cuuses ILseII, eILIer dIrecLIy or IndIrecLIy, LIrougI
ILs own IImILuLIons, neursIgILedness, or negIecL. or
exumpIe, II you buIId your Iouse wIere LIe wInd
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
cun bIow IL over, LIen IeL IL go Lo pIeces wIIIe you
worry ubouL Iow Lo speII 6%/A%,%F$) wIuL Is IIkeIy
Lo Iuppen? OI course. Anyone knows LIuL. YeL
wIen OwI's Iouse IuIIs down, wIuL does Ie Iuve Lo
suy ubouL IL?
"PooI," suId OwI severeIy, "dId ou do LIuL?"
"No," suId PooI IumbIy. "1 don'L -#*>0 so."
"TIen wIo dId?"
" LIInk IL wus LIe wInd," suId PIgIeL. " LIInk your
Iouse Ius bIown down."
"OI, Is LIuL IL? LIougIL IL wus PooI."
"No," suId PooI.
or LIe cIupLer's concIudIng word ubouL
KnowIedge Ior LIe suke oI KnowIedge, IeL's recuII
un IncIdenL Irom The House ct Pooh Comer. Eeyore
wus busy InLImIduLIng PIgIeL wILI someLIIng Ie'd
mude Irom LIree sLIcks . . .
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7
"Do you know wIuL A meuns, IILLIe PIgIeL?"
"No, Eeyore, don'L."
"L meuns eurnIng, IL meuns EducuLIon, IL meuns
uII LIe LIIngs LIuL you und PooI Iuven'L goL. TIuL's
wIuL A meuns."
"OI," suId PIgIeL uguIn. " meun, does IL?" Ie ex-
pIuIned quIckIy.
"'m LeIIIng you. PeopIe come und go In LIIs oresL,
und LIey suy, L' s onIy Eeyore, so IL doesn'L counL.'
TIey wuIk Lo und Iro suyIng 'Hu IuI' BuL do LIey
know unyLIIng ubouL A? TIey don'L. L's jusL LIree
sLIcks Lo -#$AG BuL Lo LIe EducuLed-murk LIIs, IIL-
LIe PIgIeL-Lo LIe EducuLed, noL meunIng PooIs
und PIgIeLs, IL's u greuL und gIorIous A. NoL," Ie
udded, "jusL someLIIng LIuL unybody cun come und
E/$%-#$ on."
TIen RubbIL cume uI ong. . .
"TIere's jusL one LIIng wunLed Lo usk you,
Eeyore. WIuL Iuppens Lo CIrIsLopIer RobIn In LIe
mornIngs nowuduys?"
"WIuL's LIIs LIuL 'm IookIng uL?" suId Eeyore, sLIII
IookIng uL IL.
"TIree sLIcks," suId RubbIL prompLIy.
"You see?" suId Eeyore Lo PIgIeL. He Lurned Lo
RubbIL. " wIII now unswer your quesLIon," Ie suId
soIemnIy.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"TIunk you," suId RubbIL.
"WIuL does CIrIsLopIer RobIn do In LIe mornIngs?
He Ieurns. He becomes EducuLed. He InsLI-
goruLes- thinl LIuL Is LIe word Ie menLIoned, buL
muy be reIerrIng Lo someLIIng eIse-Ie InsLIg-
oruLes KnowIedge. n my smuII wuy uIso, II
Iuve LIe word rIgIL, um-um doIng wIuL Ie
does. TIuL, Ior InsLunce, Is "
"An A," suId RubbIL, "buL noL u very good one.
WeII, musL geL buck und LeII LIe oLIers."
Eeyore Iooked uL IIs sLIcks und LIen Ie Iooked uL
PIgIeL....
"He 0>$2J You meun LIIs A LIIng Is u LIIng O%EE*-
knew?"
"Yes, Eeyore. He's cIever, RubbIL Is."
"CIever!" suId Eeyore scornIuIIy, puLLIng u IooL
IeuvIIy on IIs LIree sLIcks. "EducuLIon!" suId
Eeyore bILLerIy, jumpIng on IIs sIx sLIcks. "WIuL *3
eurnIng?" usked Eeyore us Ie kIcked IIs LweIve
sLIcks InLo LIe uIr. "A LIIng O%EE*- knows! HuI"
So LIere.
" know someLIIng LIuL RubbIL doesn'L know,"
suId PIgIeL.
"OI? WIuL's LIuL?" usked.
"WeII, cun'L remember wIuL IL's cuIIed,
K=$,,*>+ ":$3F%7 ;<
"OI, yes. TIuL's wIuL's comIng up nexL,"
suId.
"OI, wIuL is IL cuIIed?" suId PIgIeL, LuppIng IIs
IooL.
"WeII, IeL's s ee. . "
2)33-"+3)# !&"
Remember wIen Kungu und Roo cume Lo LIe or-
esL? mmedIuLeIy, RubbIL decIded LIuL Ie dIdn'L
IIke LIem, becuuse LIey were DIIIerenL. TIen Ie
begun LIInkIng oI u wuy Lo muke LIem Ieuve. orLu-
nuLeIy Ior everyone, LIe pIun IuIIed, us CIever PIuns
do, sooner or IuLer.
CIeverness, uILer uII, Ius ILs IImILuLIons. Ls me-
cIunIcuI judgmenLs und cIever remurks Lend Lo
prove InuccuruLe wILI pussIng LIme, becuuse IL
doesn'L Iook very deepIy InLo LIIngs Lo begIn wILI.
As In RubbIL's cuse, IL Ius Lo cIunge ILs opInIons
IuLer on becuuse oI wIuL IL dIdn'L see wIen IL wus
IormIng LIem. TIe LIIng LIuL mukes someone trul
dIIIerenL-unIque, In IucL-Is someLIIng LIuL CIev-
erness cunnoL reuIIy undersLund.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
We wIII reIer Lo LIuL specIuI SomeLIIng Iere us
nner NuLure. SInce IL's preLLy mucI beyond LIe
power oI LIe InLeIIecL Lo meusure or undersLund, we
wIII Iuve Pooh expIuIn IL Lo us, wIIcI Ie wIII do by
wuy oI LIe CoLLIesLon PIe PrIncIpIe.
"Er . . . (cougI). . . . Ahum."
Excuse me u momenL
"Yes, PooI?"
"Me expIuIn IL?" suId PooI beIInd IIs puw.
"WeII, yes- LIougIL LIuL mIgIL be nIce."
"WIy don'L ou expIuIn IL?" usked PooI.
"WeII, LIougIL IL wouId be beLLer II ou dId,
someIow."
" don'L LIInk LIuL's sucI u good Ideu," suId
PooI.
"WIy noL?"
"Becuuse wIen expIuIn LIIngs, LIey geL In LIe
wrong pIuces," Ie suId. "TIuL's wIy."
"AII rIgIL 'II expIuIn IL BuL you cun IeIp ouL
every now und LIen. How does LIuL sound?"
"MucI more IIke IL," suId PooI.
eL's see. TIe CoLLIesLon PIe PrIncIpIe Is bused
upon LIe song Cottleston Pie, wIIcI PooI sung In
Winnie-the-Pooh. Hmm . . .
"Suy, PooI. Muybe you'd beLLer sIng IL uguIn,
In cuse unyone's IorgoLLen."
"CerLuInIy," suId PooI. "Now, IeL me see . . .
(chem),"
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A jl ccn't bird, but c bird ccn jl.
Asl me c riddle cnd I repl:
"Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie."
A jish ccn't uhistle cnd neither ccn I.
Wh does c chiclen, I don't lnou uh.
Now, IeL's sLurL wILI Ow! OI, yes. "TIuL
wus very nIce, PooI."
"Don' L menLIon IL."
eL's sLurL wILI LIe IIrsL purL: "A IIy cun'L bIrd,
buL u bIrd cun IIy." Very sImpIe. L's obvIous, Isn'L
IL? And yeL, you'd be surprIsed Iow muny peopIe
vIoIuLe LIIs sImpIe prIncIpIe every duy oI LIeIr IIves
und Lry Lo IIL squure pegs InLo round IoIes, IgnorIng
LIe cIeur reuIILy LIuL TIIngs Are As TIey Are. We
Cottleston Pie
The Tco oj Pooh
wIII IeL u seIecLIon Irom LIe wrILIngs oI CIuung-Lse
IIIusLruLe:
HuI-Lse suId Lo CIuung-Lse, " Iuve u Iurge Lree
wIIcI no curpenLer cun cuL InLo Iumber. Ls
bruncIes und Lrunk ure crooked und LougI, covered
wILI bumps und depressIons. No buIIder wouId
Lurn IIs Ieud Lo Iook uL IL. Your LeucIIngs ure LIe
sume-useIess, wILIouL vuIue. TIereIore, no one
puys uLLenLIon Lo LIem."
"As you know," CIuung-Lse repIIed, "u cuL Is very
skIIIed uL cupLurIng ILs prey. CroucIIng Iow, IL cun
Ieup In uny dIrecLIon, pursuIng'wIuLever IL Is uILer.
BuL wIen ILs uLLenLIon Is Iocused on sucI LIIngs, IL
cun be eusIIy cuugIL wILI u neL. On LIe oLIer Iund,
u Iuge yuk Is noL eusIIy cuugIL or overcome. L
sLunds IIke u sLone, or u cIoud In LIe sky. BuL Ior uII
ILs sLrengLI, IL cunnoL cuLcI u mouse.
"You compIuIn LIuL your Lree Is noL vuIuubIe us
Iumber. BuL you couId muke use oI LIe sIude IL
provIdes, resL under ILs sIeILerIng bruncIes, und
sLroII beneuLI IL, udmIrIng ILs cIurucLer und up-
peurunce. SInce IL wouId noL be endungered by un
uxe, wIuL couId LIreuLen ILs exIsLence? L Is useIess
Lo you onIy becuuse you wunL Lo muke IL InLo some-
LIIng eIse und do noL use IL In ILs proper wuy. "
n oLIer words, everyLIIng Ius ILs own pIuce
und IuncLIon. TIuL uppIIes Lo peopIe, uILIougI
.&--,$3-&> B*$
muny don'L seem Lo reuIIze IL, sLuck us LIey ure In
LIe wrong job, LIe wrong murrIuge, or LIe wrong
Iouse. WIen you know und respecL your own
nner NuLure, you know wIere you beIong. You
uIso know wIere you don't beIong. One mun's Iood
Is oILen unoLIer mun's poIson, und wIuL Is gIumor-
ous und excILIng Lo some cun be u dungerous Lrup Lo
oLIers. An IncIdenL In LIe IIIe oI CIuung-Lse cun
serve us un exumpIe:
WIIIe sILLIng on LIe bunks oI LIe P'u RIver,
CIuung-Lse wus upproucIed by Lwo represenLuLIves
oI LIe PrInce oI CI'u, wIo oIIered IIm u posILIon uL
courL. CIuung-Lse wuLcIed LIe wuLer IIowIng by us
II Ie Iud noL Ieurd. InuIIy, Ie remurked, " um
LoId LIuL LIe PrInce Ius u sucred LorLoIse, over Lwo
LIousund yeurs oId, wIIcI Is kepL In u box, wrupped
In sIIk und brocude." "TIuL Is Lrue," LIe oIIIcIuIs re-
pIIed. "I LIe LorLoIse Iud been gIven u cIoIce,"
CIuung-Lse conLInued, "wIIcI do you LIInk Ie
wouId Iuve IIked beLLer-Lo Iuve been uIIve In LIe
mud, or deud wILIIn LIe puIuce?" "To Iuve been
uIIve In LIe mud, oI course," LIe men unswered. "
Loo preIer LIe mud," suId CIuung-Lse. "Good-bye."
" IIke mud, Loo," suId PooI.
"Yes . . . weII, unywuy--"
"On u IoL summer duy? NoLIIng IIke IL, " Ie
suId.
The Tco oj Pooh
"BuL LIe poInL Is "
"L keeps you cooI," Ie suId.
"TIuL's noL ImporLunL Iere, PooI," suId.
"L's not?" Ie usked In u sIocked sorL oI wuy.
" meun, LIere ure oLIer LIIngs Lo be "
"How do you know?" suId PooI. "Huve you
ever LrIed IL?"
"No, buL "
"JusL LIe LIIng Ior u IoL summer duy," Ie con-
LInued, IeunIng buck und cIosIng IIs eyes. "Down
by LIe rIver, covered wILI mud . . . "
"ook, PooI "
"Mud's nIce," suId PIgIeL, wuIkIng over Lo LIe
wrILIng LubIe und IookIng up uL us. "L udds coIor Lo
your skIn."
"Cun' L suy ever cured Ior IL," suId OwI, IIyIng
over und percIIng on LIe Iump. "L sLIcks In one's
IeuLIers. RuLIer dIsugreeubIe."
"You see?" suId. "Everyone's dIIIerenL. TIuL's
wIuL we were dIscussIng."
" LIougIL we were LuIkIng ubouL mud," suId
PIgIeL.
"So dId , " suId PooI.
"WeII, musL geL buck Lo my encycIopedIu,"
suId OwI.
And now, II we cun, IeL's go on Lo LIe second
.&--,$3-&> (*$
purL: "A IIsI cun'L wIIsLIe und neILIer cun ." Com-
Ing Irom u wIse mInd, sucI u sLuLemenL wouId
meun, " Iuve cerLuIn IImILuLIons, und know wIuL
LIey ure." SucI u mInd wouId ucL uccordIngIy.
TIere's noLIIng wrong wILI noL beIng ubIe Lo wIIs-
LIe, especIuIIy II you're u IIsI. BuL LIere cun be IoLs
oI LIIngs wrong wILI bIIndIy LryIng Lo do wIuL you
uren'L desIgned Ior. IsI don'L IIve In Lrees, und
bIrds don'L spend Loo mucI LIme underwuLer II LIey
cun IeIp IL UnIorLunuLeIy, some people-wIo uI-
wuys seem Lo LIInk LIey're smurLer LIun IIsI und
bIrds, someIow-uren'L so wIse, und end up cuusIng
bIg LroubIe Ior LIemseIves und oLIers.
TIuL doesn'L meun LIuL we need Lo sLop
cIungIng und ImprovIng. L jusL meuns LIuL we need
Lo recognIze WIuL's TIere. I you Iuce LIe IucL LIuL
you Iuve weuk muscIes, suy, LIen you cun do LIe
rIgIL LIIngs und evenLuuIIy become sLrong. BuL II
you Ignore WIuL's TIere und Lry Lo IIIL someone's
cur ouL oI u dILcI, wIuL sorL oI condILIon wIII you be
In uILer u wIIIe? And even II you Iuve more muscIe
LIun unyone uIIve, you sLIII cun'L pusI over u IreIgIL
LruIn. TIe wIse know LIeIr IImILuLIons; LIe IooIIsI
do noL.
To demonsLruLe wIuL we meun, we cun LIInk
oI no one beLLer LIun TIgger, wIo doesn'L know IIs
IImILuLIons.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
OI, excuse me. He suys Ie does nou.
WeII, IeL's recuII Iow Ie wus Iorced Lo recog-
nIze one oI LIem, unywuy. Roo und TIgger were
wuIkIng LIrougI LIe oresL one mornIng, und TIg-
ger wus LuIkIng ubouL uII LIe LIIngs LIuL TIggers cun
d o . . .
"Cun LIey IIy?" usked Roo.
"Yes," suId TIgger, "LIey're very good IIyers, TIg-
gers ure, SLornry good IIyers."
"Oo!" suId Roo. "Cun LIey IIy us weII us OwI?"
"Yes," suId TIgger. "OnIy LIey don'L wunL Lo."
WeII, uILer LIIs sorL oI LuIk Iud gone on Ior u
wIIIe, LIey urrIved uL LIe SIx PIne Trees:
" cun swIm," suId Roo. " IeII InLo LIe rIver, und
swImmed. Cun TIggers swIm?"
"OI course LIey cun. TIggers cun do everyLIIng."
"Cun LIey cIImb Lrees beLLer LIun PooI?" usked
Roo, sLoppIng under LIe LuIIesL PIne Tree, und
IookIng up uL IL
"CIImbIng Lrees Is wIuL LIey do besL" suId TIgger.
"MucI beLLer LIun PooIs."
And LIe nexL LIIng LIey knew, LIey were sLuck
In LIe LuIIesL pIne Lree. WeII, weII. NoL so good.
BuL LIen PooI und PIgIeL cume uIong, und oI
course PooI reuIIzed rIgIL uwuy jusL wIuL wus Iup-
penIng. WeII, noL riht uwuy . . .
"L's u JuguIur," Ie suId.
"WIuL do JuguIurs do?" usked PIgIeL, IopIng LIuL
LIey wouIdn'L
"TIey IIde In LIe bruncIes oI Lrees, und drop on
you us you go underneuLI," suId PooI. "CIrIs-
LopIer RobIn LoId me."
"PerIups we beLLer Iudn'L go underneuLI, PooI. n
cuse Ie dropped und IurL IImseII."
"TIey don'L IurL LIemseIves," suId PooI. "TIey're
sucI very good droppers."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
PIgIeL sLIII IeIL LIuL Lo be underneuLI u Very Good
Dropper wouId be u MIsLuke, und Ie wus jusL goIng
Lo Iurry buck Ior someLIIng wIIcI Ie Iud IorgoL-
Len wIen LIe JuguIur cuIIed ouL Lo LIem.
"HeIp! HeIp!" IL cuIIed.
"TIuL's wIuL JuguIurs uIwuys do," suId PooI, mucI
InLeresLed. "TIey cuII 'HeIp! HeIp!' und LIen wIen
you Iook up, LIey drop on you."
BuL evenLuuIIy, CIrIsLopIer RobIn und Eeyore
cume uIong, und u Rescue NeL wus Iormed. TIen
Roo jumped und wus Suved, und TIgger jumped
(sorL o I ) . . .
. . . und wus Suved (sorL oI):
TIere wus u crusI, und u LeurIng noIse, und u con-
Iused Ieup oI everybody on LIe ground.
CIrIsLopIer RobIn und PooI und PIgIeL pIcked
LIemseIves up IIrsL, und LIen LIey pIcked TIgger
up, und underneuLI everybody eIse wus Eeyore.
"QuILe u bIL oI LroubIe you puL everyone
LIrougI, wusn'L IL, TIgger?"
" Ieurned Irom LIe experIence, LIougI," Ie
suId, u bIL evusIveIy.
"OI, dId you?"
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"OI course. You won'L IInd me doIng unyLIIng
IIke -#%- uguIn," Ie suId In u conIIdenL sorL oI wuy.
"TIuL's good," suId. "On your wuy Lo some-
wIere, ure you?"
"Yes," Ie suId. "Roo und ure goIng swIm-
mIng."
"OI. WeII, don'L IorgeL Lo Luke u rope."
"A rope? WIy u rope?" suId TIgger.
"OI, jusL In cuse you see somebody IuII In,"
suId.
"Now wIy dIdn'L H LIInk oI LIuL?" suId TIgger.
A suyIng Irom LIe ureu oI CIInese medIcIne
wouId be upproprIuLe Lo menLIon Iere: "One dIs-
euse, Iong IIIe; no dIseuse, sIorL IIIe." n oLIer
words, LIose wIo know wIuL's wrong wILI LIem
und Luke cure oI LIemseIves uccordIngIy wIII Lend
Lo IIve u IoL Ionger LIun LIose wIo consIder LIem-
seIves perIecLIy IeuILIy und negIecL LIeIr weuk-
nesses. So, In LIuL sense uL IeusL, u Weukness oI some
sorL cun do you u bIg Iuvor, ij you ucknowIedge LIuL
IL's LIere. TIe sume goes Ior one's IImILuLIons,
wIeLIer TIggers know IL or noL-und TIggers
usuuIIy don'L. TIuL's LIe LroubIe wILI TIggers, you
know: LIey cun do eterthin. Very unIeuILIy.
Once you Iuce und undersLund your IImILu-
LIons, you cun work uith LIem, InsLeud oI IuvIng
.&--,$3-&> (*$
LIem work uguInsL you und geL In your wuy, wIIcI
Is wIuL LIey do wIen you Ignore LIem, wIeLIer
you reuIIze IL or noL. And LIen you wIII IInd LIuL, In
muny cuses, your IImILuLIons cun be your sLrengLIs.
or exumpIe, wIen OwI's Iouse IeII down,
wIo wus ubIe Lo escupe, even LIougI LIere wus u
Ieuvy bruncI ucross LIe door und LIe onIy wuy ouL
wus LIrougI LIe IeLLer-sIoL?
PIgIeL, LIe Very SmuII AnImuI.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
Now, LIe IusL purL oI LIe prIncIpIe: "WIy does
u cIIcken, don'L know wIy." WIy does u cIIcken
do wIuL IL does? You don'L know? NeILIer do we;
NeILIer does unyone eIse. ScIence IIkes Lo sLruL
uround und AcL SmurL by puLLIng ILs IubeIs on
everyLIIng, buL II you Iook uL LIem cIoseIy, you'II
see LIuL LIey don'L reuIIy suy mucI. "Genes"?
"DNA"? JusL scruLcIIng LIe surIuce. "nsLIncL"?
You know wIuL thct meuns:
2%.&)%+: "WIy do bIrds IIy SouLI Ior LIe wInLer?"
+2&"#2": "nsLIncL."
L meuns, "We don'L know."
TIe ImporLunL LIIng Is, we don'L reuIIy need Lo
know. We don'L need Lo ImILuLe NeursIgILed ScI-
ence, wIIcI peers uL LIe worId LIrougI un eIecLron
mIcroscope, IookIng Ior unswers IL wIII never IInd
und comIng up wILI more quesLIons InsLeud. We
don'L need Lo pIuy AbsLrucL PIIIosopIer, uskIng un-
necessury quesLIons und comIng up wILI meunIng-
Iess unswers. WIuL we need Lo do Is recognIze nner
NuLure und work wILI TIIngs As TIey Are. WIen
we don'L, we geL InLo LroubIe.
PooI und PIgIeL Iound LIIs ouL wIen LIey LrIed
Lo cuLcI u HeIIuIump. NoL reuIIy knowIng wIuL
HeIIuIumps IIke Lo euL, PIgIeL ussumed LIuL LIey
wouId be uLLrucLed by ucorns, und PooI LIougIL-
Cottleston Pie
buL IIrsL, you remember wIuL u HeIIuIump Is, don'L
you?
One duy, wIen CIrIsLopIer RobIn und WInnIe-
LIe-PooI und PIgIeL were uII LuIkIng LogeLIer,
CIrIsLopIer RobIn IInIsIed LIe mouLIIuI Ie wus
euLIng und suId cureIessIy: " suw u HeIIuIump Lo-
duy, PI gI eL"
"WIuL wus IL doIng?" usked PIgIeL.
"JusL IumpIng uIong," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn. "
don'L LIInk IL suw me."
" suw one once," suId PIgIeL. "AL IeusL, LIInk
dId," Ie suId. "OnIy perIups IL wusn' L"
"So dId , " suId PooI, wonderIng wIuL u HeIIuIump
wus IIke.
"You don'L oILen see LIem," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn
cureIessIy.
"NoL now," suId PIgIeL
"NoL uL LIIs LIme oI yeur," suId PooI.
Thct's wIuL u HeIIuIump Is. So PooI und PIg-
IeL decIded Lo cupLure one. TIe pIun sLurLed ouL
weI I . . .
PooI's IIrsL Ideu wus LIuL LIey sIouId dIg u Very
Deep PIL, und LIen LIe HeIIuIump wouId come
uIong und IuII InLo LIe PIL, und
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"WIy?" suId PIgIeL.
"WIy wIuL?" suId PooI.
"WIy wouId Ie IuII In?"
PooI rubbed IIs nose wILI IIs puw, und suId LIuL
LIe HeIIuIump mIgIL be wuIkIng uIong, IummIng u
IILLIe song, und IookIng up uL LIe sky, wonderIng II
IL wouId ruIn, und so Ie wouIdn'L see LIe Very
Deep PIL unLII Ie wus IuII-wuy down, wIen IL
wouId be Loo IuLe.
PIgIeL suId LIuL LIIs wus u very good Trup, buL sup-
posIng IL were ruInIng uIreudy?
PooI rubbed IIs nose uguIn, und suId LIuL Ie Iudn'L
LIougIL oI LIuL. And LIen Ie brIgILened up, und
suId LIuL, II IL were ruInIng uIreudy, LIe HeIIuIump
wouId be IookIng uL LIe sky wonderIng II IL wouId
8,$%/ :=) und so Ie wouIdn'L see LIe Very Deep PIL
unLII Ie wus IuII-wuy down WIen IL wouId be
Loo IuLe.
PIgIeL suId LIuL, now LIuL LIIs poInL Iud been ex-
pIuIned, Ie LIougIL IL wus u CunnIng Trup.
PooI wus very proud wIen Ie Ieurd LIIs, und Ie
IeIL LIuL LIe HeIIuIump wus us good us cuugIL uI-
reudy, buL LIere wus jusL one oLIer LIIng wIIcI Iud
Lo be LIougIL ubouL, und IL wus LIIs. 1#$/$ 3#&:,F
-#$7 F*+ -#$ P$/7 ;$$= (*-J
PIgIeL suId LIuL LIe besL pIuce wouId be somewIere
wIere u HeIIuIump wus, jusL beIore Ie IeII InLo IL,
onIy ubouL u IooL IurLIer on.
.&--,$3-&> (*$
. . . mukIng sure LIuL IL's bIg enougI Ior u HeIIu-
Iump.
"BuL LIen Ie wouId see us dIggIng IL," suId PooI.
"NoL II Ie wus IookIng uL LIe sky."
L sounds eusy, doesn'L IL? eL's see. IrsL, you
dIg u IoIe . . .
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
And LIe besL wuy Lo muke sure LIuL LIe HeIIu-
Iump geLs InLo LIe Trup once you've mude IL Is Lo
puL someLIIng LIuL HeIIuIumps IIke InLo IL, sucI us
u bug oI peunuLs, or
"Honey," suId PooI.
I@&>$7JI
IC jur oI Ioney," suId PooI.
"Are you sure?"
"A bIg jur oI Ioney," PooI InsIsLed.
"WIo ever Ieurd oI HeIIuIumps IIkIng #&>$7J
SLIcky, gooey . . . How wouId LIey ever "
"TIe besL LIIng," suId PooI.
AII rIgIL, #&>$7G You puL LIe Ioney In LIe
Trup, und beIore you know IL, you've cuugIL u . . .
.&--,$3-&> (*$
Hmm. SomeLIIng wenL wrong. TIuL's noL u
HeIIuIump. BuL wIuL Is IL? Muybe PIgIeL wIII IInd
ouL wIen Ie goes Lo see wIuL's In LIe Trup.
"HeIp, IeIp!" crIed PIgIeL, "u HeIIuIump, u HorrI-
bIe HeIIuIump!" und Ie scumpered oII us Iurd us Ie
couId, sLIII cryIng ouL, "HeIp, IeIp, u HerrIbIe HoI-
IuIump! HoII, HoII, u HeIIIbIe HorruIump! HoII,
HoII, u HoIIubIe HeIIerump!" And Ie dIdn'L sLop
cryIng und scumperIng unLII Ie goL Lo CIrIsLopIer
RobIn's Iouse.
"WIuLever's LIe muLLer, PIgIeL?" suId CIrIsLopIer
RobIn wIo wus jusL geLLIng up.
"HeII," suId PIgIeL, breuLIIng so Iurd LIuL Ie couId
IurdIy speuk, "u HeII-u HeII-u HeIIuIump."
"WIere?"
"Up LIere," suId PIgIeL, wuvIng IIs puw.
"WIuL dId IL Iook IIke?"
"Ike-IIke L Iud LIe bIggesL Ieud you ever
suw, CIrIsLopIer RobIn. A greuL enormous LIIng,
IIke--IIke noLIIng. A Iuge bIg-weII, IIke u--
don'L know--IIke un enormous bIg noLIIng. Ike u
jur."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
So LIe Ioney wusn'L sucI u good LIIng Lo use,
uILer uII. We dIdn'L LIInk LIuL IL reuIIy muLcIed LIe
NuLure oI HeIIuIumps, someIow.
Now LIuL we know LIe prIncIpIe, we cun------
"OI, IL's you, PooI."
"MuIIIewuIIIe .&--,$3-&> (*$ muIIIewuIIIe"
" beg your purdon?"
"TeII LIem ubouL .&--,$3-&> PIe-wIuL IL
meuns," PooI wIIspered, u IILLIe more cIeurIy.
" jusL dId," suId.
" meun, LeII LIem wIuL IL stcnds Ior," suId
PooI expecLunLIy.
"OI, oI course. TIunk you, PooI."
PooI wunLs us Lo know LIuL LIe words .&--,$?
3-&> (*$ ure u wuy oI suyIng H>>$/ 9%-:/$G So, by
subsLILuLIng LIuL Lerm Ior LIe IusL IIne In eucI verse
oI LIe song, we geL:
C30 A$ % /*FF,$ %>F H /$=,75
IH>>$/ 9%-:/$GI
Hmm.
I.&--,$3-&> (*$ sounds beLLer," suId PooI.
"WeII, Iow ubouL LIIs, PooI?"
C30 A$ % /*FF,$ %>F H /$=,75
I"#*>+3 C/$ C3 "#$7 C/$GI
.&--,$3-&> (*$
"BeLLer. . . . BuL IL sLIII doesn'L rIyme."
"AII rIgIL, Iow's -#*3JI
C30 me c riddle cnd H repl:
"Cottleston, Cottleston Cottleston Pie."
"JusL rIgIL," suId PooI
Now LIuL we know LIe prIncIpIe, we cun Iook
uL ILs uppIIcuLIons. As we Iuve IIkeIy recognIzed by
now, no Lwo snowIIukes, Lrees, or unImuIs ure uIIke.
No Lwo people ure LIe sume, eILIer. EveryLIIng Ius
ILs own nner NuLure. UnIIke oLIer Iorms oI IIIe,
LIougI, peopIe ure eusIIy Ied uwuy Irom wIuL's
rIgIL Ior LIem, becuuse peopIe Iuve BruIn, und
BruIn cun be IooIed. nner NuLure, wIen reIIed on,
cunnoL be IooIed. BuL muny peopIe do noL Iook uL IL
or IIsLen Lo IL, und consequenLIy do noL undersLund
LIemseIves very mucI. HuvIng IILLIe undersLundIng
oI LIemseIves, LIey Iuve IILLIe respecL Ior LIem-
seIves, und ure LIereIore eusIIy InIIuenced by oLIers.
BuL, ruLIer LIun be currIed uIong by cIrcum-
sLunces und munIpuIuLed by LIose wIo cun see LIe
weuknesses und beIuvIor LendencIes LIuL we Ig-
nore, we cun work wILI our own cIurucLerIsLIcs und
be In conLroI oI our own IIves. TIe Wuy oI SeII-Re-
IIunce sLurLs wILI recognIzIng wIo we ure, wIuL
we've goL Lo work wILI, und wIuL works besL Ior us.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"How wouId 7&: expIuIn IL, PooI?"
"WILI u song," Ie suId. "A IILLIe someLIIng
jusL mude up."
"Go uIeud."
"CerLuInIy . . . (cougI)."
@&2 8%> 7&: +$- N$/7 '%/)
H' 7&: F&>D- 0>&2 1#& Q&: C/$J
@&2 8%> 7&: F& 2#%- 7&: &:+#-)
H' 7&: F&>D- 0>&2 1#%- Q&:DN$ 4&-J
C>F *' 7&: F&>D- 0>&2 1#*8# "& ;&
<' %,, -#$ -#*>+3 *> '/&>- &' 7&:)
"#$> 2#%- 7&:D,, #%N$ 2#$> 7&: %/$ -#/&:+#
H3 R:3- % A$33 2*-#&:- % 8,:$
<' %,, -#$ E$3- -#%- 8%> 8&A$ -/:$
H' 7&: 0>&2 1#%- %>F 1#*8# %>F 1#&G
"TIuL's IL," Ie suId, IeunIng buck und cIosIng
IIs eyes.
"A MusLerpIece."
"WeII, beLLer LIun uveruge, muybe."
Sooner or IuLer, we ure bound Lo dIscover some
LIIngs ubouL ourseIves LIuL we don'L IIke. BuL once
we see LIey're LIere, we cun decIde wIuL we wunL
Lo do wILI LIem. Do we wunL Lo geL rId oI LIem
compIeLeIy, cIunge LIem InLo oLIer LIIngs, or use
LIem In beneIIcIuI wuys? TIe IusL Lwo upproucIes
ure oILen especIuIIy UseIuI, sInce LIey uvoId Ieud-
Cottleston Pie
on conIIIcL, und LIereIore mInImIze sLruggIe. AIso,
LIey uIIow LIose LrunsIormed cIurucLerIsLIcs Lo be
udded Lo LIe IIsL oI LIIngs we Iuve LIuL IeIp us ouL
n u sImIIur munner, InsLeud oI sLruggIIng Lo
eruse wIuL ure reIerred Lo us neguLIve emoLIons, we
cun Ieurn Lo use LIem In posILIve wuys. We couId
descrIbe LIe prIncIpIe IIke LIIs: wIIIe poundIng on
LIe pIuno keys muy produce noIse, removIng LIem
doesn'L exucLIy IurLIer LIe creuLIon oI musIc. TIe
prIncIpIes oI MusIc und IvIng uren'L uII LIuL dIIIer-
enL, we LIInk.
"WouIdn'L you suy, PooI?"
"Suy wIuL?" usked PooI, openIng IIs eyes.
"MusIc und IvIng "
"TIe sume LIIng," suId PooI.
TIuL's wIuL we LIougIL. So ruLIer LIun work
uguInsL ourseIves, uII we need Lo do In muny cuses Is
Lo poInL our weuknesses or unpIeusunL LendencIes In
u dIIIerenL dIrecLIon LIun we Iuve been.
TIe IoIIowIng IncIdenL recorded by LIe TuoIsL
Iu An cun serve Lo IIIusLruLe:
n LIe sLuLe oI CI'u, u Iousebreuker becume u soI-
dIer under LIe GeneruI Tzu-Iu, u mun known Ior
uLIIIzIng LIe ubIIILIes oI oLIers Lo u remurkubIe de-
gree.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
A sIorL wIIIe IuLer, CI'u wus uLLucked by LIe urmy
oI LIe sLuLe oI CI'I. Tzu-Iu's men wenL ouL Lo
counLer LIe uLLuck, buL were drIven buck LIree
LImes. TIe CI'u sLruLegIsLs exIuusLed LIeIr mInds
wIIIe LIe enemy Iorces grew sLronger.
AL LIuL poInL, LIe Iousebreuker sLepped Iorwurd
und usked Ior u cIunce Lo work Ior LIe deIense oI
CI'u. TIe GeneruI grunLed IIs requesL.
TIuL nIgIL, LIe Iousebreuker sneuked InLo LIe CI'I
cump, enLered LIe generuI's LenL, und removed LIe
curLuIns Irom LIe bed. Tzu-Iu senL LIese buck LIe
nexL mornIng by specIuI envoy, wILI u noLe wIIcI
expIuIned LIuL LIey Iud been Iound by some men
wIo were ouL guLIerIng IIrewood.
TIe IoIIowIng evenIng, LIe Iousebreuker removed
LIe CI'I generuI's pIIIow. TIe nexL mornIng, IL wus
reLurned wILI u messuge IIke LIe IIrsL.
On LIe LIIrd nIgIL, LIe Iousebreuker removed LIe
generuI's jude IuIrpIn. L wus reLurned LIe nexL
mornIng.
TIuL duy, LIe CI'I generuI cuIIed IIs oIIIcers Lo-
geLIer. "One more nIgIL," Ie wurned LIem, "und IL
wIII be my #$%FSI TIe Lroops were ordered Lo
breuk cump und reLurn Iome.
So LIere Is no sucI LIIng us un ubIIILy LIuL Is Loo
useIess, Loo crooked, or Loo smuII. L onIy depends
on wIuL you do wILI IL. As uo-Lse poInLed ouL, LIe
bud cun be ruw muLerIuI Ior LIe good.
.&--,$3-&> (*$
So quILe oILen, LIe eusIesL wuy Lo geL rId oI u
MInus Is Lo cIunge IL InLo u PIus. SomeLImes you
wIII IInd LIuL cIurucLerIsLIcs you Lry Iurd Lo eIImI-
nuLe evenLuuIIy come buck, unywuy. BuL II you do
LIe rIgIL LIIngs, LIey wIII come buck In LIe rIgIL
wuys. And someLImes LIose very LendencIes LIuL
you dIsIIke LIe mosL cun sIow up In LIe rIgIL wuy uL
LIe rIgIL LIme Lo suve your IIIe, someIow. I LIuL's
ever Iuppened Lo you, you'II LIInk LwIce beIore
seLLIng ouL Lo compIeLeIy Unbounce yourseII.
WIuL do we meun by Unbounce yourseII?
WeII, you remember LIe sILuuLIon wILI TIgger . . .
"How dId you IuII In, Eeyore?" usked RubbIL, us Ie
drIed IIm wILI PIgIeL's IundkercIIeI.
" dIdn'L," suId Eeyore.
"BuL Iow "
I wus BOUNCED," suId Eeyore.
"Oo," suId Roo excILedIy, "dId somebody pusI
you?"
"Somebody BOUNCED me. wus jusL LIInkIng by
LIe sIde oI LIe rIver-LIInkIng, II uny oI you know
wIuL LIuL meuns, wIen & receIved u Ioud
BOUNCE."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"Dh, Eeyore!" suId everybody.
"Are you sure you dIdn'L sIIp?" usked RubbIL
wIseIy.
"OI course sIIpped. I you're sLundIng on LIe sIIp-
pery bunk oI u rIver, und somebody BOUNCES you
IoudIy Irom beIInd, you sIIp. WIuL dId you LIInk
dId?"
"BuL wIo dId IL?" usked Roo.
Eeyore dIdn'L unswer.
" expecL IL wus TIgger," suId PIgIeL nervousIy.
"BuL, Eeyore," suId PooI, "wus IL u Joke, or un Ac-
cIdenL? meun "
" dIdn'L sLop Lo usk, PooI. Even uL LIe very boLLom
oI LIe rIver dIdn'L sLop Lo suy Lo myseII, s LIIs u
HeurLy Joke, or Is IL LIe MeresL AccIdenL?' jusL
IIouLed Lo LIe surIuce, und suId Lo myseII, 'L's weL.'
!" you know wIuL meun."
So, Lo remove LIe Bounce Irom TIgger, RubbIL
cume up wILI unoLIer one oI IIs Iumous pIuns:
RubbIL, PooI, und PIgIeL wouId Luke TIgger Lo
somepIuce uL LIe Lop oI LIe oresL wIere Ie'd
never been, und Iose IIm LIere. And Irom LIen on,
Ie wouId be u SmuII und Sorry TIgger wIo bounced
no more. WeII, so mucI Ior CIeverness, us Eeyore
.&--,$3-&> (*$
mIgIL suy, becuuse us LIIngs Lurned ouL, RubbIL goL
$N$/7&>$ IosL, IncIudIng IImseII. Everyone buL TIg-
ger, LIuL Is. TIggers don'L geL IosL, IL so Iuppens, noL
even In LIe mIsL uL LIe Lop oI LIe oresL. And LIuL
proved Lo be very UseIuI.
Becuuse, uILIougI PooI und PIgIeL Iound LIeIr
wuy buck uILer u wIIIe . . .
"WIere's RubbIL?"
" don'L know," suId PooI.
"OI-weII, expecL TIgger wIII IInd IIm. He's sorL
oI IookIng Ior you uII."
"WeII," suId PooI, "'ve goL Lo go Iome Ior some-
LIIng, und so Ius PIgIeL, becuuse we Iuven'L Iud IL
yeL, und "
"'II come und wuLcI you," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn.
So Ie wenL Iome wILI PooI, und wuLcIed IIm Ior
quILe u Iong LIme . . . und uII LIe LIme Ie wus
wuLcIIng, TIgger wus LeurIng round LIe oresL
mukIng Ioud yuppIng noIses Ior RubbIL. And uL IusL
u very SmuII und Sorry RubbIL Ieurd IIm. And LIe
SmuII und Sorry RubbIL rusIed LIrougI LIe mIsL uL
LIe noIse, und IL suddenIy Lurned InLo TIgger; u
rIendIy TIgger, u Grund TIgger, u urge und
HeIpIuI TIgger, u TIgger wIo bounced, II Ie
bounced uL uII, In jusL LIe beuuLIIuI wuy u TIgger
ougIL Lo bounce.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"OI, TIgger, cm gIud Lo see you," crIed Rub-
n LIe sLory oI LIe UgIy DuckIIng, wIen dId
LIe UgIy DuckIIng sLop IeeIIng UgIy? WIen Ie
reuIIzed LIuL Ie wus u Swun. EucI oI us Ius some-
LIIng SpecIuI, u Swun oI some sorL, IIdden InsIde
somewIere. BuL unLII we recognIze LIuL IL's LIere,
wIuL cun we do buL spIusI uround, LreudIng wuLer?
TIe WIse ure WIo TIey Are. TIey work wILI wIuL
LIey've goL und do wIuL LIey cun do.
TIere ure LIIngs ubouL ourseIves LIuL we need
Lo geL rId oI; LIere ure LIIngs we need Lo cIunge.
BuL uL LIe sume LIme, we do noL need Lo be Loo des-
peruLe, Loo ruLIIess, Loo combuLIve. AIong LIe wuy
Lo useIuIness und IuppIness, muny oI LIose LIIngs
bIL.
.&--,$3-&> (*$
wIII cIunge LIemseIves, und LIe oLIers cun be
worked on us we go. TIe IIrsL LIIng we need Lo do Is
recognIze und LrusL our own nner NuLure, und noL
Iose sIgIL oI IL. or wILIIn LIe UgIy DuckIIng Is LIe
Swun, InsIde LIe Bouncy TIgger Is LIe Rescuer wIo
knows LIe Wuy, und In eucI oI us Is someLIIng Spe-
cIuI, und LIuL we need Lo keep.
or u Iong LIme LIey Iooked uL LIe rIver beneuLI
LIem, suyIng noLIIng, und LIe rIver suId noLIIng
Loo, Ior IL IeIL very quIeL und peuceIuI on LIIs sum-
mer uILernoon.
"TIgger Is uII rIgIL /$%,,7)I suId PIgIeL IuzIIy.
"OI course Ie Is," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn.
"Everybody Is /$%,,7)I suId PooI. "TIuL's wIuL I
LIInk," suId PooI. "BuL don'L suppose 'm rIgIL,"
Ie suId.
"OI course you ure," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn.
36" !))6
WAY
By LIe LIme IL cume Lo LIe edge oI LIe oresL LIe
sLreum Iud grown up, so LIuL IL wus uImosL u rIver,
und, beIng grown-up, IL dId noL run und jump und
spurkIe uIong us IL used Lo do wIen IL wus younger,
buL moved more sIowIy. or IL knew now wIere IL
wus goIng, und IL suId Lo ILseII, "TIere Is no Iurry.
We sIuII geL LIere some duy."
Now we come Lo wIuL couId be cuIIed LIe
mosL cIurucLerIsLIc eIemenL oI TuoIsm-In-ucLIon. n
CIInese, IL Is known us Wu Wei. L Is uIso LIe mosL
cIurucLerIsLIc eIemenL oI PooI-In-ucLIon. n
EngIIsI, IL Is noL known us mucI oI unyLIIng In pur-
LIcuIur. We beIIeve LIuL IL's LIme LIuL someone no-
LIced IL und cuIIed IL someLIIng, so we wIII cuII IL
LIe PooI Wuy.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
ILeruIIy, Wu Wei meuns "wILIouL doIng,
cuusIng, or mukIng." BuL prucLIcuIIy speukIng, IL
meuns wILIouL meddIesome, combuLIve, or egoLIs-
LIcuI eIIorL. L seems ruLIer sIgnIIIcunL LIuL LIe cIur-
ucLer Wei deveIoped Irom LIe symboIs Ior u cIuw-
Ing Iund und u monkey, sInce LIe Lerm Wu Wei
meuns no goIng uguInsL LIe nuLure oI LIIngs; no
cIever LumperIng; no MonkeyIng Around.
TIe eIIIcIency oI Wu Wei Is IIke LIuL oI wuLer
IIowIng over und uround LIe rocks In ILs puLI-noL
LIe mecIunIcuI, sLruIgIL-IIne upproucI LIuL usuuIIy
ends up sIorL-cIrcuILIng nuLuruI Iuws, buL one LIuL
evoIves Irom un Inner sensILIvILy Lo LIe nuLuruI
rIyLIm oI LIIngs.
eL's Luke un exumpIe Irom LIe wrILIngs oI
CIuung-Lse:
AL LIe Gorge oI u, LIe greuL wuLerIuII pIunges Ior
LIousunds oI IeeL, ILs spruy vIsIbIe Ior mIIes. n LIe
cIurnIng wuLers beIow, no IIvIng creuLure cun be
seen.
One duy, K'ung u-Lse wus sLundIng uL u dIsLunce
Irom LIe pooI's edge, wIen Ie suw un oId mun
beIng Lossed ubouL In LIe LurbuIenL wuLer. He
cuIIed Lo IIs dIscIpIes, und LogeLIer LIey run Lo res-
cue LIe vIcLIm. BuL by LIe LIme LIey reucIed LIe
wuLer, LIe oId mun Iud cIImbed ouL onLo LIe bunk
und wus wuIkIng uIong, sIngIng Lo IImseII.
"#$ (&&# 1%7
K'ung u-Lse IurrIed up Lo IIm. "You wouId Iuve
Lo be u gIosL Lo survIve LIuL," Ie suId, "buL you
seem Lo be u mun, InsLeud. WIuL secreL power do
you Iuve?"
"NoLIIng specIuI," LIe oId mun repIIed. " begun Lo
Ieurn wIIIe very young, und grew up prucLIcIng IL
Now um cerLuIn oI success. go down wILI LIe
wuLer und come up wILI LIe wuLer. IoIIow IL und
IorgeL myseII. survIve becuuse don'L sLruggIe
uguInsL LIe wuLer's superIor power. TIuL's uII."
WIen we Ieurn Lo work wILI our own nner
NuLure, und wILI LIe nuLuruI Iuws operuLIng uround
us, we reucI LIe IeveI oI Wu Wei. TIen we work
wILI LIe nuLuruI order oI LIIngs und operuLe on LIe
prIncIpIe oI mInImuI eIIorL. SInce LIe nuLuruI worId
IoIIows LIuL prIncIpIe, IL does noL muke mIsLukes.
MIsLukes ure mude-or ImugIned-by mun, LIe
creuLure wILI LIe overIouded BruIn wIo sepuruLes
IImseII Irom LIe supporLIng neLwork oI nuLuruI
Iuws by InLerIerIng und LryIng Loo Iurd.
NoL IIke PooI, LIe mosL ejjortless Beur we've
ever seen.
"JusL Iow do you do IL, PooI?"
"Do wIuL?" usked PooI.
"Become so EIIorLIess."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
" don'L do mucI oI unyLIIng," Ie suId.
"BuL uII LIose LIIngs oI yours geL done."
"The jusL sorL oI Iuppen," Ie suId.
"WuIL u mInuLe. TIuL remInds me oI some-
LIIng Irom LIe Tco Te Chin," suId, reucIIng Ior u
book. "Here IL Is-cIupLer LIIrLy-seven. TrunsIuLed,
IL reuds someLIIng IIke, 'Tuo does noL do, buL noLI-
Ing Is noL done' "
"TIuL sounds IIke u RIddIe," suId PooI.
"L meuns LIuL Tuo doesn'L Iorce or InLerIere
wILI LIIngs, buL IeLs LIem work In LIeIr own wuy,
Lo produce resuILs nuLuruIIy. TIen wIuLever needs
Lo be done Is done."
" see," suId PooI.
"n CIInese, LIe prIncIpIe wouId be Wei Wu
WeL-' Do WILIouL DoIng.' rom Wei Wu Wei
comes Tzu 1cn, 'SeII So.' TIuL meuns LIuL LIIngs
Iuppen by LIemseIves, sponLuneousIy."
or u busIc exumpIe oI LIe PooI Wuy, IeL's re-
cuII someLIIng LIuL Iuppened In The House ct Pooh
Comer wIen PooI, PIgIeL, RubbIL, und Roo were
pIuyIng PooIsLIcks. TIey'd dropped LIeIr sLIcks oII
LIe brIdge InLo LIe rIver, und Iud gone Lo LIe oLIer
sIde Lo see wIose sLIck wouId come ouL IIrsL
And LIey'd been wuILIng quILe u wIIIe wIen
ouL I I ouL ed . . .
"#$ (&&# 1%7 =;
>
"Now, PooI," Ie suId, "wIen suy 'Now!' you cun
drop IL. Eeyore, wIen suy 'Now!' PooI wIII drop
IIs sLone."
"TIunk you very mucI, RubbIL, buL expecL sIuII
know."
"Are you reudy, PooI? PIgIeL, gIve PooI u IILLIe
cun'L IIL you. .&:,F you sLop LurnIng round Ior u
momenL, becuuse IL muddIes me ruLIer?"
"No," suId Eeyore. " ,*0$ LurnIng round."
RubbIL begun Lo IeeI LIuL IL wus LIme Ie Look com-
mund.
;q The Tco oj Pooh
L wus un unxIous momenL Ior LIe wuLcIers on LIe
brIdge. TIey Iooked und Iooked . . . und even LIe
sIgIL oI PIgIeL's sLIck comIng ouL u IILLIe In IronL oI
RubbIL's dIdn'L cIeer LIem up us mucI us you
wouId Iuve expecLed. And LIen, jusL us PooI wus
begInnIng Lo LIInk LIuL Ie musL Iuve cIosen LIe
wrong sLone or LIe wrong rIver or LIe wrong duy
Ior IIs deu, someLIIng grey sIowed Ior u momenL
by LIe rIver bunk . . . und IL goL sIowIy bIgger und
bIgger. . . und uL IusL IL wus Eeyore comIng ouL
more room. GeL buck u bIL LIere, Roo. Are you
reudy?"
"No," suId Eeyore.
I9&2SI suId RubbIL.
PooI dropped IIs sLone. TIere wus u Ioud spIusI,
und Eeyore dIsuppeured. . . .
The Pooh 1%7 =<
WILI u sIouL LIey rusIed oII LIe brIdge, und
pusIed und puIIed uL IIm; und soon Ie wus sLund-
Ing umong LIem uguIn on dry Iund.
"OI, Eeyore, you cre weL!" suId PIgIeL, IeeIIng IIm.
Eeyore sIook IImseII, und usked somebody Lo ex-
pIuIn Lo PIgIeL wIuL Iuppened wIen you Iud been
InsIde u rIver Ior quILe u Iong LIme.
"WeI I done, PooI," suId RubbIL kIndIy. "TIuL wus u
good Ideu oI ours."
CIeverness, us usuuI, Lukes uII LIe credIL IL pos-
sIbIy cun. BuL IL's noL LIe CIever MInd LIuL's re-
sponsIbIe wIen LIIngs work ouL. L's LIe mInd LIuL
sees wIuL's In IronL oI IL, und IoIIows LIe nuLure oI
LIIngs.
WIen you work wILI Wu Wei, you puL LIe
round peg In LIe round IoIe und LIe squure peg In
LIe squure IoIe. No sLress, no sLruggIe. EgoLIsLIcuI
DesIre LrIes Lo Iorce LIe round peg InLo LIe squure
IoIe und LIe squure peg InLo LIe round IoIe. CIev-
erness LrIes Lo devIse cruILIer wuys oI mukIng peg;
IIL wIere LIey don'L beIong. KnowIedge LrIes Lo IIg-
ure ouL wIy round pegs IIL round IoIes, buL noL
squure IoIes. Wu Wei doesn'L Lry. L doesn'L LIInk
ubouL IL. L jusL does IL. And wIen IL does, IL doesn'L
uppeur Lo do mucI oI unyLIIng. BuL TIIngs GeL
Done.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"HuvIng LroubIe, PIgIeL?"
"TIe IId on LIIs jur Is stucl," gusped PIgIeL.
"Yes, it ... is, Isn'L IL Here, PooI, ou open
I L "
(Pop.)
"TIunks, PooI," suId PIgIeL
"NoLIIng, reuIIy," suId PooI.
"How dId you geL LIuL IId oII?" usked TIgger.
"L's eusy," suId PooI. "You jusL LwIsL on IL IIke
LIIs, unLII you cun'L LwIsL uny Iurder. TIen you Luke
u deep breuLI und, us you IeL IL ouL, tuist. TIuL's
uII."
"eL me Lry LIuL!" yeIIed TIgger, bouncIng
InLo LIe kILcIen. "WIere's LIuL new jur oI pIckIes?
AI, Iere IL Is."
"TIgger," begun PIgIeL nervousIy, " don'L
LIInk you'd beLLer "
"NoLIIng Lo I L " suId TIgger. "JusL LwIsL,
und "
CRASHl
"AII rIgIL, TIgger," suId. "GeL LIose pIckIes
oII LIe IIoor."
"SIIpped ouL oI my puw," expIuIned TIgger.
"He LrIed Loo Iurd," suId PooI.
And wIen you Lry Loo Iurd, IL doesn'L work.
Try grubbIng someLIIng quIckIy und precIseIy wILI
u Lensed-up urm; LIen reIux und Lry IL uguIn. Try
"#$ (&&# 1%7
doIng someLIIng wILI u Lense mInd. TIe suresL wuy
Lo become Tense, Awkwurd, und ConIused Is Lo de-
veIop u mInd LIuL LrIes Loo Iurd-one LIuL LIInks
Loo mucI. TIe unImuIs In LIe oresL don'L LIInk Loo
mucI; LIey jusL Are. BuL wILI un overwIeImIng
number oI peopIe, Lo mIsquoLe un oId WesLern pII-
IosopIer, IL's u cuse oI " LIInk, LIereIore um Con-
Iused." I you compure LIe CILy wILI LIe oresL,
you muy begIn Lo wonder wIy IL's mcn wIo goes
uround cIussIIyIng IImseII us TIe SuperIor AnImuI.
"SuperIor Lo wIuL?" usked PooI.
" don'L know, PooI. 've LrIed Lo LIInk oI
somethin, buL jusL cun'L come up wILI un un-
swer."
"I peopIe were SuperIor Lo AnImuIs, LIey'd
Luke beLLer cure oI LIe worId," suId PooI.
"TIuL's Lrue," suId.
BuL down LIrougI LIe cenLurIes, mun Ius de-
veIoped u mInd LIuL sepuruLes IIm Irom LIe worId
oI reuIILy, LIe worId oI nuLuruI Iuws. TIIs mInd LrIes
Loo Iurd, weurs ILseII ouL, und ends up weuk und
sIoppy. SucI u mInd, even II oI IIgI InLeIIIgence, Is
IneIIIcIenL. L goes Iere und LIere, buckwurds und
Iorwurds, und IuIIs Lo concenLruLe on wIuL IL's doIng
uL LIe momenL. L drIves down LIe sLreeL In u IusL-
movIng cur und LIInks IL's uL LIe sLore, goIng over u
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
grocery IIsL TIen IL wonders wIy uccIdenLs occur.
WIen you work wILI Wu 1$*) you Iuve no
reuI uccIdenLs. TIIngs muy geL u IILLIe Odd uL LImes,
buL LIey work ouL. You don'L Iuve Lo Lry very Iurd
Lo A%0$ LIem work ouL; you jusL ,$- LIem. or ex-
umpIe, IeL's recuII LIe SeurcI Ior SmuII. SmuII-
wIIcI Is sIorL Ior Very SmuII BeeLIe, we were
LoId-dIsuppeured one duy on IIs wuy uround u
gorse-busI. Nobody knew wIuL Iuppened.
So LIe SeurcI wus begun, und soon everyone
wus LryIng very Iurd Lo IInd SmuII. Everyone, oI
course, Iud been orgunIzed und dIrecLed by RubbIL.
Everyone, oI course, excepL Ior PooI:
T:A=S
"#$ (&&# 1%7
"Ow!" squeuked someLIIng.
"TIuL's Iunny," LIougIL PooI. " suId 'Ow!' wILI-
ouL reuIIy oo'Ing."
"HeIp!" suId u smuII, IIgI voIce.
"TIuL's me uguIn," LIougIL PooI. "'ve Iud un Ac-
cIdenL, und IuIIen down u weII, und my voIce Ius
gone uII squeuky und works beIore 'm reudy Ior IL,
becuuse 've done someLIIng Lo myseII InsIde.
BoLIer!"
"HeIp-IeIp!"
"TIere you ure! suy LIIngs wIen 'm noL LryIng.
So IL musL be u very bud AccIdenL." And LIen Ie
LIougIL LIuL perIups wIen Ie dId Lry Lo suy LIIngs
Ie wouIdn'L be ubIe Lo; so, Lo muke sure, Ie suId
IoudIy: "A Very Bud AccIdenL Lo PooI Beur."
"PooI!" squeuked LIe voIce.
"L's PIgIeL!" crIed PooI eugerIy. "WIere ure you?"
"UnderneuLI," suId PIgIeL In un underneuLI sorL oI
wuy.
"UnderneuLI wIuL?"
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
WeII, uILer thct Iud been sLruIgILened o u L . . .
"PooI!" Ie crIed. "TIere's someLIIng cIImbIng up
your buck."
" LIougIL LIere wus," suId PooI
"L's SmuII!" crIed PIgIeL
TIose wIo do LIIngs by LIe PooI Wuy IInd LIIs
sorL oI LIIng IuppenIng Lo LIem uII LIe LIme. L's
Iurd Lo expIuIn, excepL by exumpIe, buL IL works.
TIIngs jusL Iuppen In LIe rIgIL wuy, uL LIe rIgIL
LIme. AL IeusL LIey do wIen you let LIem, wIen you
work uith cIrcumsLunces InsLeud oI suyIng, "TIIs
Isn'L supposed Lo be IuppenIng LIIs wuy," und Lry-
Ing Iurd Lo muke IL Iuppen some oLIer wuy. I
you're In Lune wILI TIe Wuy TIIngs Work, LIen
LIey work LIe wuy LIey need Lo, no muLLer wIuL
you muy LIInk ubouL IL uL LIe LIme. uLer on, you
cun Iook buck und suy, "OI, now undersLund. TIuL
Iud Lo Iuppen so LIuL those couId Iuppen, und
LIose Iud Lo Iuppen In order Ior this Lo Iup-
pen. . . ." TIen you reuIIze LIuL even II you'd LrIed
Lo muke IL uII Lurn ouL perIecLIy, you couIdn'L Iuve
done beLLer, und II you'd recll LrIed, you wouId
Iuve mude u mess oI LIe wIoIe LIIng.
eL's Luke unoLIer exumpIe oI TIIngs Work
OuL: Eeyore's bIrLIduy purLy, us urrunged by PooI
und PIgIeL.
"#$ (&&# 1%7
PooI dIscovered, uILer Eeyore LoId IIm, LIuL IL
wus Eeyore's bIrLIduy. So PooI decIded Lo gIve IIm
someLIIng. He wenL Iome Lo geL u jur oI Ioney Lo
use us u bIrLIduy presenL, und LuIked LIIngs over
wILI PIgIeL, wIo decIded Lo gIve Eeyore u buIIoon
LIuL Ie'd suved Irom u purLy oI IIs own. WIIIe PIg-
IeL wenL Lo geL LIe buIIoon, PooI wuIked oII Lo
Eeyore's wILI LIe jur oI Ioney.
BuL uILer u wII I e, Ie begun Lo geL Hungry.
So Ie suL down und Look LIe Lop oII IIs jur oI Ioney.
"ucky brougIL LIIs wILI me, " Ie LIougIL.
"Muny u beur goIng ouL on u wurm duy IIke LIIs
wouId never Iuve LIougIL oI b r I n g I n g u IILLIe some-
LIIng wILI IIm." And Ie begun Lo euL.
"Now IeL me see," Ie LIougIL, us Ie Look IIs IusL
IIck oI LIe InsIde oI LIe jur, "wIere wus goIng? AI,
yes, Eeyore." He goL up sIowIy.
And LIen, suddenIy, Ie remembered. He Iud euLen
Eeyore's bIrLIduy presenL!
WeII, mosL oI IL, unywuy. orLunuLeIy, Ie sLIII
Iud LIe jcr. And sInce Ie wus pussIng by LIe Hun-
dred Acre Wood, Ie wenL In Lo see OwI und Iud
IIm wrILe "A Hcpp irthdc" on IL. AILer uII, IL
ucs u nIce jur, even wILI noLIIng In IL.
WIIIe uII LIIs wus IuppenIng, PIgIeL Iud gone buck
Lo IIs own Iouse Lo geL Eeyore's buIIoon. He IeId IL
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
very LIgILIy uguInsL IImseII, so LIuL IL sIouIdn'L
bIow uwuy, und Ie run us IusL us Ie couId so us Lo
geL Lo Eeyore beIore PooI dId; Ior Ie LIougIL LIuL
Ie wouId IIke Lo be LIe IIrsL one Lo gIve u presenL,
jusL us II Ie Iud LIougIL oI IL wILIouL beIng LoId by
unybody. And runnIng uIong, und LIInkIng Iow
pIeused Eeyore wouId be, Ie dIdn'L Iook wIere Ie
wus goIng ... und suddenIy Ie puL IIs IooL In u rubbIL
IoIe, und IeII down IIuL on IIs Iuce.
BANG!!!???!!!
Yes, weII, uILer PIgIeL IeII on Eeyore's buIIoon,
IL wusn'L so . . . weII, IL wus more . . . LIuL Is, IL
wus . . .
The Pooh Wc 8
"clloon?" suId Eeyore. "You dId suy buIIoon? One
oI LIose bIg coIoured LIIngs you bIow up? GuIeLy,
song-und-dunce, Iere we ure und LIere we ure?"
"Yes, buL 'm uIruId-'m very sorry, Eeyore-buL
wIen wus runnIng uIong Lo brIng IL Lo you, IeII
down."
"Deur, deur, Iow unIucky! You run Loo IusL, ex-
pecL You dIdn'L IurL yourseII, ILLIe PIgIeL?"
"No, buL --oI, Eeyore, bursL LIe buIIoon!"
TIere wus u very Iong sIIence.
"My buIIoon?" suId Eeyore uL IusL
PI gI eL nodded.
" My bIrLIduy buI I oon?"
"Yes, Eeyore," suId PIgIeL snIIIIng u IILLIe. "Here IL
Is. WILI-wILI muny Iuppy reLurns oI LIe duy."
And Ie guve Eeyore LIe smuII pIece oI dump rug.
"s LIIs IL?" suId Eeyore, u IILLIe surprIsed.
PI gI eL nodded.
"My presenL?"
PIgIeL nodded uguIn.
"TIe buIIoon?"
And jusL LIen, PooI urrIved.
"'ve brougIL you u IILLIe presenL," suId PooI excIL-
edIy.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"' ve Iud IL," suId Eeyore.
PooI Iud now spIusIed ucross LIe sLreum Lo
Eeyore, und PIgIeL wus sILLIng u IILLIe wuy oII, IIs
Ieud In IIs puws, snuIIIIng Lo IImseII.
"L's u UseIuI PoL," suId PooI. "Here IL Is. And IL's
goL 'A Very Huppy BIrLIduy wILI Iove Irom PooI'
wrILLen on IL. TIuL's wIuL uII LIuL wrILIng Is. And
IL's Ior puLLIng LIIngs In. TIere!"
TIen Eeyore dIscovered LIuL, sInce LIe buIIoon
wus no Ionger us bIg us PIgIeL, IL couId eusIIy be puL
uwuy In LIe UseIuI PoL und Luken ouL wIenever IL
wus needed, wIIcI cerLuInIy cun'L be done wILI LIe
LypIcuI UnmunugeubIe BuIIoon . . .
"' m very gIud," suId PooI IuppIIy, "LIuL LIougIL
oI gIvIng you u UseIuI PoL Lo puL LIIngs In."
"' m very gIud," suId PIgIeL IuppIIy, "LIuL
LIougIL oI gIvIng you SomeLIIng Lo puL In u UseIuI
PoL "
BuL Eeyore wusn'L IIsLenIng. He wus LukIng LIe buI-
Ioon ouL, und puLLIng IL buck uguIn, us Iuppy us
couId be. . . .
"#$ (&&# 1%7
So IL uII worked ouL.
AL ILs IIgIesL IeveI, Wu Wei Is IndeIInubIe und
prucLIcuIIy InvIsIbIe, becuuse IL Ius become u reIIex
ucLIon. n LIe words oI CIuung-Lse, LIe mInd oI Wu
Wei "IIows IIke wuLer, reIIecLs IIke u mIrror, und re-
sponds IIke un ecIo."
JusL IIke PooI. "Ahem. suy, '1ust lile Pooh'"
"WI-wIuL?" suId PooI, wukIng up suddenIy
und IuIIIng ouL oI LIe cIuIr. "WIuL's IIke wIo?"
"WIuL IIows IIke wuLer, reIIecLs IIke u mIrror,
und responds IIke un ecIo?"
"OI, u RIddIe," suId PooI. "How muny guesses
do geL?"
"OI, don'L know. eL's jusL see wIuL Iup-
pens."
"WIuL couId IL be?" Ie mumbIed. "Iows IIke
wuLer . . . "
UsIng Wu Wei, you go by cIrcumsLunces und
IIsLen Lo your own InLuILIon. "TIIs Isn'L LIe besL
LIme Lo do LIIs. 'd beLLer go thct wuy." Ike LIuL.
WIen you do LIuL sorL oI LIIng, peopIe muy suy you
Iuve u SIxLI Sense or someLIIng. AII IL reuIIy Is,
LIougI, Is beIng SensILIve Lo CIrcumsLunces. TIuL's
jusL nuLuruI. L's onIy sLrunge wIen you don't IIsLen.
One oI LIe mosL convenIenL LIIngs ubouL LIIs
SensILIvILy Lo CIrcumsLunces Is LIuL you don'L Iuve
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
Lo muke so muny dIIIIcuIL decIsIons. nsLeud, you
cun IeL LIem muke LIemseIves.
or exumpIe, In The House ct Pooh Comer,
PooI wus wunderIng uround one duy LryIng Lo de-
cIde wIom Ie wunLed Lo vIsIL. He couId go see
Eeyore, wIom Ie Iudn'L seen sInce yesLerduy, or
OwI, wIom Ie Iudn'L seen sInce dIe duy beIore
yesLerduy, or Kungu, Roo, und TIgger, uII oI wIom
Ie Iudn'L seen Ior quILe u wIIIe. How dId Ie de-
cIde? He suL down on u rock In LIe mIddIe oI LIe
sLreum und sung u song.
"#$ (&&# 1%7
TIen Ie goL up und wundered uround uguIn, LIInk-
Ing ubouL vIsILIng RubbIL, unLII Ie Iound IImseII uL
IIs own IronL door. He wenL InsIde, goL someLIIng
Lo euL, und LIen wenL ouL Lo see PIgIeL.
TIuL's Iow IL Is wIen you use LIe PooI Wuy.
NoLIIng Lo IL. No sLress, no mess. Now-----
"A sLreum?" usked PooI.
"WIuL?"
"TIe unswer. A strecm IIows IIke wuLer, re-
IIecLs IIke u mIrror-----"
"BuL IL doesn'L respond IIke un ecIo," suId.
"Yes, IL does," suId PooI.
"WeII, you're close. SorL oI. guess."
"JusL gIve me more LIme," suId PooI.
TIe Wu Wei upproucI Lo conIIIcL-soIvIng cun
be seen In LIe prucLIce oI LIe TuoIsL murLIuI urL T'ci
Chi Ch'ucn, LIe busIc Ideu oI wIIcI Is Lo weur LIe
opponenL ouL eILIer by sendIng IIs energy buck uL
IIm or by deIIecLIng IL uwuy, In order Lo weuken IIs
power, buIunce, und posILIon-Ior-deIense. Never Is
Iorce opposed wILI Iorce; InsLeud, IL Is overcome
wILI yIeIdIng.
"Iows IIke wuLer, reIIecLs IIke u mIrror. . . ,"
suId PooI, wuIkIng by.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"You're LIInkIng Loo mucI, PooI," suId "'II
gIve you u IInL; muybe IL'II IeIp."
" Iope so," suId PooI. "TIIs Is begInnIng Lo
BoLIer me."
"AII rIgIL-Lo soIve LIe RIddIe, you need Lo IeL
your mInd ',&2 uIong und /$',$8- wIuL IL sees. TIen
IL cun /$3=&>F wILI LIe unswer. GeL IL?"
"No, " suId PooI.
"OI, weII."
"eL me see-IIows IIke wuL er. . . , " muLLered
PooI.
TIe 1: 1$* prIncIpIe underIyIng "D%* .#*
.#D:%> cun be undersLood by sLrIkIng uL u pIece oI
cork IIouLIng In wuLer. TIe Iurder you IIL IL, LIe
more IL yIeIds; LIe more IL yIeIds, LIe Iurder IL
bounces buck. WILIouL expendIng energy, LIe cork
cun eusIIy weur you ouL. So, 1: 1$* overcomes
Iorce by neuLruIIzIng ILs power, ruLIer LIun by udd-
Ing Lo LIe conIIIcL. WILI oLIer upproucIes, you muy
IIgIL IIre wILI IIre, buL wILI 1: 1$*) you IIgIL IIre
wILI wuLer.
II know," suId PooI. "A pIece oI cork!"
"WIuL ubouL IL?"
"Responds IIke un ecIo!" Ie suId LrIum-
pIunLIy.
"#$ (&&# 1%7
"BuL IL doesn'L IIow IIke wuLer or reIIecL IIke u
mIrror," suId.
"OI," suId PooI. "TIuL's rIgIL."
"WeII, guess 'd beLLer LeII you," suId. "L's
LIe PooI Wuy."
"WIuL Is?" usked PooI.
"TIe unswer," suId.
"OI," suId PooI.
"TIuL wusn'L u very good RIddIe," Ie udded.
"AII rIgIL, LIen ou usk one."
"GIud Lo. WIuL's bIuck und wIILe und red uII
over?"
"OI, no. NoL thct one."
"You've Ieurd IL beIore?" usked PooI, u bIL
surprIsed.
"OI course. L's been uround Ior yeurs. Every-
one knows LIe unswer-L's u newspuper."
"No, " suId PooI.
"An emburrussed zebru?"
"No. "
"WeII, LIen . . . "
"GIve up?" PooI usked IopeIuIIy.
"AII rIgIL, gIve up. WIuL's bIuck und wIILe
und red uII over?"
"A sunburned penguIn."
"PooI, LIuL's sLupId."
"BeLLer LIun yours," Ie suId.
qo "#$ "%& &' (&&#
BuL we're suvIng thct Ior LIe nexL cIupLer.
"WeII, Iere's unoLIer one, LIen. L Ius Lo do
wILI LIe opposILe oI LIe PooI Wuy. WIuL runs
uround uII duy wILIouL geLLIng unywIere?"
"A RubbIL?" suId PooI.
"WeII, prccticcll."
"OI, know. L's u-----"
(&+0 (/2*+)#
RubbIL IurrIed on by LIe edge oI LIe Hundred Acre
Wood, IeeIIng more ImporLunL every mInuLe, und
soon Ie cume Lo LIe Lree wIere CIrIsLopIer RobIn
IIved. He knocked uL LIe door, und Ie cuIIed ouL
once or LwIce, und LIen Ie wuIked buck u IILLIe wuy
und puL IIs puw up Lo keep LIe sun ouL, und cuIIed
Lo LIe Lop oI LIe Lree, und LIen Ie Lurned uII round
und sIouLed "HuIIo!" und " suy!" "L's RubbIL!" --
buL noLIIng Iuppened. TIen Ie sLopped und IIs-
Lened, und everyLIIng sLopped und IIsLened wILI
IIm, und LIe oresL wus very Ione und sLIII und
peuceIuI In LIe sunsIIne, unLII suddenIy u Iundred
mIIes ubove IIm u Iurk begun Lo sIng.
"BroLIer!" suId RubbIL. "He's gone ouL."
He wenL buck Lo LIe green IronL door, jusL Lo muke
sure, und Ie wus LurnIng uwuy, IeeIIng LIuL IIs
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
mornIng Iud goL uII spoIIL, wIen Ie suw u pIece oI
puper on LIe ground. And LIere wus u pIn In IL, us II
IL Iud IuIIen oII LIe door.
"Hu!" suId RubbIL, IeeIIng quILe Iuppy uguIn."An-
oLIer noLIce!"
TIIs Is wIuL IL suId:
GON OUT
BACKSON
BSY
BACKSON.
C. R
RubbIL dIdn'L know wIuL u Buckson wus-In
spILe oI LIe IucL LIuL Ie Is one-so Ie wenL Lo usk
OwI. OwI dIdn'L know, eILIer. BuL we LIInk ue
know, und we LIInk u IoL oI oLIer peopIe do, Loo.
CIuung-Lse descrIbed one quILe uccuruLeIy:
TIere wus u mun wIo dIsIIked seeIng IIs IooLprInLs
und IIs sIudow. He decIded Lo escupe Irom LIem,
und begun Lo run. BuL us Ie run uIong, more IooL-
prInLs uppeured, wIIIe IIs sIudow eusIIy kepL up
wILI IIm. TIInkIng Ie wus goIng Loo sIowIy, Ie run
IusLer und IusLer wILIouL sLoppIng, unLII Ie IInuIIy
coIIupsed Irom exIuusLIon und dIed.
T*37 T%803&>
I Ie Iud sLood sLIII, LIere wouId Iuve been no
IooLprInLs. I Ie Iud resLed In LIe sIude, IIs sIudow
wouId Iuve dIsuppeured.
You see LIem uImosL everywIere you go, IL
seems. On prucLIcuIIy uny sunny sorL oI duy, you
cun see LIe Bucksons sLumpedIng LIrougI LIe purk,
mukIng uII kInds oI Ioud BreuLIIng NoIses. PerIups
you ure enjoyIng u pIcnIc on LIe gruss wIen you
suddenIy Iook up Lo IInd LIuL one or Lwo oI LIem
jusL run over your IuncI.
GeneruIIy, LIougI, you ure suIe uround Lrees
und gruss, us Bucksons Lend Lo uvoId LIem. TIey
preIer InsLeud Lo sLruggIe uIong on uspIuIL und con-
creLe, In ImILuLIon oI LIe sIorL-IIved LrunsporLuLIon
mucIInes Ior wIIcI LIose Iurd surIuces were de-
sIgned. nIuIIng poIsonous exIuusL Iumes Irom LIe
veIIcIes LIuL swerve Lo uvoId IILLIng LIem, LIe
Bucksons bIubber uwuy Lo eucI oLIer ubouL Iow
mucI beLLer LIey IeeI now LIuL LIey Iuve goLLen
OuLdoors. NuLuruI IIvIng, LIey cuII IL.
TIe BIsy Buckson Is uImosL desperuLeIy ucLIve.
I you usk IIm wIuL IIs IIe nLeresLs ure, Ie wIII
gIve you u IIsL oI PIysIcuI AcLIvILIes, sucI us:
"SkydIvIng, LennIs, joggIng, rucqueL-buII, skI-
Ing, swImmIng, und wuLer-skIIng."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"s LIuL uII?"
"WeII, (gusp, punL, wIeeze) thinl so," suys
Buckson.
"Huve you ever LrIed cIusIng curs?"
"No, -no, never Iuve."
"How ubouL wresLIIng uIIIguLors?"
"No . . . uIwuys wunLed Lo, LIougI."
"RoIIer-skuLIng down u IIIgIL oI sLuIrs?"
"No, never LIougIL oI IL."
"BuL you suId you were cctite."
AL LIIs poInL, LIe Buckson repIIes, LIougIL-
IuIIy, "Suy--do you LIInk LIere's someLIIng . . .
uron wILI me? Muybe 'm IosIng my energy."
AILer u wIIIe, muybe.
TIe ALIIeLIc sorL oI Buckson-one oI LIe muny
common vurIeLIes-Is concerned wILI pIysIcuI IIL-
ness, Ie suys. BuL Ior some reuson, Ie sees IL us
someLIIng LIuL Ius Lo be pounded In Irom LIe ouL-
sIde, ruLIer LIun buIIL up Irom LIe InsIde. TIere-
Iore, Ie conIuses exercIse wILI uorl. He works
wIen Ie works, works wIen Ie exercIses, und, more
oILen LIun noL, works wIen Ie pIuys. Work, work,
work. AII work und no pIuy mukes Buckson u duII
boy. KepL up Ior Iong enougI, IL mukes IIm deud,
Loo.
T*37 T%803&>
WeII-Iere's RubbIL. "HeIIo, RubbIL. WIuL's
new?"
?& jusL goL buck Irom OwI' s," suId RubbIL,
sIIgILIy ouL oI breuLI.
"OI? You were cerLuInIy gone u Iong LIme."
"Yes, weII . . . OwI InsIsLed on LeIIIng me u
sLory ubouL IIs GreuL-UncIe PIIIberL."
"Dh, thct's uh."
"BuL unywuy-OwI suId LIuL Ie Iusn'L seen
LIe Uncurved BIock, eILIer, buL LIuL Roo Is probu-
bIy pIuyIng wILI IL. So & sLopped oII uL Kungu's
Iouse, buL no one wus LIere."
"TIey're ouL In LIe oresL, prucLIcIng jumps
wILI TIgger," & suId.
"OI. WeII, 'd beLLer be goIng, LIen."
"TIuL's uII rIgIL, RubbIL, becuuse----"
WIere'd Ie go? TIuL's Iow IL Is, you know-
no resL Ior LIe Buckson.
eL's puL IL LIIs wuy: II you wunL Lo be IeuILIy,
reIuxed, und conLenLed, jusL wuLcI wIuL u BIsy
Buckson does und LIen do LIe opposILe. TIere's one
now, pucIng buck und IorLI, jIngIIng LIe Ioose coIns
In IIs pockeL, nervousIy gIuncIng uL IIs wuLcI. He
mukes you IeeI LIred jusL IookIng uL IIm. TIe
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
cIronIc Buckson uIwuys seems Lo Iuve Lo be oin
somewIere, uL IeusL on u superIIcIuI, pIysIcuI IeveI.
He doesn'L go ouL Ior u ucll, LIougI; Ie doesn'L
Iuve LIme.
"NoL conversIng," suId Eeyore. "NoL IIrsL one und
LIen LIe oLIer. You suId 'HuIIo' und IusIed PusL.
suw your LuII In LIe dIsLunce us wus medILuLIng my
repIy. #%F LIougIL oI suyIng 'WIuL?'-buL, oI
course, IL wus LIen Loo IuLe."
"WeII, wus In u Iurry."
"No GIve und Tuke," Eeyore wenL on. "No Ex-
cIunge oI TIougIL: D@%,,&U1#%-D ???? & meun, IL
geLs you nowIere, purLIcuIurIy II LIe oLIer person's
LuII Is onIy jusL In sIgIL Ior LIe second IuII oI LIe
conversuLIon."
TIe BIsy Buckson Is uIwuys On TIe Run, IL
seems, uIwuys:
GONE OUT
BACK SOON
BUSY
BACK SOON
T*37 T%803&> @=
TIe BIsy Buckson Is uIwuys goIng 3&A$2#$/$)
somewIere Ie Iusn'L been. AnywIere buL wIere
Ie Is.
"TIuL's jusL IL," suId RubbIL, "WIere?"
"PerIups Ie's IookIng Ior someLIIng."
"WIuL?" usked RubbIL.
"TIuL's jusL wIuL wus goIng Lo suy," suId PooI.
And LIen Ie udded, "PerIups Ie's IookIng Ior u-
Ior u-----"
or u Rewurd, perIups. Our BIsy Buckson reII-
gIons, scIences, und busIness eLIIcs Iuve LrIed LIeIr
IurdesL Lo convInce us LIuL LIere Is u GreuL Rewurd
wuILIng Ior us somewIere, und LIuL wIuL we Iuve
Lo do Is spend our IIves workIng IIke IunuLIcs Lo
cuLcI up wILI IL. WIeLIer IL's up In LIe sky, beIInd
LIe nexL moIecuIe, or In LIe execuLIve suILe, IL's
or, more uccuruLeIy:
BACK OUT
GONE SOON
BUSY
GONE SOON
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
someIow uIwuys IurLIer uIong LIun we ure-jusL
down LIe roud, on LIe oLIer sIde oI LIe worId, pusL
LIe moon, beyond LIe sLurs. . . .
"OucI!" suId PooI, IundIng on LIe IIoor.
"TIuL's wIuL Iuppens wIen you go Lo sIeep on
LIe edge oI LIe wrILIng LubIe," suId. "You IuII oII."
"JusL us weII," suId PooI.
"WIy' s LIuL?" usked.
" wus IuvIng un uwIuI dreum," Ie suId.
"OI?"
"Yes. 'd Iound u jur oI Ioney. . . .," Ie suId,
rubbIng IIs eyes.
"WIuL's uwIuI ubouL LIuL?" usked.
"L kepL movIng," suId PooI. "TIey're noL
supposed Lo do LIuL. TIey're supposed Lo sIL sLIII."
"Yes, know."
"BuL wIenever reucIed Ior IL, LIIs jur oI
Ioney wouId sorL oI go somepIuce eIse."
"A nIgILmure," suId.
"oLs oI peopIe Iuve dreums IIke LIuL," &
udded reussurIngIy.
"OI, " suId PooI. "AbouL UnreucIubIe jurs oI
Ioney?"
"AbouL LIe sume sorL oI LIIng," suId. "TIuL's
noL unusuuI. TIe odd LIIng, LIougI, Is LIuL some
peopIe lite IIke LIuL."
is cclson
"WIy?" usked PooI
" don'L know," suId. " suppose becuuse IL
gIves LIem SomeLIIng Lo Do. "
"L doesn'L sound IIke mucI Iun Lo me," suId
PooI.
No, IL doesn'L. A wuy oI IIIe LIuL keeps suyIng,
"Around LIe nexL corner, ubove LIe nexL sLep,"
works uguInsL LIe nuLuruI order oI LIIngs und mukes
IL so dIIIIcuIL Lo be Iuppy und good LIuL onIy u Iew
geL Lo wIere LIey wouId nuLuruIIy Iuve been In LIe
IIrsL pIuce - Huppy und Good - und LIe resL gIve up
und IuII by LIe sIde oI LIe roud, cursIng LIe worId,
wIIcI Is noL Lo bIume buL wIIcI Is LIere Lo IeIp
sIow LIe wuy.
TIose wIo LIInk LIuL LIe rewurdIng LIIngs In
IIIe ure somewIere beyond LIe ruInbow-----
"Bum LIeIr LousL u IoL," suId PooI.
" beg your purdon?"
"TIey burn LIeIr LousL u IoL," suId PooI.
"TIey - weII, yes. And noL onIy LIuL-----"
"Here comes RubbIL," suId PooI.
"OI, LIere you ure," suId RubbIL.
"Here we ure," suId PooI.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"Yes, Iere we ure," & suId.
"And LIere 7&: ure," suId PooI.
"Yes, Iere & um," suId RubbIL ImpuLIenLIy. "To
come Lo LIe poInL -- Roo sIowed me IIs seL oI
bIocks. TIey're uII curved und puInLed, wILI IeLLers
on LIem."
"OI?" & suId.
"JusL LIe sorL oI LIIng you'd $V=$8- Lo see, uc-
LuuIIy," suId RubbIL, sLrokIng IIs wIIskers LIougIL-
IuIIy. "So by process oI eIImInuLIon," Ie suId, "LIuL
meuns W$7&/$ Ius IL."
"BuL RubbIL," & suId. "You see-----"
"Yes," suId RubbIL. ?& see Eeyore und IInd ouL
wIuL Ie knows ubouL IL -- LIuL's cIeurIy LIe nexL
sLep."
"TIere Ie goes," suId PooI
ookIng buck u Iew yeurs, we see LIuL LIe IIrsL
BIsy Bucksons In LIIs purL oI LIe worId, LIe PurI-
Luns, prucLIcuIIy worked LIemseIves Lo deuLI In LIe
IIeIds wILIouL geLLIng mucI oI unyLIIng In reLurn
Ior LIeIr Lremendous eIIorLs. TIey were ucLuuIIy
sLurvIng unLII LIe wIser InIubILunLs oI LIe Iund
sIowed LIem u Iew LIIngs ubouL workIng In Iur-
mony wILI LIe eurLI's rIyLIms. Now you pIunL;
now you reIux. Now you work LIe soII; now you
is cclson
Ieuve IL uIone. TIe PurILuns never reuIIy undersLood
LIe second IuII, never reuIIy beIIeved In IL. And so,
uILer Lwo or LIree cenLurIes oI pusIIng, pusIIng,
und pusIIng LIe once-IerLIIe eurLI, und u Iew yeurs
oI depIeLIng ILs energy sLIII IurLIer wILI synLIeLIc
sLImuIunLs, we Iuve uppIes LIuL LusLe IIke curd-
bourd, orunges LIuL LusLe IIke LennIs buIIs, und peurs
LIuL LusLe IIke sweeLened SLyroIoum, uII producLs oI
soII LIuL Is noL uIIowed Lo reIux. We' re noL supposed
Lo compIuIn, buL TIere L s.
"Suy, PooI, wIy uren'L ou busy?" suId.
"Becuuse IL's u nIce duy," suId PooI.
"Yes, buL-----"
"WIy ruIn IL?" Ie suId.
"BuL you couId be doIng someLIIng mpor-
LunL," suId.
" um," suId PooI.
"OI? DoIng wIuL?"
"IsLenIng," Ie suId.
"IsLenIng Lo wIuL?"
"To LIe bIrds. And LIuL squIrreI over LIere."
"WIuL ure LIey suyIng?" usked.
"TIuL IL's u nIce duy," suId PooI.
"BuL you know LIuL uIreudy," suId
"Yes, buL IL's uIwuys good Lo Ieur LIuL some-
body eIse LIInks so, Loo," Ie repIIed.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"WeII, you couId be spendIng your LIme geL-
LIng EducuLed by IIsLenIng Lo LIe RudIo, InsLeud,"
suId.
"TIuL LIIng?"
"CerLuInIy. How eIse wIII you know wIuL's
goIng on In LIe worId?" suId.
"By goIng ouLsIde," suId PooI,
"Er . . . weII. . . ." (CIIck.) "Now jusL IIsLen Lo
LIIs, PooI."
"Thirt thouscnd people uere lilled todc
uhen jite jumbo cirliners collided oter dountoun
Los Aneles . . . ," LIe RudIo unnounced.
"WIuL does thct LeII you ubouL LIe worId?"
usked PooI.
"Hmm. You're rIgIL." (CIIck.)
"WIuL ure LIe bIrds suyIng now?" usked.
"TIuL IL's u nIce duy," suId PooI.
L cerLuInIy Is, even II LIe Bucksons cre Loo
busy Lo enjoy IL. BuL Lo concIude our expIunuLIon oI
wIy so busy . . . .
TIe IurdIeuded IoIIowers oI LIe prevIousIy
menLIoned PurLy-CrusIIng Busybody reIIgIon IuIIed
Lo upprecIuLe LIe beuuLy oI LIe endIess IoresL und
cIeur wuLers LIuL uppeured beIore LIem on LIIs
IresI green conLInenL oI LIe New WorId. nsLeud,
T*37 T%803&>
LIey suw LIe purudIse LIuL wus Iere und LIe peopIe
wIo IIved In Iurmony wILI IL us uIIen und LIreuLen-
Ing, someLIIng Lo uLLuck und conquer--becuuse IL
uII sLood In LIe wuy oI LIe GreuL Rewurd. TIey
dIdn'L IIke sIngIng very mucI, eILIer. n IucL-----
"WIuL?" suId PooI. "No sIngIng?"
"PooI, 'm LryIng Lo IInIsI LIIs. TIuL's rIgIL,
LIougI. No sIngIng. TIey dIdn'L IIke IL."
"WeII, II LIey dIdn'L IIke sIngIng, LIen wIuL
wus LIeIr uLLILude Lowurds Beurs?"
" don'L LIInk LIey IIked Beurs, eILIer."
"TIey dIdn'L IIke ecrs?"
"No. NoL very mucI, unywuy."
"No sIngIng, no Beurs. . . . JusL wIuL did LIey
IIke?"
" don'L LIInk LIey IIked cnthin, PooI."
"No wonder LIIngs ure u IILLIe ConIused
uround Iere," Ie suId.
Anywuy, Irom LIe MIserubIe PurILun cume LIe
ResLIess PIoneer, und Irom IIm, LIe oneIy Cow-
boy, uIwuys rIdIng oII InLo LIe sunseL, IookIng Ior
someLIIng jusL down LIe LruII. rom LIIs rooLIess,
dIssuLIsIIed uncesLry Ius come LIe BIsy Buckson,
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
wIo, IIke IIs IoreIuLIers, Ius never reuIIy IeIL uL
Iome, uL peuce, wILI LIIs rIendIy und. RIgId,
combuLIve IunuLIc LIuL Ie Is, LIe LIgILIIsLed Buckson
Is jusL Loo Iurd on IImseII, Loo Iurd on oLIers, und
Loo Iurd on LIe worId LIuL IeroIcuIIy uLLempLs Lo
curry on In spILe oI wIuL Ie Is doIng Lo IL.
L's noL surprIsIng, LIereIore, LIuL LIe Buckson
LIInks oI progress In Lerms oI IIgILIng und overcom-
Ing. One oI bIs IILLIe IdIosyncrusIes, you mIgIL suy.
OI course, /$%, progress InvoIves growIng und de-
veIopIng, wIIcI InvoIves cIungIng InsIde, buL LIuL's
someLIIng LIe InIIexIbIe Buckson Is unwIIIIng Lo do.
TIe urge Lo grow und deveIop, presenL In uII Iorms
oI IIIe, becomes perverLed In LIe BIsy Buckson's
mInd InLo u consLunL sLruggIe Lo cIunge everyLIIng
(LIe BuIIdozer Buckson) und everyone (LIe BIgoLed
Buckson) eIse E:- IImseII, und InLerIere wILI LIIngs
Ie Ius no busIness InLerIerIng wILI, IncIudIng pruc-
LIcuIIy every Iorm oI IIIe on eurLI. AL IeusL Lo u IIm-
ILed exLenL, IIs beIuvIor Ius been IeId In cIeck by
wIser peopIe uround IIm. BuL, IIke purenLs oI Iy-
perucLIve cIIIdren, LIe wIse IInd LIuL LIey cun'L
be everywIere uL once. Buby-sILLIng LIe Bucksons
weurs you ouL.
"Here's RubbIL uguIn," suId PooI. "And
Eeyore."
T*37 T%803&>
"OI-RubbIL," suId.
IC>F Eeyore," suId Eeyore.
" usked Eeyore-----," suId RubbIL.
"TIuL's me," suId Eeyore. "Eeyore."
"Yes, remember," suId. " suw you jusL IusL
yeur, ouL In LIe Swump somewIere."
IK2%A=JI suId Eeyore IndIgnunLIy. "L's noL u
Swump. L's u T&+GI
"Swump, Bog. . . . "
"WIuL's u Bog?" usked PooI.
"I your unkIes geL weL, LIuL's u Bog," suId
Eeyore.
" see," suId PooI.
"WIereus," conLInued Eeyore, "II you sInk In
up Lo your >$80) LIuL's u Swump.
"Swump, Indeed," Ie udded bILLerIy. "Hu!"
"Anywuy, usked Eeyore," suId RubbIL, "und
Ie suId Ie dIdn'L Iuve LIe sIIgILesL Ideu wIuL wus
LuIkIng ubouL."
"L uppeurs LIuL 'm noL uIone In LIuL," puL In
Eeyore. "You don'L Iuve LIe sIIgILesL Ideu, eILIer.
ObvIousIy."
"JusL wIuL *3 LIe Uncurved BIock?" usked
RubbIL.
"L's me," suId PooI.
"You?" suId Eeyore. ?& cume uII LIe wuy over
Iere-----"
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"rom LIe Swump," udded IeIpIuIIy,
"-Irom LIe o, Lo see Pooh?"
"WIy noL?" usked PooI.
"AnyLIIng Ior RubbIL Lo keep busy over," suId
Eeyore surcusLIcuIIy. "AnyLIIng uL uII, uppurenLIy."
Now, one LIIng LIuL seems ruLIer odd Lo us Is
LIuL LIe BIsy Buckson SocIeLy, wIIcI prucLIcuIIy
worsIIps youLIIuI energy, uppeurunce, und uLLI-
Ludes, Ius deveIoped no eIIecLIve meLIods oI re-
LuInIng LIem, u Iuck LesLIIIed Lo by un ever-Increus-
Ing reIIunce on LIe unnuLuruI uIse ronL upproucI
oI cosmeLIcs und pIusLIc surgery. nsLeud, IL Ius de-
veIoped counLIess wuys oI breukIng youLIIuIness
down und desLroyIng IL. TIose dumugIng ucLIvILIes
LIuL ure noL purL oI LIe seurcI Ior LIe GreuL Rewurd
seem Lo uccumuIuLe under LIe generuI IeudIng oI
SuvIng TIme.
or un exumpIe oI LIe IuLLer, IeL's Luke u cIussIc
monumenL Lo LIe BIsy Buckson: LIe Humburger
SLund.
n CIInu, LIere Is LIe TeuIouse. n runce,
LIere Is LIe SIdewuIk CuIe. PrucLIcuIIy every cIvI-
IIzed counLry In LIe worId Ius some sorL oI equIvu-
IenL-u pIuce wIere peopIe cun go Lo euL, reIux, und
LuIk LIIngs over wILIouL worryIng ubouL wIuL LIme
BIsy T%803&> 1o;
IL Is, und wILIouL IuvIng Lo Ieuve us soon us LIe Iood
Is euLen. n CIInu, Ior exumpIe, LIe TeuIouse Is u
reuI socIuI InsLILuLIon. TIrougIouL LIe duy, IumIIIes,
neIgIbors, und IrIends drop In Ior Leu und IIgIL
Iood. TIey sLuy us Iong us LIey IIke. DIscussIons
muy IusL Ior Iours. L wouId be u bIL sLrunge Lo cuII
LIe TeuIouse LIe nonexcIusIve neIgIborIood socIuI
cIub; sucI Lerms ure Loo WesLern. BuL LIuL cun
rougIIy descrIbe purL oI LIe IuncLIon, uL IeusL Irom
our ruLIer compurLmenLuIIzed poInL oI vIew.
"You're ImporLunL. ReIux und enjoy yourseII."
TIuL's LIe messuge oI LIe TeuIouse.
WIuL's LIe messuge oI LIe Humburger SLund?
QuILe obvIousIy, IL's: "You don'L counL; Iurry up. "
NoL onIy LIuL, buL us everyone knows by now,
LIe IorrIbIe Humburger SLund Is un InsuIL Lo LIe
cusLomer's IeuILI us weII. UnIorLunuLeIy, LIIs Is noL
LIe onIy exumpIe supporLed by LIe SuvIng TIme
menLuIILy. We couId uIso IIsL LIe SupermurkeL, LIe
MIcrowuve Oven, LIe NucIeur Power PIunL, LIe
PoIsonous CIemIcuIs
PrucLIcuIIy speukIng, II LImesuvIng devIces
reuIIy suved LIme, LIere wouId be more LIme uvuII-
ubIe Lo us now LIun ever beIore In IIsLory. BuL,
sLrungeIy enougI, we seem Lo Iuve Iess LIme LIun
even u Iew yeurs ugo. L's reuIIy greuL Iun Lo go
somepIuce wIere LIere ure no LImesuvIng devIces
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
becuuse, wIen you do, you IInd LIuL you Iuve lots
oj time. EIsewIere, you're Loo busy workIng Lo puy
Ior mucIInes Lo suve you LIme so you won'L Iuve Lo
work so Iurd.
TIe muIn probIem wILI LIIs greuL obsessIon Ior
SuvIng TIme Is very sImpIe: you cun'L scte LIme.
You cun onIy spend IL. BuL you cun spend IL wIseIy
or IooIIsIIy. TIe BIsy Buckson Ius prucLIcuIIy no
LIme uL uII, becuuse Ie's Loo busy wusLIng IL by Lry-
Ing Lo suve IL. And by LryIng Lo suve every bIL oI IL,
Ie ends up wusLIng LIe wIoIe LIIng.
Henry DuvId TIoreuu puL IL LIIs wuy, In Wcl-
den,
!
WIy sIouId we IIve wILI sucI Iurry und wusLe oI
IIIe? We ure deLermIned Lo be sLurved beIore we
ure Iungry. Men suy LIuL u sLILcI In LIme suves
nIne, und so LIey Luke u LIousund sLILcIes Lo-duy Lo
suve nIne Lomorrow.
or coIorIuI conLrusL wILI LIe youLI-desLroy-
Ing BIsy Buckson SocIeLy, IeL's geL buck Lo TuoIsm
Ior u momenL. One oI LIe mosL InLrIguIng LIIngs
ubouL TuoIsm Is LIuL IL noL onIy conLuIns respecL Ior
LIe oId und wIse, buL uIso Ior LIe IIgure known us
LIe YouLIIuI mmorLuI. TIe TuoIsL LrudILIon Is
T*37 T%803&>
IIIIed wILI IuscInuLIng sLorIes (IIcLIon) und uccounLs
(IucL, embeIIIsIed or oLIerwIse) oI LIose wIo, wIIIe
sLIII young, dIscovered LIe SecreLs oI IIe. However
LIe dIscoverIes were mude, LIe resuIL In eucI cuse
wus LIe sume: u Iong IIIe oI youLIIuI uppeurunce,
ouLIook, und energy.
or LIuL muLLer, TuoIsL mmorLuIs oI uII uge
IeveIs Iuve LrudILIonuIIy been known Ior LIeIr
young uLLILudes, uppeurunces, und energIes. TIese
were IurdIy uccIdenLuI, buL resuILed Irom TuoIsL
prucLIces. or cenLurIes In CIInu, LIe generuI IIIe
expecLuncy wus noL mucI more LIun IorLy yeurs,
und IurdworkIng Iurmers und dIssIpuLed urIsLocruLs
oILen dIed even younger LIun LIuL. YeL counLIess
TuoIsLs IIved InLo LIeIr eIgILIes und nIneLIes, und
muny IIved consIderubIy Ionger. TIe IoIIowIng Is
one oI our IuvorILe exumpIes.
n 1q, newspupers uround LIe worId un-
nounced LIe deuLI oI u mun numed I CIung Yun.
As oIIIcIuIIy und IrreIuLubIy recorded by LIe CII-
nese governmenL, und us verIIIed by u LIorougI In-
dependenL InvesLIguLIon, I Iud been born In 16;;.
WIen over LIe uge oI Lwo Iundred, Ie Iud gIven u
serIes oI LwenLy-eIgIL, LIree-Iour-Iong LuIks on Ion-
gevILy uL u CIInese unIversILy. TIose wIo suw IIm
uL LIuL LIme cIuImed LIuL Ie Iooked IIke u mun In IIs
IIILIes, sLundIng sLruIgIL und LuII, wILI sLrong LeeLI
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
und u IuII Ieud oI IuIr. WIen Ie dIed, Ie wus Lwo
Iundred IIILy-sIx yeurs oId.
WIen I wus u cIIId, Ie IeIL Iome Lo IoIIow
some wunderIng IerbuIIsLs. n LIe mounLuIns oI
CIInu, Ie Ieurned Irom LIem some oI LIe secreLs oI
LIe eurLI's medIcIne. n uddILIon Lo usIng vurIous
rejuvenuLIve Ierbs duIIy, Ie prucLIced TuoIsL exer-
cIses, beIIevIng LIuL exercIse wIIcI sLruIns und LIres
LIe mInd und body sIorLens IIIe. HIs IuvorILe wuy oI
LruveIIng wus wIuL Ie cuIIed "wuIkIng IIgILIy."
Young men wIo wenL Ior wuIks wILI IIm wIen Ie
wus In IIs IuLer yeurs couId noL muLcI IIs puce,
wIIcI Ie muInLuIned Ior mIIes. He udvIsed LIose
wIo wunLed sLrong IeuILI Lo "sIL IIke u LurLIe, wuIk
IIke u pIgeon, und sIeep IIke u dog." WIen usked Ior
IIs mujor secreL, LIougI, Ie wouId repIy, "Inner
quIeL."
SpeukIng oI LIuL sorL oI LIIng, IeL's reLurn Lo
The House ct Pooh Comer. CIrIsLopIer RobIn Ius
jusL usked PooI u quesLIon:
"WIuL do you IIke doIng besL In LIe worId, PooI?"
"WeII," suId PooI, "wIuL IIke besL " und LIen
Ie Iud Lo sLop und LIInk. Becuuse uILIougI EuLIng
Honey 2%3 u very good LIIng Lo do, LIere wus u
momenL jusL beIore you begun Lo euL IL wIIcI wus
beLLer LIun wIen you were, buL Ie dIdn'L know
wIuL IL wus cuIIed.
T*37 T%803&>
TIe Ioney doesn'L LusLe so good once IL Is be-
Ing euLen; LIe gouI doesn'L meun so mucI once IL Is
reucIed; LIe rewurd Is noL so rewurdIng once IL Ius
been gIven. I we udd up uII LIe rewurds In our
IIves, we won'L Iuve very mucI. BuL II we udd up
LIe spuces betueen LIe rewurds, we'II come up
wILI quILe u bIL. And II we udd up LIe rewurds cnd
LIe spuces, LIen we'II Iuve everyLIIng-every mIn-
uLe oI LIe LIme LIuL we spenL. WIuL II we couId
enjoy IL?
TIe CIrIsLmus presenLs once opened ure NoL
So MucI un us LIey were wIIIe we were In LIe
process oI exumInIng, IIILIng, sIukIng, LIInkIng
ubouL, und openIng LIem. TIree Iundred sIxLy-IIve
duys IuLer, we Lry uguIn und IInd LIuL LIe sume LIIng
Ius Iuppened. EucI LIme LIe gouI Is reucIed, IL be-
comes NoL So MucI un, und we're oII Lo reucI LIe
nexL one, LIen LIe nexL one, LIen LIe nexL.
TIuL doesn'L meun LIuL LIe gouIs we Iuve
don'L counL. TIey do, mosLIy becuuse LIey cuuse us
Lo go LIrougI LIe process, und IL's LIe process LIuL
mukes us wIse, Iuppy, or wIuLever. I we do LIIngs
In LIe wrong sorL oI wuy, IL mukes us mIserubIe,
ungry, conIused, und LIIngs IIke LIuL. TIe gouI Ius
Lo be rIgIL Ior us, und IL Ius Lo be beneIIcIuI, In
order Lo ensure u beneIIcIuI process. BuL usIde Irom
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
LIuL, IL's reuIIy LIe process LIuL's ImporLunL. Enjo-
ment oI LIe process Is LIe secreL LIuL eruses LIe
myLIs oI LIe GreuL Rewurd und SuvIng TIme. Per-
Iups LIIs cun IeIp Lo expIuIn LIe everyduy sIgnIII-
cunce oI LIe word Tco, LIe Wuy.
WIuL couId we cuII LIuL momenL beIore we
begIn Lo euL LIe Ioney? Some wouId cuII IL unLIcIpu-
LIon, buL we LIInk IL's more LIun LIuL. We wouId
cuII IL uwureness. L's wIen we become Iuppy und
reuIIze IL, II onIy Ior un InsLunL. By EnjoyIng LIe
Process, we cun sLreLcI LIuL uwureness ouL so LIuL
IL's no Ionger onIy u momenL, buL covers LIe wIoIe
LIIng. TIen we cun Iuve u IoL oI Iun. JusL IIke PooI.
And LIen Ie LIougIL LIuL beIng wILI CIrIsLopIer
RobIn wus u very good LIIng Lo do, und IuvIng PIg-
IeL neur wus u very IrIendIy LIIng Lo Iuve; und so,
wIen Ie Iud LIougIL IL uII ouL, Ie suId, "WIuL
IIke besL In LIe wIoIe worId Is Me und PIgIeL goIng
Lo see You, und You suyIng ' WIuL ubouL u IILLIe
someLIIng?' und Me suyIng, ' WeII, sIouIdn'L mInd
u IILLIe someLIIng, sIouId you, PIgIeL, und IL beIng
u Ium my sorL oI duy ouLsIde, und bIrds sIngIng."
WIen we Luke LIe LIme Lo enjoy our surround-
Ings und upprecIuLe beIng uIIve, we IInd LIuL we
Iuve no LIme Lo be BIsy Bucksons unymore. BuL
T*37 T%803&>
LIuL's uII rIgIL, becuuse beIng BIsy Bucksons Is u
Lremendous wusLe oI LIme. As LIe poeL u Yu
wroLe:
The clouds cbote us join cnd sepcrcte,
The breeze in the courtcrd lectes cnd returns.
Lije is lile thct, so uh not relcx?
Who ccn stop us jrom celebrctin?
THAT
SORT O
BEAR
We were dIscussIng LIe "Ode Lo Joy," LIe cIoruI II-
nuIe Lo BeeLIoven's NInLI SympIony.
"L's one oI my IuvorILes," suId PooI.
"Sume Iere," suId.
"My IuvorILe purL," suId PooI, "Is wIere LIey
go:
SIng @&S '&/ -#$ ,*'$ &' % T$%/SI
"BuL "
IK*>+ @&S '&/ % T$%/S
K*>+ @&S '&/ % (&&#SI
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"BuL LIey don'L-----"
IK*>+ @&S '&/ -#$ ,*'$ &' % T$%/SI
"My IuvorILe purL," Ie udded.
"BuL LIey don'L sin, 'SIng Ho! Ior LIe IIIe oI u
Beur!' In LIe 'Ode Lo Joy, ' " suId.
"TIey don'L?"
"No, LIey don'L."
"WIy noL?"
"WeII, becuuse LIey Iudn'L thouht oI IL,
guess."
"TIey uhct?"
"NeILIer udwIg vun BeeLIoven nor LIe mun
wIo wroLe LIe words oI LIe 'Ode Lo Joy' puL uny-
LIIng In IL ubouL Beurs."
"OI. musL Iuve been LIInkIng oI udwIg vun
T$%/-#&N$>I
"PooI, LIere is no udwIg vun BeurLIoven.
You wroLe LIuL song yourseII."
" dId?"
"TIuL's rIgIL."
"OI, so thct's wIere Ieurd IL," Ie suId.
BuL unywuy, LIuL brIngs us Lo wIuL we're goIng
Lo dIscuss Iere-enjoyIng IIIe und beIng SpecIuI.
Everyone is SpecIuI, you know.
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
"L Is Iurd Lo be bruve," suId PIgIeL, snIIIIng sIIgILIy,
"wIen you're onIy u Very SmuII AnImuI."
RubbIL, wIo Iud begun Lo wrILe very busIIy, Iooked
up und suId:
"L Is becuuse you ure u very smuII unImuI LIuL you
wIII be UseIuI In LIe udvenLure beIore us."
PIgIeL wus so excILed uL LIe Ideu oI beIng UseIuI
LIuL Ie IorgoL Lo be IrIgILened uny more, und wIen
RubbIL wenL on Lo suy LIuL Kungus were onIy Ierce
durIng LIe wInLer monLIs, beIng uL oLIer LImes oI
un AIIecLIonuLe DIsposILIon, Ie couId IurdIy sIL
sLIII, Ie wus so euger Lo begIn beIng useIuI uL once.
"WIuL ubouL me?" suId PooI sudIy. " suppose I
sIun'L be useIuI?"
"Never mInd, PooI," suId PIgIeL comIorLIngIy.
"AnoLIer LIme perIups."
"WILIouL PooI," suId RubbIL soIemnIy us Ie sIurp-
ened IIs pencII, "LIe udvenLure wouId be ImpossI-
bIe."
"OI!" suId PIgIeL, und LrIed noL Lo Iook dIsup-
poInLed. BuL PooI wenL InLo u corner oI LIe room
und suId proudIy Lo IImseII, "mpossIbIe wILIouL
MeI Thct sorL oI Beur."
No muLLer Iow UseIuI we muy be, someLImes
IL Lukes us u wIIIe Lo recognIze our own vuIue. TIIs
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
cun be IIIusLruLed by LIe CIInese sLory oI The
Stonecutter:
TIere wus once u sLonecuLLer, wIo wus dIssuLIsIIed
wILI IImseII und wILI IIs posILIon In IIIe.
One duy, Ie pussed u weuILIy mercIunL's Iouse,
und LIrougI LIe open guLewuy, suw muny IIne pos-
sessIons und ImporLunL vIsILors. "How powerIuI
LIuL mercIunL musL be!" LIougIL LIe sLonecuLLer.
He becume very envIous, und wIsIed LIuL Ie couId
be IIke LIe mercIunL. TIen Ie wouId no Ionger
Iuve Lo IIve LIe IIIe oI u mere sLonecuLLer.
To IIs greuL surprIse, Ie suddenIy becume LIe mer-
cIunL, enjoyIng more IuxurIes und power LIun Ie
Iud ever dreumed oI, envIed und deLesLed by LIose
Iess weuILIy LIun IImseII. BuL soon u IIgI oIIIcIuI
pussed by, currIed In u sedun cIuIr, uccompunIed by
uLLendunLs, und escorLed by soIdIers beuLIng gongs.
Everyone, no muLLer Iow weuILIy, Iud Lo bow Iow
beIore LIe processIon. "How powerIuI LIuL oIIIcIuI
Is!" Ie LIougIL. " wIsI LIuL J couId be u IIgI oIII-
cIuI!"
TIen Ie becume LIe IIgI oIIIcIuI, currIed every-
wIere In IIs embroIdered sedun cIuIr, Ieured und
IuLed by LIe peopIe uII uround, wIo Iud Lo bow
down beIore IIm us Ie pussed. L wus u IoL summer
duy, und LIe oIIIcIuI IeIL very uncomIorLubIe In LIe
sLIcky sedun cIuIr. He Iooked up uL LIe sun. L
sIone proudIy In LIe sky, unuIIecLed by IIs pres-
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
ence. "How powerIuI LIe sun Is!" Ie LIougIL "
wIsI LIuL I couId be LIe sun!"
TIen Ie becume LIe sun, sIInIng IIerceIy down on
everyone, scorcIIng LIe IIeIds, cursed by LIe Iurm-
ers und Iuborers. BuL u Iuge bIuck cIoud moved be-
Lween IIm und LIe eurLI, so LIuL IIs IIgIL couId no
Ionger sIIne on everyLIIng beIow. "How powerIuI
LIuL sLorm cIoud Is!" Ie LIougIL. " wIsI LIuL I
couId be u cIoud!"
TIen Ie becume LIe cIoud, IIoodIng LIe IIeIds und
vIIIuges, sIouLed uL by everyone. BuL soon Ie Iound
LIuL Ie wus beIng pusIed uwuy by some greuL
Iorce, und reuIIzed LIuL IL wus LIe wInd. "How
powerIuI IL Is!" Ie LIougIL. " wIsI LIuL couId be
LIe wInd!"
TIen Ie becume LIe wInd, bIowIng LIIes oII LIe
rooIs oI Iouses, uprooLIng Lrees, IuLed und Ieured
by uII beIow IIm. BuL uILer u wIIIe, Ie run up
uguInsL someLIIng LIuL wouId noL move, no muLLer
Iow IorceIuIIy Ie bIew uguInsL I L-u Iuge, Lower-
Ing sLone. "How powerIuI LIuL sLone Is!" Ie
LIougIL. wIsI LIuL I couId be u sLone!"
TIen Ie becume LIe sLone, more powerIuI LIun
unyLIIng eIse on eurLI. BuL us Ie sLood LIere, Ie
Ieurd LIe sound oI u Iummer poundIng u cIIseI
InLo LIe soIId rock, und IeIL IImseII beIng cIunged.
"WIuL couId be more powerIuI LIun , LIe sLone?"
Ie LIougIL. He Iooked down und suw Iur beIow IIm
LIe IIgure oI u sLonecuLLer.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
AI, Iere's LIe muII. "OI, Iook-someLIIng Ior
you, PooI."
"or me?" suId PooI.
"or MIsLer PooI Beur."
"Mister PooI Beur?"
"TIuL's wIuL IL suys."
"MIsLer . . . PooI . . . Beur," suId PooI In un
uwed sorL oI voIce. "WIuL's IL suy?" Ie usked,
cIImbIng onLo LIe wrILIng LubIe und IookIng over
my sIouIder.
"L's Irom IncIIey's. 'Announcin our third
cnnucl shoe scle. All stles, cll sizes.' PooI, you
don'L need LIIs."
"WIuL's LIuL suy uL LIe boLLom?" usked PooI.
" 'ree CoIIee.' One more reuson Lo sLuy
uwuy."
"eL me exumIne LIIs more cureIuIIy," suId
PooI, LukIng IL over by LIe wIndow.
n order Lo Luke conLroI oI our IIves und uc-
compIIsI someLIIng oI IusLIng vuIue, sooner or IuLer
we need Lo Ieurn Lo BeIIeve. We don'L need Lo sIIIL
our responsIbIIILIes onLo LIe sIouIders oI some deI-
IIed SpIrILuuI Supermun, or sIL uround und wuIL Ior
uLe Lo come knockIng uL LIe door. We sImpIy need
Lo beIIeve In LIe power LIuL's wILIIn us, und use
IL. WIen we do LIuL, und sLop ImILuLIng oLIers
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
und compeLIng uguInsL LIem, LIIngs begIn Lo work
Ior us.
eL's Luke u coupIe oI exumpIes:
n 1qz;, u LIIrLy-Lwo-yeur-oId mun sLood on
LIe edge oI LIe Iuke In CIIcugo's IncoIn Purk,
pIunnIng Lo drop beneuLI LIe durk wuLers und
drown. HIs duugILer Iud dIed, IIs compuny Iud
gone bunkrupL, IIs repuLuLIon Iud been ruIned, und
Ie wus becomIng un uIcoIoIIc. ookIng InLo LIe
Iuke, Ie usked IImseII wIuL one smuII mun In IIs
posILIon couId possIbIy do. TIen un unswer cume Lo
IIm: Ie wus now Iree Lo Luke rIsks, Lo InILIuLe ucLIon
on IIs own, und, by doIng so, Lo IeIp oLIer peopIe.
He reLurned Iome und commILLed IImseII Lo LIe
work LIuL Ie beIIeved LIe unIverse wunLed IIm Lo
do, InsLeud oI wIuL Ie Iud been tcuht Lo do. He
wuLcIed LIe Iuws oI LIe nuLuruI worId und uILered
IIs own IIvIng puLLerns uccordIngIy, evenLuuIIy
cIungIng IIs IIIe compIeLeIy. TIose Iuws were Lo
InspIre und supporL IIm In IIs greuLesL ucIIeve-
menLs. BuL wILIouL IIs beIIevIng und LukIng u
cIunce, IIs conLrIbuLIons Lo IumunILy wouId never
Iuve been mude, und no one wouId Iuve come Lo
respecL LIe nume oI BuckmInsLer uIIer.
n 18q, u boy wus wILIdruwn Irom scIooI In
PorL Huron, MIcIIgun, Ior "cuusIng LroubIe." He
Iud been LIere Ior LIree monLIs. TIuL wus Lo be LIe
The Tco oj Pooh
onIy IormuI educuLIon oI IIs IIIe. He IuLer worked us
u IuboruLory ussIsLunL. TIe job ended wIen Ie bIew
up LIe IuboruLory. HIs empIoyer pIcked IIm up und
LIrew IIm ouL InLo LIe dusL, suyIng LIuL Ie wouId
never umounL Lo unyLIIng. BuL Ie Iud u pIun, und
Ie wusn'L goIng Lo IeL u IILLIe probIem or Lwo sLop
IIm. He wunLed Lo Ieurn LIe mecIunIcuI uppIIcu-
LIons oI nuLuruI Iuws. He evenLuuIIy becume LIe
IoremosL InvenLor In AmerIcun IIsLory, wILI over
LIIrLeen Iundred domesLIc und IoreIgn puLenLs reg-
IsLered In IIs nume, u nume synonymous wILI prob-
Iem-soIvIng genIus, LIe nume oI TIomus EdIson.
TIe pIuy-IL-suIe pessImIsLs oI LIe worId never
uccompIIsI mucI oI unyLIIng, becuuse LIey don'L
Iook cIeurIy und objecLIveIy uL sILuuLIons, LIey don'L
recognIze or beIIeve In LIeIr own ubIIILIes, und LIey
won'L sLreLcI LIose ubIIILIes Lo overcome even LIe
smuIIesL umounL oI rIsk. or exumpIe, wIen Roo IeII
InLo LIe sLreum durIng LIe Iumous ExpedILIon Lo
IInd LIe NorLI PoIe, wIuL dId DIsmuI Eeyore do
ubouL IL? ong uILer Roo Iud been currIed uwuy by
LIe currenL, Eeyore IuIIIeurLedIy Iung IIs LuII over
LIe wuLer so LIuL Roo couId grub IoId oI IL und puII
IImseII ouL-or, more uccuruLeIy, so LIuL Eeyore
wouId geL credIL Ior IuvIng LrIed someLIIng. OI
course, Ie dIdn'L reuIIy expecL IL Lo do uny good,
und oI course IL dIdn'L
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
WIo wus goIng Lo rescue Roo? PunIcky PIgIeL
wus jumpIng up und down und mukIng noIses. neI-
IecLIve OwI wus InsLrucLIng Roo Lo keep IIs Ieud
ubove wuLer. Concerned Kungu wus uskIng II Ie
wus uII rIgIL. CupLuIn RubbIL wus cuIIIng ouL com-
munds. . . . BuL PosILIve PooI wus IookIng uL LIe sIL-
uuLIon, seeIng wIuL Ie couId do ubouL IL, und LryIng
someLIIng:
Two pooIs beIow Roo Ie wus sLundIng wILI u Iong
poIe In IIs puws, und Kungu cume up und Look one
end oI IL, und beLween LIem LIey IeId IL ucross LIe
Iower purL oI LIe pooI; und Roo, sLIII bubbIIng
proudIy, "ook uL me swImmIng," drIILed up
uguInsL IL, und cIImbed ouL.
"DId you see me swImmIng?" squeuked Roo excIL-
edIy, wIIIe Kungu scoIded IIm und rubbed IIm
down. "PooI, dId you see me swImmIng? TIuL's
cuIIed swImmIng, wIuL wus doIng. RubbIL, dId
The Tco oj Pooh
7&: see wIuL wus doIng? SwImmIng. HuIIo, PIg
IeL! suy, PIgIeL! WIuL do you LIInk wus doIng!
SwImmIng! CIrIsLopIer RobIn, dId you see
me-----"
BuL CIrIsLopIer RobIn wusn'L IIsLenIng. He wus
IookIng uL PooI.
"PooI," Ie suId, "wIere dId you IInd LIuL poIe?"
PooI Iooked uL LIe poIe In IIs Iunds.
" jusL Iound IL," Ie suId. " LIougIL IL ougIL Lo be
useIuI. jusL pIcked IL up."
"PooI," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn soIemnIy, "LIe Ex-
pedILIon Is over. You Iuve Iound LIe NorLI PoIe!"
As PooI Iound ouL wILI LIe NorLI PoIe, once
we see wIuL LIe sILuuLIon Is und wIuL we cun do
ubouL IL, we need Lo uLIIIze everyLIIng we IInd
uIong LIe wuy In order Lo uccompIIsI wIuLever Is
requIred. More oILen LIun noL, LIe LIIngs we need
ure LIere uIreudy; uII we Iuve Lo do Is muke use oI
LIem.
or exumpIe, wIen PIgIeL wus Trupped by LIe
Iood . . .
"L's u IILLIe AnxIous," Ie suId Lo IImseII, "Lo be u
Very SmuII AnImuI EnLIreIy Surrounded by WuLer.
CIrIsLopIer RobIn und PooI couId escupe by
CIImbIng Trees, und Kungu couId escupe by Jump-
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
Ing, und RubbIL couId escupe by BurrowIng, und
OwI couId escupe by IyIng, und Eeyore couId es-
cupe by-by MukIng u oud NoIse UnLII Rescued,
und Iere um , surrounded by wuLer und cun'L do
%>7-#*>+GGGGI
TIen suddenIy Ie remembered u sLory wIIcI CIrIs-
LopIer RobIn Iud LoId IIm ubouL u mun on u deserL
IsIund wIo Iud wrILLen someLIIng In u boLLIe und
LIrown IL In LIe seu; und PIgIeL LIougIL LIuL II Ie
wroLe someLIIng In u boLLIe und LIrew IL In LIe
wuLer, perIups somebody wouId come und rescue
#*AS
So Ie dId.
And wIen PIgIeL's boLLIe cume IIouLIng pusL
IIm, PooI goL LIe messuge. BuL LIen Ie Iud Lo go
see CIrIsLopIer RobIn In order Lo IInd ouL wIuL IL
scid.
So Ie corked up IIs bIggesL Ioney-jur, dropped
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
*- InLo LIe wuLer, und jumped In uILer IL. And uILer u
IILLIe experImenLIng wILI IIs bouL,
Ie IIouLed oII Lo CIrIsLopIer RobIn's Iouse, wIere
LIe messuge wus reud und u Rescue pIunned. TIen
LIe Lwo oI LIem reuIIzed LIuL LIey needed u Iurger
bouL. So PooI goL un Ideu:
TIuL Sort oj ecr
And In un excILIng Rescue, PIgIeL wus suved by
none oLIer LIun LIe Iumous PooI Beur, DIscoverer
oI LIe NorLI PoIe.
"Suy, OwI. Huve you seen PooI IuLeIy?"
" ruLIer LIougIL & suw IIm puLLIng someLIIng
InLo LIe cIoseL u IILLIe wIIIe ugo," OwI repIIed. ?&
wusn'L puyIng mucI uLLenLIon Lo LIe muLLer,
LIougI."
"TIe cIoseL? WeII, 'II jusL Luke u Iook
und- "
"WIuL Is IL?" suId OwI.
"OwI, uhct ure uII LIese boxes doIng In Iere?"
"Boxes?" suId OwI.
"And LIey're uII IuII oI . . . 3#&$3GI
"SIoes?" suId OwI.
"ook uL LIIs. ouIers, X YZ[ A. SunduIs, 1o B.
OxIords, 1z :>A E . . . "
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"AII sLyIes, uII sIzes," suId OwI.
"OwI, 'm noL quILe sure, buL beIIeve Sus-
pecL someLIIng."
"L wouId uppeur LIuL Pooh Is LIe cuIprIL," suId
OwI wIseIy.
"WIen you see IIm, LeII IIm wunL Lo LuIk
wILI IIm, wIII you, OwI?"
"AbsoIuLeIy."
TIe Lwo eurIess Rescues jusL menLIoned brIng
us Lo one oI LIe mosL ImporLunL Lerms oI TuoIsm:
Tz'u, wIIcI cun be LrunsIuLed us "curIng" or "com-
pussIon" und wIIcI Is bused upon LIe cIurucLer Ior
hecrt. n LIe sIxLy-sevenLI cIupLer oI LIe Tco Te
Chin, uo-Lse numed IL us IIs "IIrsL Lreusure," und
LIen wroLe, "rom curIng comes couruge." We
mIgIL udd LIuL Irom IL uIso comes wIsdom. L's
ruLIer sIgnIIIcunL, we LIInk, LIuL LIose wIo Iuve no
compussIon Iuve no wIsdom. KnowIedge, yes; cIev-
erness, muybe; wIsdom, no. A cIever mInd Is noL u
IeurL. KnowIedge doesn'L reuIIy cure. WIsdom does.
We uIso consIder IL sIgnIIIcunL LIuL cor, LIe uLIn
word Ior "IeurL," Is LIe busIs Ior LIe word cource.
PIgIeL puL IL LIIs wuy: "SIe Isn'L CIever, Kungu
Isn'L, buL sIe wouId be so unxIous ubouL Roo LIuL
sIe wouId do u Good TIIng Lo Do wILIouL LIInkIng
ubouL IL." Tz'u noL onIy suved Roo, dIscovered LIe
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
NorLI PoIe, und rescued PIgIeL; IL uIso guve PIgIeL
LIe couruge Lo go geL IeIp Ior PooI und OwI wIen
OwI's Iouse bIew over.
Now PIgIeL, us we know, Is u Very SmuII AnI-
muI, und noL exucLIy LIe rctest one uL LIuL, buL
wIen OwI's Iouse IeII down, PIgIeL dIscovered LIuL
Ie Iud more couruge LIun Ie Iud thouht Ie Iud.
"HuIIo, OwI , " suId PooI. " Iope we' re noL Loo IuLe
Ior meun, Iow ure you, OwI? PIgIeL und jusL
cume Lo see Iow you were, becuuse IL's TIursduy."
"SIL down, PooI, sIL down, PIgIeL," suId OwI
kIndIy. "Muke yourseIves comIorLubIe."
TIey LIunked IIm, und mude LIemseIves us com-
IorLubIe us LIey couId.
"Becuuse, you see, OwI , " suId PooI, "we' ve been
IurryIng, so us Lo be In LIme Ior-so us Lo see you
beIore we wenL uwuy uguIn."
OwI nodded soIemnIy.
"CorrecL me II um wrong," Ie suId, "buL um
rIgIL In supposIng LIuL IL Is u very BIusLerous duy
ouLsIde?"
"Very, " suId PIgIeL, wIo wus quIeLIy LIuwIng IIs
eurs, und wIsIIng LIuL Ie wus suIeIy buck In IIs own
Iouse.
" LIougIL so," suId OwI. "L wus on jusL sucI u
bIusLerous duy us LIIs LIuL my UncIe RoberL, u per-
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
LruIL oI wIom you see upon LIe wuII on your rIgIL.
PIgIeL, wIIIe reLurnIng In LIe IuLe Iorenoon Irom
u WIuL's LIuL?"
TIere wus u Ioud cruckIng noIse.
"ook ouL!" crIed PooI. "MInd LIe cIock! OuL oI
LIe wuy, PIgIeL! PIgIeL, 'm IuIIIng on you!"
"HeIp!" crIed PIgIeL. . . .
"PooI," suId PIgIeL nervousIy.
"Yes?" suId one oI LIe cIuIrs.
"WIere ure we?"
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
"'m noL quILe sure," suId LIe cIuIr.
"Are we-ure we In OwI's House?"
" LIInk so, becuuse we were jusL goIng Lo Iuve Leu,
und we Iudn'L Iud IL."
"OI!" suId PIgIeL. "WeII, dId OwI clucs Iuve u
IeLLer-box In IIs ceIIIng?"
BuL uILer LIe cIuIr wus puIIed oII oI PooI und
Ie Iud Luken u Iook uround, Ie cume up wILI u
PIun. OwI wouId IIy up Lo LIe IeLLer-box wILI u
pIece oI sLrIng, pusI LIe sLrIng LIrougI LIe wIre In
LIe buskeL, und IIy down uguIn. TIen PIgIeL wouId
IoId onLo one end oI LIe sLrIng wIIIe PooI und OwI
puIIed on LIe oLIer end . . .
"And LIere PIgIeL Is," suId OwI . "I LIe sLrIng
doesn'L breuk."
"SupposIng IL does?" usked PIgIeL, wunLIng Lo
know.
"TIen we Lry unoLIer pIece oI sLrIng."
TIIs wus noL very comIorLIng Lo PIgIeL, becuuse
Iowever muny pIeces oI sLrIng LIey LrIed puIIIng
IIm up wILI, IL wouId uIwuys be LIe sume IIm
comIng down; buL sLIII, IL dId seem LIe onIy LIIng
Lo do. So wILI one IusL Iook buck In IIs mInd uL uII
LIe Iuppy Iours Ie Iud spenL In LIe oresL >&-
beIng puIIed up Lo LIe ceIIIng by u pIece oI sLrIng.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
PIgIeL nodded bruveIy uL PooI und suId LIuL IL wus
u Very CIever pup-pup-pup CIever pup-pup PIun.
And uL I us L . . .
He squeezed und Ie squoze, und LIen wILI one IusL
sqooze Ie wus ouL. Huppy und excILed Ie Lurned
round Lo squeuk u IusL messuge Lo LIe prIsoners.
"L's uII rIgIL," Ie cuIIed LIrougI LIe IeLLer-box.
"Your Lree Is bIown rIgIL over, OwI, und LIere's u
bruncI ucross LIe door, buL CIrIsLopIer RobIn und
cun move IL, und we'II brIng u rope Ior PooI, und
'II go und LeII IIm now, und cun cIImb down
quILe eusIIy, 1 meun IL's dungerous buL cun do IL uII
rIgIL, und CIrIsLopIer RobIn und wIII be buck In
ubouL IuII-un-Iour. Good-bye, PooI!" And wILIouL
wuILIng Lo Ieur PooI's unswerIng "Good-bye, und
LIunk you, PIgIeL," Ie wus oII.
"HuII-un-Iour," suId OwI, seLLIIng IImseII comIorL-
ubIy. "TIuL wIII jusL gIve me LIme Lo IInIsI LIuL
sLory wus LeIIIng you ubouL my UncIe RoberL-u
porLruIL oI wIom you see underneuLI you. Now IeL
me see, wIere wus ? OI, yes. L wus on jusL sucI u
bIusLerous duy us LIIs LIuL my UncIe RoberL-----"
" OwI suId you wunLed Lo see me, " suId PooI.
"AI I rIgIL, PooI. WIy LIe boxes oI sIoes In LIe
cIoseL?"
" couIdn' L IeI p myseII," suId PooI
"How' s LIuL?"
TIuL K&/- &' T$%/
"WeII, IIrsL LIere wus LIe curd Ior 6*3-$/ PooI
Beur. TIen wIen goL Lo LIe sLore, jusL Ior u
I ook. . . "
"Yes?"
"TIe suIesmun wus so >*8$ Lo me. 'Muy IeIp
you, SIr?' Ie suId. He mude me IeeI mporLunL."
"PooI, you dIdn'L >$$F LIose sIoes," suId.
"'II Luke LIem buck," suId PooI.
"TIuL's beLLer."
"oLs oI oLIer peopIe wIII be LukIng LIIngs
buck, Loo, suppose."
"WIuL?"
" suw IoLs oI peopIe LIere buyIng LIIngs LIey
dIdn'L reuIIy need. AII over LIe sLore."
"QuILe IIkeIy," suId.
" wusn'L LIe onIy one," Ie suId.
"OI course noL, PooI. A IoL oI peopIe Lry Lo
buy HuppIness und mporLunce In LIe sume sorL oI
wuy. BuL ou cun be Iuppy und ImporLunL wILIouL
doIng LIuL, you know."
"So cun LIey," suId PooI
WeII, yes, LIuL's Lrue. So cun unyone. DespILe
wIuL Eeyore once suId, wIen IL comes Lo enjoyIng
IIIe und mukIng use oI wIo we ure, uII oI us 8%>M IL's
jusL LIuL some F&>D-
SILLIng conLenLed by WuIden Pond u Iew yeurs
ugo, u WIse Observer wroLe, "TIe muss oI men Ieud
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
IIves oI quIeL desperuLIon." TIe desperuLIon muy
Iuve been quIeL then, we suppose. Nou, IL's deuI-
enIng. BuL we don'L Iuve Lo be u purL oI IL. We cun
sLop our desperuLe cIIngIng Lo IoIIow IIIe-subsLI-
LuLes, und seL ourseIves Iree. WIen we muke LIe
IIrsL move, LIe process wIII begIn.
And LIuL brIngs us Lo LIe TIddeIy-Pom PrIncI-
pIe, wIIcI comes Irom u song by PooI:
The more it snous
(Tiddel pom),
The more it oes
(Tiddel pom),
The more it oes
(Tiddel pom)
Dn snouin
L's someLImes reIerred Lo us LIe SnowbuII EI-
IecL, wIIcI cun remInd you oI LIe LIme you pusIed
LIuL IILLIe buII oI snow uIong, und IL goL bIgger und
bIgger unLII IL goL so bIg you couIdn'L sLop IL, und IL
roIIed uII LIe wuy down LIe IIII und IIuLLened LIe
neIgIbor's cur, und soon everyone wus LuIkIng
ubouL LIe Huge SnowbuII LIuL ou IeL geL com-
pIeLeIy ouL oI conLroI . . . und LIuL muy be wIy we
preIer Lo LIInk oI IL us LIe TIddeIy-Pom PrIncIpIe,
InsLeud.
Now LIe prIncIpIe cun work neguLIveIy or pos-
TIuL Sort oj ecr
ILIveIy. L cun promoLe cynIcIsm us eusIIy us IL cun
encouruge Iope. L cun buIId Iurdened crImInuIs or
courugeous Ieroes, sLupId vunduIs or brIIIIunL creu-
Lors. TIe ImporLunL LIIng Is Lo muke IL work Ior
yourseII und Ior LIe beneIIL oI oLIers, or Iuce LIe
UgIy Consequences.
WorkIng wILI LIe TIddeIy-Pom PrIncIpIe, you
use respecL Lo buIId RespecL. TIe more IL snows, LIe
more IL goes:
So PooI Iummed IL Lo IIm, uII LIe seven verses und
PIgIeL suId noLIIng, buL jusL sLood und gIowed.
Never beIore Iud unyone sung Io Ior PIgIeL (PG-
ET) Io uII by IImseII. WIen IL wus over, Ie
wunLed Lo usk Ior one oI LIe verses over uguIn, buL
dIdn'L quILe IIke Lo. L wus LIe verse begInnIng "O
guIIunL PIgIeL," und IL seemed Lo IIm u very
LIougILIuI wuy oI begInnIng u pIece oI poeLry.
"DI d reuIIy do uII LIuL?" Ie suId uL IusL.
"WeI I , " suId PooI, "In poeLry-In u pIece oI po-
eLry-weII, you F*F IL, PIgIeL, becuuse LIe poeLry
suys you dId. And LIuL's Iow peopIe know."
"OI!" suId PIgIeL. "Becuuse - LIougIL dId
bIIncI u IILLIe. JusL uL IIrsL. And IL suys, ' DId Ie
bIIncI no no.' TIuL's wIy."
"You onIy bIIncIed InsIde," suId PooI, "und LIuL's
LIe bruvesL wuy Ior u Very SmuII AnImuI noL Lo
bIIncI LIuL LIere Is."
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
PIgIeL sIgIed wILI IuppIness, und begun Lo LIInk
ubouL IImseII. He wus BRAVE . . .
So LIuL IuLer, wIen UnInIormed Eeyore dIscov-
ered u new Iouse Ior OwI Lo move InLo, und IL
Lurned ouL Lo be Pilet's...
"JusL LIe Iouse Ior OwI. Don'L you LIInk so, IILLIe
PIgIeL?"
And LIen PIgIeL dId u NobIe TIIng, und Ie dId IL In
u sorL oI dreum, wIIIe Ie wus LIInkIng oI uII LIe
wonderIuI words PooI Iud Iummed ubouL IIm.
"Yes, IL's jusL LIe Iouse Ior OwI," Ie suId grundIy.
"And Iope Ie'II be very Iuppy In IL." And LIen Ie
guIped LwIce, becuuse Ie Iud been very Iuppy In IL
IImseII.
"WIuL do 7&: LIInk, CIrIsLopIer RobIn?" usked
Eeyore u IILLIe unxIousIy, IeeIIng LIuL someLIIng
wusn'L quILe rIgIL
CIrIsLopIer RobIn Iud u quesLIon Lo usk IIrsL, und
Ie wus wonderIng Iow Lo usk IL.
"WeII," Ie suId uL IusL, "IL's u very nIce Iouse, und
II your own Iouse Is bIown down, you A:3- go
somewIere eIse, musLn'L you, PIgIeL? WIuL wouId
ou do, II 7&:/ Iouse wus bIown down?"
BeIore PIgIeL couId LIInk, PooI unswered Ior IIm.
"He'd come und IIve wILI me," suId PooI,
"wouIdn'L you, PIgIeL?"
TIuL SorL &' T$%/
PIgIeL squeezed IIs puw.
"TIunk you, PooI," Ie suId, " sIouId Iove Lo."
Do you wunL Lo be reuIIy Iuppy? You cun
begIn by beIng upprecIuLIve oI wIo you ure und
wIuL you've goL. Do you wunL Lo be reuIIy mIser-
ubIe? You cun begIn by beIng dIsconLenLed. As uo-
Lse wroLe, "A Lree us bIg uround us you cun reucI
sLurLs wILI u smuII seed; u LIousund-mIIe journey
sLurLs wILI one sLep." WIsdom, HuppIness, und
Couruge ure noL wuILIng somewIere ouL beyond
sIgIL uL LIe end oI u sLruIgIL IIne; LIey're purL oI u
conLInuous cycIe LIuL begIns rIgIL Iere. TIey're noL
onIy LIe endIng, buL LIe begInnIng us weII. TIe
more IL snows, LIe more IL goes, LIe more IL goes on
snowIng.
CIuung-Lse descrIbed IL LIIs wuy:
L Is wIdeIy recognIzed LIuL LIe courugeous spIrIL oI
u sIngIe mun cun InspIre Lo vIcLory un urmy oI LIou-
sunds. I one concerned wILI ordInury guIn cun cre-
uLe sucI un eIIecL, Iow mucI more wIII be pro-
duced by one wIo cures Ior greuLer LIIngs!
(AppIuuse.) A TousL! To GuI I unL PIgIeL und
eurIess PooI---
Sin #&S '&/ (*+,$- \(H4LW"] #&S
Sin #&S '&/ (*+,$-) #&S
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
%>F
K*>+ @&S '&/ % T$%/S
K*>+ @&S '&/ % (&&#S
K*>+ @&S '&/ -#$ ,*'$ &' % T$%/S
WIen LIey Iud uII neurIy euLen enougI, CIrIs-
LopIer RobIn bunged on LIe LubIe wILI IIs spoon,
und everybody sLopped LuIkIng und wus very sIIenL,
excepL Roo wIo wus jusL IInIsIIng u Ioud uLLuck oI
IIccups und LryIng Lo Iook us II IL were one oI Rub-
bIL's reIuLIons.
"TIIs purLy," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn, "Is u purLy
becuuse oI wIuL someone dId, und we uII know wIo
IL wus, und IL's IIs purLy, becuuse oI wIuL Ie dId,
und 've goL u presenL Ior IIm und Iere IL Is." TIen
Ie IeIL ubouL u IILLIe und wIIspered, "WIere Is IL?"
WIIIe Ie wus IookIng, Eeyore cougIed In un Im-
pressIve wuy und begun Lo speuk.
"rIends," Ie suId, "IncIudIng oddmenLs, IL Is u
greuL pIeusure, or perIups Iud beLLer suy IL Ius
been u pIeusure so Iur, Lo see you uL my purLy. WIuL
dId wus noLIIng. Any oI you--excepL RubbIL und
OwI und Kungu--wouId Iuve done LIe sume. OI,
und PooI. My remurks do noL, oI course, uppIy Lo
PIgIeL und Roo, becuuse LIey ure Loo smuII. Any oI
you wouId Iuve done LIe sume. BuL IL jusL Iuppened
Lo be Me. L wus noL, need IurdIy suy, wILI un
Ideu oI geLLIng wIuL CIrIsLopIer RobIn Is IookIng
Ior now"--und Ie puL IIs IronL Ieg Lo IIs mouLI
TIuL Sort oj ecr
und suId In u Ioud wIIsper, "Try under LIe
LubIe"-"LIuL dId wIuL dId--buL becuuse IeeI
LIuL we sIouId uII do wIuL we cun Lo IeIp. IeeI
LIuL we sIouId uII "
Yes, yes, yes. WeII, unywuy . . .
"Here IL Is!" crIed CIrIsLopIer RobIn excILedIy.
"Puss IL down Lo sIIIy oId PooI. L's Ior PooI."
"or PooI?" suId Eeyore.
OI course IL's Ior PooI. Becuuse Ie's thct sorL
oI Beur.
"BCDE F8GE HGIJD (&&# D9 DKJLMGNO GPQFGQ7"
suId Eeyore IndIgnunLIy.
"WeII, Eeyore, II you reud LIe nexL cIupLer,
you muy IInd ouL," suId.
"I we must," suId Eeyore.
#)56"." / #4
#)36& #$
"WIere ure we goIng?" suId PooI, IurryIng uILer
IIm, und wonderIng wIeLIer IL wus Lo be un Ex-
pIore or u WIuL-sIuII--do-ubouL-you-know-wIuL
"NowIere," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn.
So LIey begun goIng LIere, und uILer LIey Iud
wuIked u IILLIe wuy CIrIsLopIer RobIn suId:
"WIuL do you IIke doIng besL In LIe worId, PooI?"
(And oI course, wIuL PooI IIked doIng besL wus
goIng Lo CIrIsLopIer RobIn's Iouse und euLIng, buL
sInce we've uIreudy quoLed LIuL, we don'L LIInk we
need Lo quoLe IL uguIn.)
" IIke LIuL Loo," suId CIrIsLopIer RobIn, "buL
wIuL IIke F&*>+ besL Is NoLIIng."
:RA "#$ "%& &' (&&#
CIuung-Lse descrIbed IL LIIs wuy:
ConscIousness wundered NorLI Lo LIe Iund oI LIe
Durk WuLers und cIImbed LIe UnnoLIceubIe SIope,
wIere Ie meL SpeecIIess Non-Doer. " Iuve LIree
quesLIons Ior you," ConscIousness suId. "IrsL, wIuL
LIougILs und eIIorLs wIII Ieud us Lo undersLundIng
LIe Tuo? Second, wIere musL we go und wIuL musL
we do Lo IInd peuce In LIe Tuo? TIIrd, Irom wIuL
poInL musL we sLurL und wIIcI roud musL we IoIIow
In order Lo reucI LIe Tuo?" SpeecIIess Non-Doer
guve IIm no unswer.
ConscIousness LruveIed SouLI Lo LIe Iund oI LIe
BrIgIL Oceun und cIImbed LIe MounLuIn oI Cer-
"How do you do NoLIIng?" usked PooI, uILer Ie
Iud wondered Ior u Iong LIme.
"WeII, IL's wIen peopIe cuII ouL uL you jusL us
you're goIng oII Lo do IL, WIuL ure you goIng Lo do,
CIrIsLopIer RobIn, und you suy, OI, noLIIng, und
LIen you go und do IL."
"TIIs Is u noLIIng sorL oI LIIng LIuL we're doIng
now."
"OI, see," suId PooI uguIn.
"L meuns jusL goIng uIong, IIsLenIng Lo uII LIe
LIIngs you cun'L Ieur, und noL boLIerIng."
9&2#$/$ %>F 9&-#*>+
LuInLy, wIere Ie suw mpuIsIve SpeecI-Muker. He
usked IIm LIe sume quesLIons. "Here ure LIe un-
swers," mpuIsIve SpeecI-Muker repIIed. BuL us
soon us Ie sLurLed Lo speuk, Ie becume conIused
und IorgoL wIuL Ie wus LuIkIng ubouL.
ConscIousness reLurned Lo LIe puIuce und usked LIe
YeIIow Emperor, wIo LoId IIm, "To Iuve no
LIougIL und puL IorLI no eIIorL Is LIe IIrsL sLep Lo-
wurds undersLundIng LIe Tuo. To go nowIere und
do noLIIng Is LIe IIrsL sLep Lowurds IIndIng peuce In
LIe Tuo. To sLurL Irom no poInL und IoIIow no roud
Is LIe IIrsL sLep Lowurds reucIIng LIe Tuo."
WIuL CIuung-Lse, CIrIsLopIer RobIn, und
PooI ure descrIbIng Is LIe GreuL SecreL, LIe key
LIuL unIocks LIe doors oI wIsdom, IuppIness, und
LruLI. WIuL Is LIuL mugIc, mysLerIous someLIIng?
NoLIIng. To LIe TuoIsL, NoLIIng Is somethin, und
SomeLIIng--uL IeusL LIe sorL oI LIIng LIuL muny
consIder Lo be ImporLunL-Is reuIIy noLIIng uL uII.
Our expIunuLIon oI LIIs wIII uLLempL Lo gIve some
sorL oI IndIcuLIon oI wIuL LIe TuoIsLs cuII T'ci Hsu,
LIe "GreuL NoLIIng."
We wIII begIn wILI un IIIusLruLIon Irom LIe
wrILIngs oI CIuung-Lse:
On IIs wuy buck Irom LIe K'un-Iun MounLuIns, LIe
YeIIow Emperor IosL LIe durk peurI oI Tuo. He
senL KnowIedge Lo IInd IL, buL KnowIedge wus un-
:RR "#$ "%& &' (&&#
WIen Eeyore IosL IIs LuII, wIo Iound IL Ior
IIm? CIever RubbIL? No. He wus busy doIng CIever
TIIngs. ScIoIurIy OwI? No. He dIdn'L recognIze IL
wIen Ie suw IL. Know-L-AII Eeyore? No. He dIdn'L
even reuIIze LIuL IL wus mIssIng unLII PooI LoId IIm.
And even LIen, IL Look u wIIIe Lo convInce IIm LIuL
LIe LuII wus deIInILeIy NoL TIere.
TIen PooI wenL oII Lo IInd IL IrsL, Ie sLopped
uL OwI's Iouse, und OwI LoId IIm In LwenLy-IIve
ubIe Lo undersLund IL. He senL DIsLunL VIsIon, buL
DIsLunL VIsIon wus unubIe Lo see IL. He senL EIo-
quence, buL EIoquence wus unubIe Lo descrIbe IL.
InuIIy, Ie senL EmpLy MInd, und EmpLy MInd
cume buck wILI LIe peurI.
9&2#$/$ %>F 9&-#*>+
LIousund monoLonous words or more LIuL LIe
TIIng To Do wouId be Lo ssue u Rewurd, wIIcI
wouId InvoIve wrILIng ouL u . . . (yuwn) . . . noLIce,
und puLLIng IL . . . (YAWN) . . . uII over LIe . . .
(umm). OI, yes-wIere were we? AII over LIe or-
esL. And LIen LIey wenL ouLsIde . . .
And PooI Iooked uL LIe knocker und LIe noLIce
beIow IL, und Ie Iooked uL LIe beII-rope und LIe no-
LIce beIow IL, und LIe more Ie Iooked uL LIe beII-
rope, LIe more Ie IeIL LIuL Ie Iud seen someLIIng
IIke IL, somewIere eIse, someLIme beIore.
"Hundsome beII-rope, Isn'L IL?" suId OwI.
PooI nodded.
"L remInds me oI someLIIng," Ie suId, "buL cun'L
LIInk wIuL. WIere dId you geL IL?"
" jusL cume ucross IL In LIe oresL. L wus IungIng
over u busI, und LIougIL uL IIrsL somebody IIved
LIere, so rung IL, und noLIIng Iuppened, und LIen
rung IL uguIn very IoudIy, und IL cume oII In HQ
Iund, und us nobody seemed Lo wunL IL, Look IL
Iome, und-----"
AhcG So PooI reLurned LIe LuII Lo Eeyore, und
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
uILer IL Iud been puL buck In pIuce, Eeyore IeIL
mucI beLLer.
or u wIIIe, unywuy.
An EmpLy sorL oI mInd Is vuIuubIe Ior IIndIng
peurIs und LuIIs und LIIngs becuuse IL cun see wIuL's
In IronL oI IL. An (OversLuIIed mInd Is unubIe Lo.
WIIIe LIe CIeur mInd IIsLens Lo u bIrd sIngIng, LIe
SLuIIed- uII -oI - KnowIedge - und- CIeverness mInd
wonders wIuL lind oI bIrd Is sIngIng. TIe more
SLuIIed Up IL Is, LIe Iess IL cun Ieur LIrougI ILs own
eurs und see LIrougI ILs own eyes. KnowIedge und
CIeverness Lend Lo concern LIemseIves wILI LIe
9&2#$/$ %>F 9&-#*>+
wrong sorLs oI LIIngs, und u mInd conIused by
KnowIedge, CIeverness, und AbsLrucL deus Lends Lo
go cIusIng oII uILer LIIngs LIuL don'L muLLer, or LIuL
don'L even exIsL, InsLeud oI seeIng, upprecIuLIng,
und mukIng use oI wIuL Is rIgIL In IronL oI IL.
eL's consIder EmpLIness In generuI Ior u mo-
menL. WIuL Is IL ubouL u TuoIsL Iundscupe puInLIng
LIuL seems so reIresIIng Lo so muny dIIIerenL kInds
oI peopIe? TIe EmpLIness, LIe spuce LIuL's noL
IIIIed In. WIuL Is IL ubouL IresI snow, cIeun uIr, pure
wuLer? Or good musIc? As CIuude Debussy ex-
pressed IL, "MusIc Is LIe spuce beLween LIe noLes."
"WooI Buby! Ooouowee BABY! (Wungu
wungu wungu.) Buby, don'L lecte me! (Wungu
wungu crusI bung!) Buby, don'L LEAVE me!"
(CIIck.) Ike sIIence uILer noIse, or cooI, cIeur wuLer
on u IoL, sLuIIy duy, EmpLIness cIeuns ouL LIe messy
mInd und cIurges up LIe buLLerIes oI spIrILuuI en-
ergy.
Muny peopIe ure uIruId oI EmpLIness, Iow-
ever, becuuse IL remInds LIem oI oneIIness.
EveryLIIng Ius Lo be IIIIed In, IL seems-uppoInL-
menL books, IIIIsIdes, vucunL IoLs-buL wIen uII LIe
spuces ure IIIIed, LIe oneIIness recll begIns. TIen
LIe Groups ure joIned, LIe CIusses ure sIgned up Ior,
und LIe GIIL-Lo-YourseII ILems ure bougIL. WIen
LIe oneIIness sLurLs creepIng In LIe door, LIe TeIe
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
vIsIon SeL Is Lurned on Lo muke IL go uwuy. BuL IL
doesn'L go uwuy. So some oI us do InsLeud, und uILer
dIscurdIng LIe empLIness oI LIe BIg CongesLed
Mess, we dIscover LIe IuIIness oI NoLIIng.
One oI our IuvorILe exumpIes oI LIe vuIue oI
NoLIIng Is un IncIdenL In LIe IIIe oI LIe Jupunese
emperor HIroIILo. Now, beIng emperor In one oI
LIe mosL IrunLIcuIIy ConIucIunIsL counLrIes In LIe
worId Is noL necessurIIy uII LIuL relcxin. rom eurIy
mornIng unLII IuLe uL nIgIL, prucLIcuIIy every mIn-
uLe oI LIe emperor's LIme Is IIIIed In wILI meeLIngs,
uudIences, Lours, InspecLIons, und wIo-knows-wIuL.
And LIrougI u duy so LIgILIy scIeduIed LIuL IL
wouId muke u sLone wuII seem open by compurIson,
LIe emperor musL gIIde, IIke u greuL sIIp suIIIng In u
sLeudy breeze.
n LIe mIddIe oI u purLIcuIurIy busy duy, LIe
emperor wus drIven Lo u meeLIng IuII Ior un up-
poInLmenL oI some kInd. BuL wIen Ie urrIved, LIere
wus no one LIere. TIe emperor wuIked InLo LIe
mIddIe oI LIe greuL IuII, sLood sIIenLIy Ior u mo-
menL, LIen bowed Lo LIe empLy spuce. He Lurned Lo
IIs ussIsLunLs, u Iurge smIIe on IIs Iuce. "We musL
scIeduIe more uppoInLmenLs IIke LIIs," Ie LoId
LIem. " Iuven'L enjoyed myseII so mucI In u Iong
LIme."
n LIe IorLy-eIgILI cIupLer oI LIe Tco Te
Chin, uo-Lse wroLe, "To uLLuIn knowIedge, udd
9&2#$/$ %>F 9&-#*>+
LIIngs every duy. To uLLuIn wIsdom, remove LIIngs
every duy." CIuung-Lse descrIbed LIe prIncIpIe In
IIs own Iumorous wuy:
" um IeurnIng," Yen HuI suId
"How?" LIe MusLer usked.
" IorgoL LIe ruIes oI RIgILeousness und LIe IeveIs
oI BenevoIence," Ie repIIed.
"Good, buL couId be beLLer," LIe MusLer suId
A Iew duys IuLer, Yen HuI remurked, " um mukIng
progress."
"How?" LIe MusLer usked
" IorgoL LIe RILuuIs und LIe MusIc," Ie unswered
"BeLLer, buL noL perIecL," LIe MusLer suId
Some LIme IuLer, Yen HuI LoId LIe MusLer, "Now
sIL down und IorgeL everyLIIng."
TIe MusLer Iooked up, sLurLIed "WIuL do you
meun, you IorgeL everyLIIng?" Ie quIckIy usked
" IorgeL my body und senses, und Ieuve uII uppeur-
unce und InIormuLIon beIInd," unswered Yen HuI.
"n LIe mIddIe oI NoLIIng, joIn LIe Source oI AII
TIIngs."
TIe MusLer bowed. "You Iuve Lrunscended LIe IIm-
ILuLIons oI LIme und knowIedge. um Iur beIInd
you. You Iuve Iound LIe Wuy!"
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
GuLIerIng, unuIyzIng, sorLIng, und sLorIng In-
IormuLIon-LIese IuncLIons und more LIe mInd cun
perIorm so uuLomuLIcuIIy, skIIIIuIIy, und eIIorLIessIy
LIuL IL mukes LIe mosL sopIIsLIcuLed compuLer Iook
IIke u pIusLIc Loy by compurIson. BuL IL cun do InII-
nILeIy more. To use LIe mInd us IL's uII Loo com-
monIy used, on LIe kInds oI LIIngs LIuL IL's usuuIIy
used on, Is ubouL us IneIIIcIenL und InupproprIuLe us
usIng u mugIc sword Lo open up u cun oI beuns. TIe
power oI u cIeur mmd Is beyond descrIpLIon. BuL IL
cun be uLLuIned by unyone wIo cun upprecIuLe und
uLIIIze LIe vuIue oI NoLIIng.
eL's suy you geL un Ideu-or, us PooI wouId
more uccuruLeIy suy, IL geLs you. WIere dId IL come
Irom? rom LIIs someLIIng, wIIcI cume Irom thct
someLIIng? I you ure ubIe Lo Lruce IL uII LIe wuy
buck Lo ILs source, you wIII dIscover LIuL IL cume
Irom NoLIIng. And cIunces ure, LIe greuLer LIe
Ideu, LIe more dIrecLIy IL cume Irom LIere. "A
sLroke oI genIus! CompIeLeIy unIeurd oI! A revoIu-
LIonury new upproucI!" PrucLIcuIIy everyone Ius
goLLen some sorL oI un Ideu IIke LIuL someLIme, mosL
IIkeIy uILer u sound sIeep wIen everyLIIng wus so
cIeur und IIIIed wILI NoLIIng LIuL un deu suddenIy
uppeured In IL. BuL we don'L Iuve Lo IuII usIeep Ior u
Iew Iours Ior LIuL Lo Iuppen. We cun be uwuke, In-
sLeud--completel uwuke. TIe process Is very nuLu-
ruI.
9&2#$/$ %>F 9&-#*>+ :<:
L sLurLs wIen we ure cIIIdren, IeIpIess buL
uwure oI LIIngs, enjoyIng wIuL Is uround us. TIen
we reucI udoIescence, sLIII IeIpIess buL LryIng Lo uL
IeusL cppecr IndependenL. WIen we ouLgrow LIuL
sLuge, we become uduILs-seII-suIIIcIenL IndIvIduuIs
ubIe und muLure enougI Lo IeIp oLIers us we Iuve
Ieurned Lo IeIp ourseIves.
BuL LIe uduIL Is noL LIe IIgIesL sLuge oI deveI-
opmenL. TIe end oI LIe cycIe Is LIuL oI LIe Inde-
pendenL, cIeur-mInded, uII-seeIng CIIId. TIuL Is LIe
IeveI known us wIsdom. WIen LIe Tco Te Chin
und oLIer wIse books suy LIIngs IIke, "ReLurn Lo LIe
begInnIng; become u cIIId uguIn," LIuL's wIuL
LIey're reIerrIng Lo. WIy do LIe enIIgILened seem
IIIIed wILI IIgIL und IuppIness, IIke cIIIdren? WIy
do LIey someLImes even Iook und LuIk IIke cIIIdren?
Becuuse LIey ure. TIe wIse ure CIIIdren WIo
Know. TIeIr mInds Iuve been empLIed oI LIe
counLIess mInuLe someLIIngs oI smuII IeurnIng, und
IIIIed wILI LIe wIsdom oI LIe GreuL NoLIIng, LIe
Wuy oI LIe UnIverse.
TIey wuIked on, LIInkIng oI TIIs und TIuL, und
by-und-by LIey cume Lo un encIunLed pIuce on LIe
very Lop oI LIe oresL cuIIed GuIIeons up, wIIcI Is
sIxLy-someLIIng Lrees In u cIrcIe; und CIrIsLopIer
RobIn knew LIuL IL wus encIunLed becuuse nobody
Iud ever been ubIe Lo counL wIeLIer IL wus sIxLy-
LIree or sIxLy-Iour, noL even wIen Ie LIed u pIece oI
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
sLrIng round eucI Lree uILer Ie Iud counLed IL.
BeIng encIunLed, ILs IIoor wus noL IIke LIe IIoor oI
LIe oresL, gorse und brucken und IeuLIer, buL
cIose-seL gruss, quIeL und smooLI und green.... SIL-
LIng LIere LIey couId see LIe wIoIe worId spreud
ouL unLII IL reucIed LIe sky, und wIuLever LIere
wus uII LIe worId over wus wILI LIem In GuIIeons
up.
TIere LIe PooI books come Lo un end, In LIe
EncIunLed PIuce uL LIe Lop oI LIe oresL. We cun
go LIere uL uny LIme. L's noL Iur uwuy; IL's noL Iurd
Lo IInd. JusL Luke LIe puLI Lo NoLIIng, und go No-
wIere unLII you reucI IL. Becuuse LIe EncIunLed
PIuce Is rIgIL wIere you ure, und II you're rIendIy
WILI Beurs, you cun IInd IL
36"
#)5 )1
!))6
n LIe mornIng sunsIIne, In LIe evenIng LwIIIgIL, u
smuII Beur LruveIs LIrougI u oresL. WIy dId we
IoIIow IIm wIen we were so mucI younger? He Is,
uILer uII, onIy u Beur oI ILLIe BruIn. BuL Is BruIn uII
LIuL ImporLunL? s IL reuIIy BruIn LIuL Lukes us
wIere we need Lo go? Or Is IL uII Loo oILen BruIn
LIuL sends us oII In LIe wrong dIrecLIon, IoIIowIng
LIe ecIo oI LIe wInd In LIe LreeLops, wIIcI we
thinl Is reuI, ruLIer LIun IIsLenIng Lo LIe voIce
wILIIn us LIuL LeIIs us wIIcI wuy Lo Lurn?
A BruIn cun do uII kInds oI LIIngs, buL LIe
LIIngs LIuL IL cun do ure noL LIe mosL ImporLunL
LIIngs. AbsLrucL cIeverness oI mInd onIy sepuruLes
LIe LIInker Irom LIe worId oI reuIILy, und LIuL
worId, LIe oresL oI ReuI IIe, Is In u desperuLe
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
condILIon now becuuse oI Loo muny wIo LIInk Loo
mucI und cure Loo IILLIe. n spILe oI wIuL muny
mInds Iuve LIougIL LIemseIves InLo beIIevIng, LIuL
mIsLuke cunnoL conLInue Ior mucI Ionger II every-
LIIng Is goIng Lo survIve. TIe one cIunce we Iuve
Lo uvoId cerLuIn dIsusLer Is Lo cIunge our upproucI,
und Lo Ieurn Lo vuIue wIsdom und conLenLmenL.
TIese ure LIe LIIngs LIuL ure beIng seurcIed Ior
unywuy, LIrougI KnowIedge und CIeverness, buL
LIey do noL come Irom KnowIedge und CIeverness.
TIey never Iuve, und LIey never wIII. We cun no
Ionger uIIord Lo Iook so desperuLeIy Iurd Ior some-
LIIng In LIe wrong wuy und In LIe wrong pIuce. I
KnowIedge und CIeverness ure uIIowed Lo go on
wreckIng LIIngs, LIey wIII beIore mucI Ionger de-
sLroy uII IIIe on eurLI us we know IL, und wIuL IILLIe
muy LemporurIIy survIve wIII noL be worLI IookIng
uL, even II IL wouId someIow be possIbIe Ior us Lo
do so.
TIe musLers oI IIIe know LIe Wuy, Ior LIey IIs-
Len Lo LIe voIce wILIIn LIem, LIe voIce oI wIsdom
und sImpIIcILy, LIe voIce LIuL reusons beyond CIev-
erness und knows beyond KnowIedge. TIuL voIce Is
noL jusL LIe power und properLy oI u Iew, buL Ius
been gIven Lo everyone. TIose wIo puy uLLenLIon Lo
IL ure Loo oILen LreuLed us excepLIons Lo u ruIe,
ruLIer LIun us exumpIes oI LIe ruIe In operuLIon, u
"#$ 9&2 &' (&&#
ruIe LIuL cun uppIy Lo unyone wIo mukes use oI IL.
WILIIn eucI oI us LIere Is un OwI, u RubbIL, un
Eeyore, und u PooI. or Loo Iong, we Iuve cIosen
LIe wuy oI OwI und RubbIL. Now, IIke Eeyore, we
compIuIn ubouL LIe resuILs. BuL LIuL uccompIIsIes
noLIIng. I we ure smurL, we wIII cIoose LIe wuy oI
PooI. As II Irom Iur uwuy, IL cuIIs Lo us wILI LIe
voIce oI u cIIId's mInd. L muy be Iurd Lo Ieur uL
LImes, buL IL Is ImporLunL jusL LIe sume, becuuse
wILIouL IL, we wIII never IInd our wuy LIrougI LIe
oresL.
(/2*5).4
"WeII, wIuL do you LIInk, PooI?" suId.
"Trunk ubouL wIuL?" usked PooI.
"TIe Tuo oI PooI, oI course."
"TIe hou oI PooI?" usked PooI.
"Do we Iuve Lo go LIrougI thct uguIn?" suIu
"Go LIrougI uhct uguIn?" usked PooI.
"TIe Tuo oI PooI," suId.
"WIuL's LIe Tuo oI PooI?"
"You know-LIe Uncurved BIock, LIe CoLLIes-
Lon PIe PrIncIpIe, LIe PooI Wuy, Thct SorL oI Beur,
und uII LIuL."
"OI, " suId PooI.
"TIuL's LIe Tuo oI PooI," suId.
"OI, " suId PooI.
"How wouId ou descrIbe IL?" usked.
"#$ "%& &' (&&#
"WeII . . . LIIs jusL cume Lo me," Ie suId. "'II
sIng IL Lo you."
"AII rIgIL."
"Now, LIen . . . \$/#:A])I
To lnou the Wc,
We o the Wc,
We do the Wc
The uc ue do
The thins ue do.
It's cll there in jront oj ou,
ut ij ou tr too hcrd to see it,
You'll onl become Conjused.
I cm me,
And ou cre ou,
As ou ccn see,
ut uhen ou do
The thins thct ou ccn do,
You uill jind the Wc,
And the Wc uill jollou ou.
"TIuL's wIuL H LIInk IL Is," Ie suId.
I($/'$8-)" suId. "BuL you know, don'L you. . . "
Know wIuL?" suId PooI.
' L' s LIe sume LIIng."
"OI, " suId PooI. "So IL Is."

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff1

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