Heffalump

A heffalump is a fictional creature mentioned in the Winnie the Pooh stories, both in Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and later in The House at Pooh Corner (1928).

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In the books, Pooh and Piglet attempt to bravely capture a heffalump in a trap. But no heffalumps are ever caught in their trap, and indeed no heffalump is ever met with in the course of the books. The sole actual "appearance" of heffalumps in the books come as Pooh tries to put himself to sleep. "e tried counting Heffalumps every Heffalump that he counted was making straight for a pot of Pooh's honey... when the five hundred and eighty-seventh Heffalump was licking its jaws, and saying to itself, 'Very good honey this, I don't know when I've tasted better,' Pooh could bear it no longer." We learn nothing more about the nature of the beasts — rather sensibly for an animal that does not even exist in the fictional world of Pooh et al. — in the writings.

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Although never explicitly stated it is generally thought that heffalumps are elephants from a child's viewpoint (with the word "heffalump" being a child's attempt at pronouncing "elephant"). Even though it was never stated, E. H. Shepard's illustrations in A. A. Milne's original books depict heffalumps (as seen in Pooh's dreams) as looking very much like elephants. The heffalumps in the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh also look like elephants, albeit slightly cuddlier and less fierce elephants than those Pooh imagines in the books.

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In the animated television series, most heffalumps are enemies of Pooh and his friends. They are known to steal honey, and are often associated with woozles. One particular heffalump named Heff was the dim-witted sidekick for Stan the Woozle, and he was afraid of Roo, because he thought Roo was a giant mouse (perhaps a reference to the Looney Tunes running gag of Sylvester mistaking Hippety Hopper for a giant mouse). Being voiced by Chuck McCann, Heff sounded just like Bouncer Beagle from DuckTales.

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Piglet also befriended a young heffalump named Junior in two episodes of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Junior lived with his parents, similar to the Three Bears. His dad, Papa Heffalump, was voiced by Jim Cummings, and had several allergies, which Mama Heffalump usually had to remind him of.

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Since in the 1950s heffalumps have gained substantial fame outside of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The term heffalump is commonly used to describe an elephant or a child view of an elephant.

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The term heffalump trap is often used in politics for a trap that is set up to catch an opponent but ends up trapping the person who set the trap as happens to Winnie the Pooh in The House at Pooh Corner.

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In psychology heffalumps have been used as an example of an animal which exists in thoughts but not in reality.

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There is also a music score called To Catch a Heffalump (1971) by Willem Frederik Bon.

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Pooh's Heffalump Movie, released in 2005, looks at the differences between the denizens of the Hundred Acre Woods and the Heffalumps who they fear as a mutual prejudice, cleared up after Roo becomes friends which a Heffalump named Lumpy. http://www.impawards.com/2005/poohs_heffalump_movie.html

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A Mr Heffalump is also featured in the on-line flash cartoon Naughty Heffalump. It is not stated if Mr Heffalump is in any way related to the pooish heffalumps.

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Fictional: REDIRECT Fiction...

Winnie the Pooh: Winnie-the-Pooh is a fictional bear created by A. A. Milne. He appears in the books Winnie-the-Pooh (published October 14, 1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Milne also wrote two books of children's poetry, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six, which include several poems about Winnie-...

1926: 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar)....

Heffalump related Images and Photos (experimental)

Pooh's Heffalump Movie

Pooh's Heffalump Movie Play Time Signed Paper Giclee Print

Pooh's Heffalump Movie Lifting Your Spirits Giclee Print