Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Stories Podcast – "The Little Engine That Could"

Host: Amanda Weldon
Episode Date: April 4, 2026

Episode Overview

In this retelling of the beloved children’s classic The Little Engine That Could, Amanda Weldon takes listeners on a journey of perseverance, kindness, and the power of believing in yourself. The episode presents a gentle adaptation for young audiences, highlighting empathy and determination—reminding families that even the smallest among us can accomplish big things.

Key Story Discussion & Insights

1. Setting the Scene

Timestamp: 04:27 – 05:20

The story opens in a cheerful, busy land where a “happy little train” is chugging over tracks, carrying toys and treats for the children living beyond the mountain.
The train is loaded with a joyful assortment: “toy animals, giraffes with long necks, teddy bears with almost no necks at all, and even a baby elephant…big golden oranges, red cheeked apples, crispy chicken, savory stew and big bags of candy and melty bars of chocolate for after meal treats.”

2. Trouble on the Tracks

Timestamp: 05:21 – 06:30

The terrain becomes too steep and the little train’s engine fails: “She simply could not go another inch. She tried and she tried, but her wheels would not turn. Her engine had broken down.”
The toys aboard grow worried about disappointing the awaiting children.

3. Seeking Help from Other Engines

Timestamp: 06:31 – 10:45

The Shiny New Passenger Engine:
- The plushy dog suggests asking for help. Toys plea for assistance, but the fancy engine refuses with disdain:
  - “I carry the likes of you. Indeed not.” (06:59, Passenger Engine)
- He prioritizes his important passengers over helping the stranded train.
The Big Strong Freight Engine:
- Again, the toys ask for help, but the freight engine scoffs:
  - “I am a very important engine indeed. I won’t carry the likes of you.” (08:23, Freight Engine)
The Rusty Old Engine:
- The toys’ hopes rest on an old, weary engine, but he’s too tired to help:
  - “I cannot, I cannot, I cannot.” (09:36, Rusty Engine)

Each refusal is met with growing sadness and anxiety among the dolls, toys, and plushy dog.

4. The Little Blue Engine’s Arrival

Timestamp: 11:46 – 13:30

After several failures, an unassuming little blue engine is flagged down. She’s small, used only for yard work, and has never climbed the mountain.
- “Well, I’m not very big… They only use me for switching in the yard. I have never been over the mountain.” (12:11, Little Blue Engine)
Moved by the toys and the tears of the dolls, she decides to try.

5. The Power of Self-Belief and Persistence

Timestamp: 13:31 – 15:45

The little blue engine repeats her hopeful chant as she takes on the climb:
- “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…” (13:46 onwards, Little Blue Engine)
The mountain is steep; her progress is slow and perilous. At moments, it seems she might fail and roll backwards.
- “The track went even steeper now. Higher and higher and higher, winding, winding, winding. And the wind howled and the air was cold and bright. And for a moment it seemed they would roll backwards.” (14:40)
But she perseveres, ultimately making it to the top:
- “Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster… until at last they reached the top of the mountain.” (15:18)

6. Triumphant Finish and Lasting Lesson

Timestamp: 15:46 – 16:40

The toys and plushy dog celebrate the little engine’s achievement:
- “Hooray, hooray!… The good little kids in the city will be happy because you helped us, kind little blue engine.” (15:40, Plushy Dog and Toys)
The little blue engine, descending the mountain, smiles as she says to herself:
- “I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could.” (16:12, Little Blue Engine)
Amanda Weldon closes by inviting listeners to reflect:
- “Can you think of a time when you thought you couldn’t do something? But you kept trying and then you did it? How did it feel? Talk to your grown ups about it.” (16:38, Amanda Weldon)

Notable Quotes

On Perseverance:
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
– Little Blue Engine, recurring from 13:46 through 15:18
On Kindness and Empathy:
“The very little engine looked up and saw the tears in the doll’s eyes. And she thought of the good little kids on the other side of the mountain who would have no toys and no good food unless she helped.”
– Narration, 12:22
Reflection Prompt:
“Can you think of a time when you thought you couldn’t do something? But you kept trying and then you did it? How did it feel? Talk to your grown ups about it.”
– Amanda Weldon, 16:38

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

05:21: The moment the engine breaks, setting the story’s conflict in motion.
06:59: First major refusal (“I carry the likes of you. Indeed not.”)
09:36: The old engine’s heartfelt, repeated “I cannot.”
13:46–15:18: The little blue engine’s determined chant up the mountain.
15:40: Celebration as the little train crests the mountain and delivers joy to the town.

Final Takeaway

Amanda Weldon’s performance captures the magic of a timeless tale—reinforcing for both kids and adults that genuine effort and kind intentions can achieve even the tallest of mountains. The episode closes with an open invitation for family conversation, keeping the spirit of the story alive long after the engine’s final “I thought I could.”

For further stories or to support the podcast, visit storiespodcast.com or follow on social media @storiespodcast.

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[00:01]
A
Hello. Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called the Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper, Adapted for audio by Daniel Hines. We have Stories Podcast merch, available@storiespodcast.com shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast if you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now here's a word from our sponsors as schedules fill up with activities, travel and spring events, it can be challenging to make learning consistent. IXL makes it simple to stay on track with focused, flexible practice that fits your routine. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. IXL personalizes learning for each child, keeps them engaged, and gives parents clear insight into progress. IXL's interactive practice and clear explanations make it easy to reinforce learning as you prepare for end of year assessments or milestones. Everything is organized by grade and subject so you can quickly find what each child needs without juggling multiple resources. Over 15 million students use IXL. More than 75 research studies show it delivers real results and and it's been proven to improve achievement in all 50 states, giving homeschool families added confidence. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and Stories podcast listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today. Www.ixl.com dragon to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Thanks Enjoy the episode the Little engine that could Once upon a time in a happy little land not too far away. Chug chug chug. Puff puff puff. Ding dong ding dong. The little train rumbled over the tracks. She was a happy little train because she had such a happy load to carry. Her cars were filled with good things for the kids over the mountain. There were toy animals, giraffes with long necks, teddy bears with almost no necks at all, and even a baby elephant. Then there were dolls. Dolls with blue eyes and yellow curls, dolls with brown eyes and brown bobbed heads, and a great big plushy dog with long golden fur. And there were cars full of toy trains, airplanes, soccer balls, baseball gloves, puzzles, books, and every kind of thing a kid could want. But that was not all. Some of the cars were filled with all sorts of good things for kids to eat. Big golden oranges, red cheeked apples, crispy chicken, savory stew and big bags of candy and melty bars of chocolate for after meal treats. The little train was carrying all these good things to the good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain. It was a great big mountain and some parts of the track were so steep it was like rock climbing. But the little train didn't mind. She puffed along happily. Then all of a sudden it got steeper and steeper and she stopped with a jerk. She simply could not go another inch. She tried and she tried, but her wheels would not turn. Her engine had broken down. What were all those good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain going to do without the happy toys to play with and the wholesome food to eat? My engine is broken down. Said the little train. We'll need a new engine to pull us over the mountain. Here comes a shiny new train engine. Said the plushy dog who had jumped out of the train to look, his fuzzy tail wagging. Let's ask him to help us. So all the dolls and toys cried out together, Please, shiny new engine, do carry our train over the mountain. Our engine has broken down and all the kids on the other side will have no toys to play with and no good food to eat unless you help us. But the shiny new engine snorted, I pull you. I am a passenger engine. I have just carried a fine big train over the mountain with more cars than you ever dreamed of. My train had sleeping cars with comfortable berths, a dining car where waiters bring whatever hungry people want to eat, and parlor cars in which people sit in soft armchairs and look out the big plate glass windows. I carry the likes of you. Indeed not. And off he steamed to the roundhouse where the engines live when they are not busy. How sad. The little train. All the dolls and all the toys felt to be ignored and insulted when they were only doing their best. Then the plushie dog called out, the passenger engine is not the only one in the world. Here is another one coming. A fine big strong one. Let's ask him to help us. The plushy dog waved his flag and the big strong engine came to a stop. Please, oh please, Big engine cried. All the dolls and toys together do pull our train over the mountain. Our engine has broken down and the kids on the other side will have no toys to play with and no good food to eat unless you help us. But the big strong engine bellowed, I am a freight engine. I have just pulled a big train loaded with costly machines over the mountain. These machines print books and newspapers for grown ups to read. I am a very important engine indeed. I won't carry the likes of you. And the freight engine puffed off indignantly to the roundhouse. How sad the little train. All the dolls and all the toys felt to be ignored and insulted when they were only doing their best. Cheer up. Cried the plushie dog. The freight engine is not the only one in the world. Here comes another. He looks very old and tired. But our train is so small. Perhaps he can help us. So the plushy dog waved his flag and the dingy rusty old engine stopped. Please, kind engine, cried all the dolls and toys together, do pull our train over the mountain. Our engine has broken down, and the kids on the other side will have no toys to play with and no wholesome food to eat unless you help us. But the rusty old engine sighed, I am so tired I must rest my weary wheels. I cannot pull even so little a train as yours over the mountain. I cannot, I cannot, I cannot. And off he rumbled to the roundhouse, chugging, I cannot, I cannot, I cannot. Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad free. Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts. Then indeed the little train was very, very sad, and the dolls and toys were ready to cry. But the plushie dog called out, here is another engine coming. A little blue engine, a very little one. But perhaps she will help us. The very little engine came Chug, chugging merrily along. When she saw the toy dog's flag, she stopped quickly. What is the matter, my friends? She asked kindly. Ho, little blue engine. Cried the dolls and toys. Will you pull us over the mountain? Our engine has broken down. And the good kids on the other side will have no toys to play with and no wholesome food to eat unless you help us. Please, please help us, little blue engine. Well, I'm not very big, said the little blue engine. They only use me for switching in the yard. I have never been over the mountain. But we must get over the mountain before the children wake up, said all the dolls and the toys. The very little engine looked up and saw the tears in the doll's eyes. And she thought of the good little kids on the other side of the mountain who would have no toys and no good food unless she helped. Then she said, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And she hitched herself to the little train. She tugged and pulled and pulled and Tugged. And slowly, slowly, slowly, they started off. The plushie dog jumped aboard. And all the dolls and the toy animals began to smile and cheer. Puff, puff, chug, chug went the little blue engine. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. The mountain got steeper. The track tilted up and up and up. They started to slow down, but the little engine just kept on. Puff, puff, chug, chug went the little blue engine. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. The track went even steeper now. Higher and higher and higher, Winding, winding, winding. And the wind howled and the air was cold and bright. And for a moment it seemed they would roll backwards. But the little engine dug right in. Puff, puff, chug, chug went the little blue engine. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster and faster the little engine climbed, until at last they reached the top of the mountain. And there at the very peak, they paused. Down before them, spread across the valley, was the city, twinkling in all its lights. And with one final puff, puff, chug, chug. The little engine pulled the train over the peak and they sped down towards the city on the other side. Hooray. Hooray. Cried the plushie dog and all the dolls and toys. The good little kids in the city will be happy because you helped us, kind little blue engine. And the little blue engine smiled and seemed to say as she puffed steadily down the mountain, I thought I could, I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could. The end that was the Little Engine that Could. Can you think of a time when you thought you couldn't do something? But you kept trying and then you did it? How did it feel? Talk to your grown ups about it. Today's story, the Little Engine that Could was written for your by Waddy Piper and adapted for audio by Daniel Hines. It was edited and produced for you by Ellie Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch available@storiespodcast.com Shop Commission a special video on Cameo Follow us on Instagram oriespodcast or simply tell your friends about us. Thanks for listening.