Henry and the Wishing Tree
It was summertime on the island of Sodor. Gordon pulled the passenger express. It was very busy. But Gordon loved the hustle and bustle.
Henry pulled trucks in the forest. He loved the peace and quiet but he didn't see many people. Sometimes working in the forest could be very lonely.
Later Henry pulled into Banford Station. He was delighted to see all the passengers. But Gordon was not delighted to see Henry. "Keep your smelly freight away from my passengers!" grumbled Gordon. "But it's only logs." chuffed Henry. "Passengers and freight do not mix." puffed Gordon, and he whooshed away.
Henry watched the express leave the station. "I'd like to pull passengers," sighed Henry "just for a change."
Henry stopped at the water tank at the edge of the forest. Children were standing by one of the trees. "What are those children doing?" Henry asked Thomas. "That's the old Sodor Wishing Tree." said Thomas. "They must be making a wish."
"A Wishing Tree," gasped Henry, "how wonderful!" Do you think it would make my wish come true?"
"It might." said Thomas, and he puffed away.
Henry rode up to the wishing tree. He took a deep breath and he made a wish as hard as he could. "I wish I could pull the express instead of Gordon." he said.
That evening, the Fat Controller came to see Henry. "Tomorrow you will pull the express" he said. "Thank you sir!" said Henry happily – his wish had come true!
The next morning Henry chuffed cheerfully into Banford Station. When his passengers were on board, Henry blew his whistle and pulled out of the station. But Henry puffed too quickly. "Go gently." called his driver. "You can bump freight but you can't bump passengers."
"Sorry!" said Henry.
Henry puffed proudly through the countryside. "Pulling passengers is a grand job!" he said.
Gordon was in the repair yard. He was being fitted with a new boiler. But Gordon felt lonely. He was missing his passengers. The passengers were missing Gordon too. They were having the bounciest, bumpiest ride they had ever had.
When Henry got back to the sheds, the Fat Controller was waiting for him. "There have been complaints." he said sternly. "Passengers are not like logs, you must be gentle."
"Yes sir." said Henry sadly. Being gentle was very difficult. Then Henry saw Gordon. He was looking miserable. "My wish has made Gordon go to the repair yard!" gasped Henry. This made Henry feel very bad.
The next day Henry had to collect the buffet car. He tried his best to be gentle, but he shunted the buffet car so hard everything flew into the air. There were more complaints than ever. Henry didn't want to pull passengers any more. He wanted to wish everything back to normal.
But when he arrived at the forest, he couldn't remember which tree was the wishing tree.
"Oh no!" cried Henry. "Which one could it be?" Henry didn't know so he decided to wish on all the trees. "I wish I could pull freight again!" he puffed. Then he moved to the next tree, and he wished again. "I wish I could pull freight again!"
The Fat Controller arrived on board Thomas. "What are you doing Henry?" asked the Fat Controller. "You are causing confusion and delay."
Henry told him all about the Wishing Tree. "Wishing trees don't run railways" said the Fat Controller. "That's my job. Gordon just needed some repairs. He'll be back tomorrow."
Henry was delighted.
The next day Gordon came back to work. He looked as good as new. The passengers were so pleased to see him they cheered, and cheered, and cheered. Gordon beamed happily for the rest of the day.
Henry was happy to be back in the peace and quiet of the forest. At the end of the day he stopped near the wishing tree and even though the Fat Controller had told him trees don't run railways, Henry wished he would never have to pull passengers ever, ever again, just in case.
