The Little Engine That Could

The story originated and evolved in the early 20th century, but became widely known in the United States after publication in 1930 by Platt & Munk.

[2] A brief version of the tale appeared under the title "Thinking One Can" in 1906, in Wellspring for Young People, a Sunday school publication.

[2] This version began: "Once there was a Train-of-Cars; she was flying across the country with a load of Christmas toys for the children who lived on the other side of the mountain".

[3] The title page stated: "Retold by Watty Piper from The Pony Engine by Mabel C. Bragg's copyrighted by George H. Doran and Co."[2] Munk used the name Watty Piper as both an author of children's books and as the editor of many of the books that Platt & Munk published.

In 1954, Platt & Munk published another version of The Little Engine That Could with slightly revised language and new, more colorful illustrations by George and Doris Hauman.

[5] Although there had been many previous editions of this classic story, "it was the work of George and Doris Hauman that earned The Little Engine the title of being worthy to sit on the same shelf as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

"[5] A 1976 reworking that featured art by Ruth Sanderson received a lot of attention at the time of its release, in part because it prompted a discussion of gender stereotypes.

Larger locomotives, treated anthropomorphically, are asked to pull the train; for various reasons, they refuse because they think they are too important.

Despite the steep climb and heavy load, the engine slowly succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain while repeating the motto: "I think I can".

An early version goes as follows:[citation needed] 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.

Later versions would revamp the story to have a more specific appeal for children – the stranded train is recast as a tank engine pulling good food and anthropomorphic toys for the children across the mountain, thus in saving the train the little engine seems to be working for the benefit of the child reader, making the successful deed all the more triumphant.

In these versions, another character appeared and remained a key part of the story hereafter – the clown ringleader of the toys who attempts to find help with several locomotives but is rebuffed.

In March 2011, the story was adapted as a 3-D film named The Little Engine That Could, produced by Universal Studios and featuring the voices of Whoopi Goldberg, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alyson Stoner, and Corbin Bleu.

[7] Burl Ives recorded the story told as a song "The Little Engine That Could" written by Gerald Marks and Milton Pascal with an orchestra directed by Percy Faith.