Third excerpt

Heffalumps, said the bear to his young porcine friend. I believe heffalumps may have taken my honey. I have never known heffalumps to particularly like honey, but the rabbit told me just yesterday that heffalumps are mysterious and strange creatures that often behave just as you’d expect them not to.

Why do you like honey so much anyway, Bear? asked the pig.

Bears like honey. I’m a bear, so I like honey.

Then why do bears like honey?

Because it’s sweet, I suppose. Don’t you like sweet things?

This isn’t about me, Bear. Give me a straight answer for once, will you?

What do you want to know?

Why do you like honey so much?

Hum… hum. Hum! I don’t know.

You can’t not know, silly bear. What is it that you like about honey?

Hum. It’s sweet.

You already said that, and it’s not an answer. Let’s try this a different way: is there anything you don’t like about honey?

It’s sticky. It gets all over my paws, and I can never get all of it out of the honey jars, and there are bees sometimes.

Now we’re getting somewhere. Honestly, I swear sometimes you’re more stubborn than the donkey.

What do you mean?

Oh, never mind, said the pig.

Do you think the heffalumps will give my honey back? asked the bear.