Between mountains, through valleys, deep in forests, through cities, the gleaming rails on which trains run run all over the world. They carry goods, cargo and of course people wherever they go.
But now I'm going to tell you about a small locomotive that pulled the wagons on narrow rails and didn't go to town or village with them, but went around a nice round hill, among the trees that whispered sweetly. The rails did not branch off anywhere, but came together in a huge circle.
The little locomotive was happily chugging along day after day on its usual route. Sometimes it was carrying freight from one side of the hill to the other, sometimes it was carrying children on a hike through the woods. He never tired of the work. In summer, the sunlight was filtered through the shade of the trees; in autumn, coloured leaves painted the landscape. In winter, snow turned the countryside snow-white, and in spring, the scent of a thousand flowers enchanted her.
The children loved the little locomotive, stroking its red-painted nose, waving at it at the station, and even taking photos of it.
Then one day a whole school group came to see him. One by one they got into the carriages in a neat row, and those at the back had to wait.
While they were waiting, one of the boys called out to the engine.
- How nice for you, little locomotive! You must have travelled all over the world!
- The world? No. But I've been around the hill a thousand times.
- Oh, you poor thing! Then you never see anything new. And there's nothing more exciting than seeing something you've never seen before! - said the boy regretfully, and then he got into one of the cars and sat down on the seat.
But the train has not yet left.
As more and more groups arrived, the crew attached more and more wagons behind the locomotive.
- Roll forward a little so that schoolchildren can get into the back cars! - they asked him, and he always pushed forward a little.
- A little bit more, a little bit more, they brought three more cars! - they ordered again and again, until the little train was as long as it had ever been.
Once you do what do you see as not a locomotive? On the rails, he saw a train in the distance, a passenger carriage with children waving.
- Wow, is that another train ahead of me? - he wondered.
For years, he was the only one who had been scooting around the hill on these tracks. He had never seen another locomotive nearby. But he didn't have much time to think about it, because he heard the whistle, signalling that everyone had boarded.
He started off slowly, panting. It was heavy, very heavy, with so many cars coupled behind him. And as he sped along, the distant train in front of him began to roll.
The faster he tried to catch up, the faster it ran.
And the little locomotive was very curious to see who was in front of it. He got so excited, chased the other train with such fervour that he didn't even notice it was passing the station.
He only woke up at the sound of the warning whistle, but by then he was scooting along at such a speed that he couldn't stop.
So he went one more lap before braking.
The children jumped off it with jubilation. They were delighted to be able to go through the forest twice, and enjoyed the train ride.
The little engineer noticed that the train in front of him had also stopped when he did. When he saw the conductor, he could stand it no longer and asked.
- Who is the other train whose back I can see?
- Another train? What other train? We had so many passengers today that the coaches following you almost went round the hill. You've been following yourself!
The little engine laughed a big laugh. But it was also proud of itself for taking so many passengers around. Twice!
He saw the little boy, who called out to him as he was leaving:
- Believe it or not, today I saw something like never before!
- Me too, me too! A beautiful forest and a very powerful little locomotive! - "But tell me, what did you see?
- My own back! - laughed the little locomotive, and whistled loudly with its chimney.
This is the end, run away from it, you'll see where the train ends!
If you want a train set, check out the Story Plate page!
