One bright spring morning when the weather was clear and a slight breeze blew in the trees, a bear of very little brain had a very good idea. "Let's go for a picnic, Piglet," Pooh said.
And so the friends packed up a basket - honey cakes, honeycomb, and honey pots for Pooh, haycorns for Piglet - and started for the river. Along the way they met Rabbit, and naturally invited him along. But at the river's edge, their trip went all wombly. The spring rains had washed away the trail to the eating spot.
But Pooh, who was always happy and hummy whether he was going or coming, suggested they jump on a log he'd found in the river and ride it downstream.
"Why, Pooh!" cried Rabbit. "You've had an idea! Although I can't think why, since you think so little." Pooh asked what idea he had had.
"We'll take these logs and make a raft to get to the eating spot," said Rabbit. Pooh had to admit he had been rather clever for a bear of little brain. When the raft was lashed together with bits and bobs of things, the friends pushed off from the shore.
Just as they did, who should appear but a very bouncy Tigger. "Where are you going?" Tigger called out.
"Down the river to the eating spot to have a bit of picnic," replied Pooh.
"Ooooh, I love picnic!" cried Tigger, bouncing higher.
"Then come with us," said Pooh.
"Not if he's going to bounce!" Rabbit whispered. But he didn't say it loud enough. Tigger bounced right onto the raft, sending it teetering and tottering, shuddering and shaking, and making everyone wet!
"Off! Off!" yelled Rabbit.
The friends agreed there was really nothing else to be done, for a Tigger has to bounce the way the sun has to shine.
A very sad Tigger, his bounce small and meek, asked sadly, "May I picnic anyway if I follow you?"
"Of c-c-course," yelled Piglet in his strongest voice as the raft sailed downstream. And so Tigger bounced along the shore, playing in puddles, until he heard, "Help! Help!"
The raft was stuck, perched among rocks, in the middle of the river. It wouldn't budge. No amount of rocking would set the friends free.
"I'm coming!" yelled Tigger. At the thought of this, Rabbit covered his eyes. But Pooh's and Piglet's eyes grew larger and larger as they watched Tigger on the shore.
He started to bounce, and he bounced and he bounced, each time going higher and higher. Finally, when he was bouncing as high as a tree, he bounced right over to them and hit the raft right on its edge, setting it free!
"Yay!" cried Pooh.
"You can be the captain!" said Piglet.
Rabbit uncovered his eyes. Once they were on the shore, safe and dry and fed, Rabbit said, "Thank you, Tigger. We're lucky tha bouncing is what Tiggers do best!"