James Osborne recently posted on the origin of Winnie-the-Pooh. This story is so charming I am re-blogging it here so more people can enjoy it.
Winnie-the-Pooh: The Forgotten Connection
Special thanks to CBC Radio for an interview that resurrected this little known story about the origins of Winnie-the-Pooh. Here’s a summary.
Winnie-the-Pooh was born in Canada! Well, sort of.
It all began in 1914. The First World War was underway in Europe. The Canadian Army was in desperate need of trained personnel to care for the thousands of horses used by the cavalry.
A young veterinarian in Winnipeg heeded the call.
Harry Colebourn soon found himself on a train with scores of other young men destined for the army base in Val Cartier, Quebec. A few hours into their journey the train stopped in White River, Ont., to take on water and coal for the steam engine. Like many other soldiers, Harry stepped off the train to stretch his legs.
Standing beside the tracks was a man who turned out to be a trapper. He was holding a tiny black bear cub, only a few days old. He had trapped and killed its mother. Harry loved animals of every kind. He offered the trapper $20 for the cub. That was a handsome amount in 1914. They made a deal.
Read the rest at:
Winnie-the-Pooh: The Forgotten Connection
Thanks for re-blogging this it looks interesting. I grew up on Pooh stories.
I can still recite the Milne poetry – used to do that in the car with my kids!
Thanks for sharing the cute history, Noelle. Happy Holidays 🙂
Isn’t it charming? We are all so lucky he adopted that bear! Happy Turkey Day and all the rest, Diana.
Thank you very much for reposting this story so that others can enjoy it. The story was a pleasure to write. It is an even greater pleasure to learn of the happy memories it has brought back to others. Cheers & Hunny!
Don’t get you hand stuck in the hunny pot!
What a nice story, Noelle! I had no idea 🙂
I just had to post it forward!
Thanks for sharing this interesting tidbit of history Noelle. Nice to know Winnie and I are both Canadian. 🙂
Some of my best friends are Canadians! 🙂 🙂