A reindeer couple, Rae and Filip, were ambling down a path in a new part of the forest they hadn’t visited before. It was quite a nice path; wide enough for them to walk side by side, and free of the tangled underbrush that often annoyed Filip by snagging his antlers. They came to an abrupt halt, ready to bound away in the other direction, when they saw potential danger. A bear.
It was a small bear — although chubby — and his light tan fur and (to Rae’s confusion) the bright red shirt he was wearing made him kenspeckle indeed. Not only that, but Filip was wondering why this little bear was walking on only two legs.
Still ready to run (it was a bear, after all), Filip called out cautiously. “Bear! What do you here?”
“Oh, hullo,” said Pooh. “I was just on my way to visit Otter, don’t you know. My name is Pooh. Are you just visiting the Hundred Acre Wood?”
Filip and Rae looked at each other. This was not the way the bears they knew talked. Of course, this was a small tan bear; perhaps those are different from the black bears at home, or the even worse big white bears a few days journey north of home.
“I am Rae and this is Filip,” said Rae. “We haven’t seen this part of the forest before. Are you the king of these woods?”
“Oh no,” said Pooh, “I’m just a Bear of Very Little Brain. The Hundred Acre Wood doesn’t have a king. Christopher Robin helps us with Understanding Things, but he isn’t a king.”
“Beware, a troll!” shouted Filip, as a smaller figure appeared on the path behind Pooh.
“Oh no, that’s just Piglet,” said Pooh. “Hullo, Piglet. I’ve just met Filip and Rae. They’ve never been here before.”
“Good morning,” said Piglet. “Are you reindeer?”
“Aye, that we are,” said Filip, who was beginning to calm down. “We were out for a walk and got lost in some fok. We followed the flatr land because it’s harder to walk where it’s more rogg. Then when a gustr of wind blew the fok away, we found ourselves here.”
“Oh,” said Piglet. “I suppose I understand,” he said doubtfully, not at all sure he did. “I was just catching up with Pooh and we were going to see Otter,” he said. “Otter likes words none of us know; maybe he would like some of your words, Rae.”
“Begging your pardon, I’m Filip,” said Filip.
“I’m Rae,” said Rae.
“I’m Pooh,” said Pooh helpfully. “Let’s go see Otter, Piglet. Maybe Rae and Filip would like to come with us.”
Rae and Filip looked at each other. “Yes,” announced Rae, “we will come to see this Otter felagi. I don’t suppose,” she said, looking doubtfully at Piglet’s and Pooh’s short legs, “you would like to ras? Filip and I love to spritta and renna.”
“Er…I think we would like to walk,” said Pooh, beginning to stump along the trail. “I don’t know some of your words, Rae. Do they use those words where you live?”
“We are reindeer,” said Filip.
“We use reindeer words,” said Rae. “That’s not kenspeckle?”
Pooh looked at Piglet. “No,” he said. “I don’t think it’s speckled at all. But have you ever used a mud slide? Otter has one, you know, and it’s Great Fun.”
“A slide in a myrr?” asked Filip. “Do you mean you fall down for sport?”
Pooh had a think about that. “I suppose we do,” he said. “Let’s go visit Otter.”
