“I’m the headlight shining bright
Like a sunbeam through the night.”
Now when the engine saw the great golden path of brightness streaming out ahead of him, he said eagerly:
“Now I have water,
Now I have coal,
Now I am oiled,
Now I have sand,
Now I make light,
Now do I know
How I should go?”
And the engineer said, “We will see if you are ready, my new engine.” So he climbed into the cab and the fireman got in behind him. Then he said, “Engine, can you blow your whistle so?” And he pulled a handle which let the steam into the whistle and the engine whistled (who wants to be the whistle?) “Toot, toot, toot.” Then he said, “Can you puff smoke and stuff?” And the engine puffed black smoke (who wants to be the smoke?), saying, “Puff, puff, puff, puff, puff.” Then he said, “Engine, can you squirt a stream of steam?” And he opened a valve (who wants to be the steam?) and the engine went, “Szszszszsz.” Then he said, “Engine, can you sprinkle sand?” And he pulled a little handle (who wants to be the sand?) and the sand trickled drip, drip, drip, down on the tracks in front of the engine’s wheels. Then he said, “Engine, does your light shine out bright?” And he looked (who wants to be the headlight?) and there was a great golden flood of light on the track in front of him. Then he said, “Engine, can you make the sound of your wheels going round?” And he pulled another lever and the great wheels began to move (who wants to be the wheels?) Then the engineer said:
“Now is the time,
Now is the time.
Steady, steady,
Now you are ready.
Blow whistle, ring bell, puff smoke, hiss steam, sprinkle sand, shine light, turn wheels!
’Tis time to be ringing and singing the song,
The humming song of the engine coming,
The clear, near song of the engine here,
The knowing song of the engine going.”
Then whistle blew, bell rang, smoke puffed, steam hissed, sand sprinkled, light shone and wheels turned like this: (Eventually the children can do this together, each performing his chosen part.)
“Toot-toot, ding-a-ding, puff-puff,
Szszszszsz, drip-drip, chug-chug.”