One morning, Eeyore, the old grey donkey, stood alone by a stream, gazing at his reflection. Feeling particularly downcast, he lamented that it was his birthday and no one had remembered. He mumbled to himself about how pathetic it was that nobody cared.
As he stood there, Winnie-the-Pooh came along and noticed Eeyore’s gloomy demeanor. “Good morning, Eeyore,” Pooh greeted him cheerfully. Eeyore sighed and mentioned that it was his birthday but that it didn’t matter since no one had taken any notice. Realizing that his friend was feeling neglected, Pooh decided he must find a present for Eeyore right away.
Pooh hurried home to see what he could give. Outside his house, he met Piglet, who was just about to knock on his door. Piglet explained that he was coming to visit, but when Pooh told him about Eeyore’s forgotten birthday, Piglet wanted to help too. They agreed that each would find a special gift for their friend.
Inside his house, Pooh searched for something suitable. He found a small jar of honey and decided it would make the perfect present. Piglet thought for a moment and remembered that he had a balloon left over from a party—a big, red balloon that Eeyore would surely love.
They set off separately to deliver their gifts. Pooh, carrying the jar of honey, began to feel a bit hungry on the way. He thought perhaps he could have a small taste. One lick led to another, and before he knew it, he had eaten all the honey. Realizing he had no gift left, Pooh felt distressed but then had an idea. The empty pot was still a fine container—perhaps Eeyore could use it to keep things in.
Meanwhile, Piglet was hurrying to Eeyore with the balloon held tightly to prevent it from blowing away. In his excitement, he tripped over a tree root and fell hard. There was a loud bang—the balloon had burst. Piglet was dismayed. All that remained was a small piece of red rubber. Feeling awful but determined, he decided to give Eeyore the burst balloon anyway.
Piglet arrived at the stream where Eeyore was still moping. “Many happy returns of the day, Eeyore!” Piglet exclaimed, handing him the piece of the balloon. Eeyore looked at it curiously. Trying to hide his disappointment, he thanked Piglet politely, appreciating that his friend had at least remembered his birthday.
Shortly after, Pooh appeared, carrying the empty honey pot. “Happy birthday, Eeyore!” he shouted cheerfully. He presented the pot to Eeyore, explaining that it was a Useful Pot to Keep Things In. Eeyore examined it and began to feel a bit brighter.
Then an idea struck him. “I believe my balloon will just go into this pot!” he said. Gently, he placed the deflated balloon inside the pot and took it out again. “It goes in and out perfectly!” Eeyore exclaimed, his spirits lifting. The combination of the pot and the burst balloon delighted him; he found joy in putting the balloon into the pot and taking it out repeatedly.
Pooh and Piglet watched as Eeyore became happier with each moment. Their gifts, though not what they had initially intended, had brought genuine happiness to their friend. They all sat together by the stream, enjoying each other’s company.
Meanwhile, Christopher Robin wondered if he had given Eeyore a gift. Recalling that he had planned a party and a cake with candles and pink sugar, he felt content knowing he had contributed to making Eeyore’s birthday special.
In the end, what began as a sad day for Eeyore turned into a joyful celebration of friendship. Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore learned that it’s the thought and kindness behind a gift that truly matters, and they all felt grateful for one another.