The Little Blue Engine: reading passage and questions

A long train rolled along the track toward the mountain. It was full of toys for the children. It was full of good food, too.

There were dolls and teddy bears and wooden animals. There were red apples and sweet oranges. The children across the mountain were waiting.

But the big engine in front broke down. It stopped with a hiss and a groan. Now nobody could pull the train over the mountain.

The toys looked at one another. "What shall we do?" asked a doll. "The children are waiting for us!"

Just then a shiny engine came along the track. It was big and bright. "Will you pull us over the mountain?" called the toys.

"No," said the shiny engine. "I carry important people, not toys." Away it went, faster than the wind.

A strong engine came next, puffing hard. "Will you pull us over the mountain?" asked the toys. "I am much too busy," it answered, and rushed away.

Then an old, rusty engine came creaking along the track. "Will you please help us?" asked the toys. "I am too tired, and I cannot," he sighed.

The toys felt very sad. Then they heard a tiny toot. A little blue engine was coming down the track.

She was not big, and she was not strong. All day long she pulled cars around the yard. She had never gone over a mountain.

"Little blue engine, will you help us?" called the toys. "The children across the mountain are waiting."

The little engine looked at the long train. She looked at the tall mountain. "I am small," she said, "but I will try."

She hooked on to the front of the train. Slowly, the wheels began to turn. "I think I can, I think I can," she puffed.

Up they went, up and up the mountain. The track was steep and the train was heavy. "I think I can," she puffed.

The toys cheered for her. "You can do it, little engine!" Her wheels went slowly, but they never stopped.

Higher and higher they climbed. The little engine was tired and hot. But she kept saying, "I think I can."

At last they were nearly at the top. "I think I can, I think I can," she puffed. And over the top they went!

Far below, she saw a green valley. She saw the town where the children lived. She let out a happy toot.

Down the mountain they rolled, faster and faster. "I thought I could, I thought I could," she sang. She felt very proud.

The children were waiting at the station. They clapped and cheered when the train came in. The toys had come, and so had the food!

The toys jumped into the children's arms. The little blue engine gave one more toot. "I thought I could," she said, with a smile.