The Little Engine that Could

這經典的兒童故事是1930年由Platt & Munk出版的．但事實上這故事流傳以久，早於1906年的一份星期日兒童校報便曾刊登過類似的故事，作者不詳．那天朋友說某大保險公司（三個英文字母的那間）曾以此概念作了一個電視廣告，可惜沒有在港廣播．此外，不少談及「正面思維」或「動機」的培訓課程都拿這故事的圖畫或動畫版本作開場白．

有趣的是，小火車頭的性別曾引起爭議，有人質疑為何軟弱細小的小火車頭是女的，負重物的大火車頭卻是男的？也有人說負責任的總是女性，真好．

我只覺得男女無關重要，小小火車頭有點羞怯地說: “I think I can.”時很可愛．有些版本好像還注明貨物是運給山上小朋友的禮物，很溫馨的！

版權關係，不敢放Platt & Munk出版的故事版本，但各大書局有售．這是1906的Thinking One Can（這裡是用it的，沒有男女之分）：


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 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 is 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."