
The Little Engine That Could - vlad

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vlad
A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it
was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was
waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large
engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a
pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked
another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. At last in
desperation the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade
and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and
put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine
kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think
I can."

Then as it near the top of the grade, that had so discouraged the larger
engines, it went more slowly, but still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--
think--I--can." It reached the top by dint of brave effort and then went on
down the grade, congratulating itself, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

To think of hard things and say, "I can't" is sure to mean "Nothing done." To
refuse to be daunted and insist on saying, "I think I can," is to make sure of
being able to say triumphantly by and by, "I thought I could, I thought I
could."

