Eeyore the donkey woke up with a sigh. It was his birthday, but he didn't feel very happy. He was sitting under his gloomy old oak tree, thinking about how gray everything was.
Pooh Bear, his best friend, bounced over, carrying a bright red balloon. "Happy Birthday, Eeyore!" he boomed, his voice full of cheerful energy.
Eeyore looked at the balloon, then back at Pooh. "Oh, bother," he mumbled. "It's my birthday, and I feel just as gloomy as usual."
Pooh, Piglet, and Rabbit had a surprise for Eeyore. They had decorated a little corner of the Hundred Acre Wood with colorful flowers and ribbons. There was even a tiny birthday cake made of honey and thistles!
Piglet, usually shy, gathered his courage and gave Eeyore a hug. "We're so glad you're our friend, Eeyore," he squeaked.
Rabbit hopped up and down excitedly. "We made you a special thistle-flavored cake! It's your favorite, right?"
Eeyore looked at the cake, then at his friends' smiling faces. He felt a tiny warmth spreading in his heart. He hadn't expected anyone to remember, let alone celebrate.
Pooh gave Eeyore a big, fluffy honey pot as a gift. "Happy Birthday!" he said again, this time with a gentle pat on Eeyore's back.
As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the Hundred Acre Wood, Eeyore sat among his friends. He munched on his thistle cake, feeling the sweetness not just in the honey, but in their friendship. He realized that even gloomy days can be brightened by the love of friends.
Eeyore still felt a little gloomy sometimes, but now he knew that he wasn't alone. He had friends who cared, and that made all the difference. And that, he thought with a small smile, was something to be truly happy about.