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"source_title": "The Little Engine That Could",
"tts_title": "The Little Engine That Could",
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"title": "The Little Engine That Could",
"author": "Charles S. Wing",
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"summary": "\"The Little Engine That Could\" is a short story built around one of the most repeated phrases in children's literature: \"I think I can.\" When a superintendent needs a heavy train pulled over a steep hill, two powerful engines refuse the challenge — but a small, brand-new engine agrees to try. With each turn of its wheels, its quiet determination is tested against the weight of the load and the steepness of the grade, and its words slow almost to silence before the summit is reached.",
"clean_summary": "\"The Little Engine That Could\" is a short story built around one of the most repeated phrases in children's literature: \"I think I can.\" When a superintendent needs a heavy train pulled over a steep hill, two powerful engines refuse the challenge - but a small, brand-new engine agrees to try. With each turn of its wheels, its quiet determination is tested against the weight of the load and the steepness of the grade, and its words slow almost to silence before the summit is reached.",
"body": [
"In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination. The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”",
"“It is a very heavy train,” responded the engine.",
"He then went to another great engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”",
"“It is a very heavy grade,” it replied.",
"The superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span new, and he asked it: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”",
"“I think I can,” responded the engine.",
"So the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”",
"The coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: “I —think —I can. I —think —I— can. I —think— I —can.”",
"Then it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: “I think I can. I—– think—–I—–can. I —–think—– I—– can.” Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: “I ——-think ——–I——-can.”",
"It was almost to the top.",
"“I ———think”",
"It was at the top.",
"“I ———can.”",
"It passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.",
"‘I ——think——- I—— can——I—– thought——I——-could I—– thought—– I—– could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.”",
"And singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.",
"Charles S. Wing is the earliest credited author of this iconic story, which appeared in print in 1902 — predating the more widely known Watty Piper version by decades. His telling is notably spare and rhythmic, letting the engine's shifting cadence carry the full emotional weight of the climb."
],
"body_text": "In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination. The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”\n\n“It is a very heavy train,” responded the engine.\n\nHe then went to another great engine and asked: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”\n\n“It is a very heavy grade,” it replied.\n\nThe superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span new, and he asked it: “Can you pull that train over the hill?”\n\n“I think I can,” responded the engine.\n\nSo the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”\n\nThe coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: “I —think —I can. I —think —I— can. I —think— I —can.”\n\nThen it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: “I think I can. I—– think—–I—–can. I —–think—– I—– can.” Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: “I ——-think ——–I——-can.”\n\nIt was almost to the top.\n\n“I ———think”\n\nIt was at the top.\n\n“I ———can.”\n\nIt passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.\n\n‘I ——think——- I—— can——I—– thought——I——-could I—– thought—– I—– could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.”\n\nAnd singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.\n\nCharles S. Wing is the earliest credited author of this iconic story, which appeared in print in 1902 — predating the more widely known Watty Piper version by decades. His telling is notably spare and rhythmic, letting the engine's shifting cadence carry the full emotional weight of the climb.",
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"In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination. The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"It is a very heavy train,\" responded the engine.",
"He then went to another great engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"It is a very heavy grade,\" it replied.",
"The superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span new, and he asked it: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"I think I can,\" responded the engine.",
"So the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: \"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.\"",
"The coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: \"I - think - I can. I - think - I - can. I - think - I - can.\"",
"Then it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: \"I think I can. I - - think - - I - - can. I - - think - - I - - can.\" Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: \"I - - -think - - - I - - -can.\"",
"It was almost to the top.",
"\"I - - - think\"",
"It was at the top.",
"\"I - - - can.\"",
"It passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.",
"'I - - think - - - I - - can - - I - - thought - - I - - -could I - - thought - - I - - could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.\"",
"And singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.",
"Charles S. Wing is the earliest credited author of this iconic story, which appeared in print in 1902 - predating the more widely known Watty Piper version by decades. His telling is notably spare and rhythmic, letting the engine's shifting cadence carry the full emotional weight of the climb."
],
"clean_text": "In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination. The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"\n\n\"It is a very heavy train,\" responded the engine.\n\nHe then went to another great engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"\n\n\"It is a very heavy grade,\" it replied.\n\nThe superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span new, and he asked it: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"\n\n\"I think I can,\" responded the engine.\n\nSo the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: \"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.\"\n\nThe coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: \"I - think - I can. I - think - I - can. I - think - I - can.\"\n\nThen it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: \"I think I can. I - - think - - I - - can. I - - think - - I - - can.\" Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: \"I - - -think - - - I - - -can.\"\n\nIt was almost to the top.\n\n\"I - - - think\"\n\nIt was at the top.\n\n\"I - - - can.\"\n\nIt passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.\n\n'I - - think - - - I - - can - - I - - thought - - I - - -could I - - thought - - I - - could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.\"\n\nAnd singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.\n\nCharles S. Wing is the earliest credited author of this iconic story, which appeared in print in 1902 - predating the more widely known Watty Piper version by decades. His telling is notably spare and rhythmic, letting the engine's shifting cadence carry the full emotional weight of the climb.",
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"In a certain railroad yard there stood an extremely heavy train that had to be drawn up an unusually heavy grade before it could reach its destination. The superintendent of the yard was not sure what it was best for him to do, so he went up to a large, strong engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"It is a very heavy train,\" responded the engine.",
"He then went to another great engine and asked: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"It is a very heavy grade,\" it replied.",
"The superintendent was much puzzled, but he turned to still another engine that was spick and span new, and he asked it: \"Can you pull that train over the hill?\"",
"\"I think I can,\" responded the engine.",
"So the order was circulated, and the engine was started back so that it might be coupled with the train, and as it went along the rails it kept repeating to itself: \"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.\"",
"The coupling was made and the engine began its journey, and all along the level, as it rolled toward the ascent, it kept repeating to itself: \"I - think - I can. I - think - I - can. I - think - I - can.\"",
"Then it reached the grade, but its voice could still be heard: \"I think I can. I - - think - - I - - can. I - - think - - I - - can.\" Higher and higher it climbed, and its voice grew fainter and its words came slower: \"I - - -think - - - I - - -can.\"",
"It was almost to the top.",
"\"I - - - think\"",
"It was at the top.",
"\"I - - - can.\"",
"It passed over the top of the hill and began crawling down the opposite slope.",
"'I - - think - - - I - - can - - I - - thought - - I - - -could I - - thought - - I - - could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.\"",
"And singing its triumph, it rushed on down toward the valley.",
"Charles S. Wing is the earliest credited author of this iconic story, which appeared in print in 1902 - predating the more widely known Watty Piper version by decades. His telling is notably spare and rhythmic, letting the engine's shifting cadence carry the full emotional weight of the climb."
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