Inspired by Chris from the Vikings Cycling club, “The little Engine that could” and possibly the one of the greatest stages of the 2011 Tour de France, stage 19.
I present to you, Cadel, the little red engine.
A little red engine had a long train of riders to pull.
He went along very well till he came to a steep Col. But then, no matter how hard he tried, he could not drop the long train of riders.
He pulled and he pulled. He puffed and he puffed and started off again. Choo! Choo!
But no! none of riders would pull a turn up the Col.
At last he left the peloton and started up the Col alone. Do you think he had stopped working? No, indeed! But nobody would help.
“Surely I can find someone to help me,” he thought.
Over the Col and up the track went the little red engine. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo!
Pretty soon he saw a big Schleck engine standing on a side track. He looked very big and strong. Riding alongside, he looked up and said:
“Will you help me over the Col with my train of riders? It is so long and heavy I can’t get it over.”
The big Schleck engine looked down at the little red engine. Then he said:
“Don’t you see that I am through my day’s work? I will follow you until you catch the other Schleck engine. No, I won’t help you,”
The little red engine was sorry, but he went on, Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo!
Soon he came to a big yellow engine standing on a side track. He was puffing and puffing, as if he were tired.
“That big yellow engine may help me,” thought the little red engine. He rode alongside and asked:
“Will you help me bring my train of riders over the hill? It is so long and so heavy that I can’t get it over.”
The big yellow engine answered:
“I have just come in from a long, long run over the alps. Don’t you see how tired I am? Can’t you get some other engine to help you this time?
“I’ll try,” said the little red engine, and off he went. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo!
After a while he came to a engine just like himself named Burghardt. He rode alongside and said:
“Will you help me over the Col de Galibier with my train of riders? It is so long and so heavy that I can’t get it over.”
“Yes, indeed!” said this little engine. “I’ll be glad to help you, if I can.”
So the little red engines started back to where the train of riders had been standing. Both little red engines went to the head of the train, one behind the other.
Puff, puff! Chug, choo! Off they started!
Slowly the riders began to move. Slowly they climbed the steep Col. As they climbed, each little red engine began to sing:
“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 I think I can–”
And they did! Very soon they were over the Col de Galibier and going down the other side and in no time at all they had caught the other engines
Now they were on the plain again; and the little steam engine could pull the train himself. So he thanked the little Burghardt engine who had come to help him, and said good-by.
And he went merrily on his way, singing:
“I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I thought i could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could I thought I could –”
And on to Alpe d’Huez he steamed.
And for all Australians, tonight “yell for Cadel”
PS I know it is not factually correct, but it was surprising how well the story fitted by only substituting a few words.
