Once upon a time there lived a small, curious little engine named Choo-choo. During the day he worked hard — carrying people from station to station, and in the evenings he would set off on magical journeys along unexplored routes.
Choo-choo loved to speed up and with all his might say: "Toot-toot", and then listen as the echo from his whistle scattered in all directions.
One day the little engine set off to an unusual land — the land of dreams. The route there was quite far. After finishing work, Choo-choo left the station and began his difficult journey. The first stop on his way was a thick green forest.
Choo-choo raced along the rails, getting further and further away from the noisy city, and soon he saw tall trees with wide trunks and spreading branches before him. The engine rushed past firs, pines and birches, and it seemed to him as if as soon as he passed, the trees closed their branches behind him. The night forest was lit only by stars from the sky and seemed mysterious and beautiful.
Choo-choo heard the leaves rustling in the trees, and they seemed to be talking to each other. He even caught fragments of their conversations, he clearly heard the trees greeting him: "Good night", they said. Finally, in the middle of the dark forest, the little engine found a station. Standing on it was a small grey rabbit with long ears. When the engine stopped, he asked the rabbit:
What are you doing here at such a late hour?
I can't fall asleep, so I decided to go to the land of dreams to find my own dream there, — said the rabbit and rubbed his eyes with his fluffy paws.
I'm heading there right now, hop in, I'll give you a lift, — the engine was pleased to have an unexpected passenger.
The rabbit got into the carriage and began looking out the window. The engine swayed on the rails: Choo-choo, choo-choo. And listening to the sound of the wheels, the rabbit fell asleep without noticing, leaning against the glass.
The next stop on the way to the land of Dreams was near a large lake. The engine raced along the rails and from far away could already see how the water gleamed in the light of the stars. Choo-choo loved to look at water, his favourite moment on all journeys was crossing over water on a bridge. He always looked down and admired his reflection in the water's surface.
The lake that the little engine saw from afar was truly enormous. The dense forest was reflected in it, and the night water was so calm and still that it seemed as if a huge mirror had appeared in his path.
Arriving at the station, the engine looked around. No one was to be seen, and he was about to move on, but something told him that someone should be at this stop. And he was right, as soon as he looked at the shore of the lake, he saw a grey mouse. She was throwing pebbles into the water and looked very upset. The engine spoke to her:
Hello, mouse, what's wrong? Why aren't you sleeping?
I can't fall asleep. My dream has gone somewhere and I can't find it anywhere. So I'm just sitting here waiting for morning to come, — said the mouse in a tired voice.
I know how to help you, get in the carriage, and I'll take you to the land of dreams, the rabbit said that you can find any dream there, and yours is probably there too! I'm heading to that land right now and I'll be happy to give you a lift.
The mouse got into the carriage and the engine went on. "Choo-choo, choo-choo" — his wheels clattered. The mouse looked out the window, and didn't notice how she fell asleep as the engine swayed from side to side.
The last stop for the engine on the way to the land of dreams was a large flower field. As soon as Choo-choo passed the lake, he began to notice here and there on his path small and large colourful flowers. They grew almost everywhere — near the railway on which the engine travelled, along the forest, and it seemed to him as if even the little stars in the sky had become like bright yellow flowers.
At first there weren't very many flowers, but the further Choo-choo raced along the rails, the more there were. Red, yellow, blue — flowers of all different shades met him on his way. Finally he came to a large flower meadow, it seemed as if some careless artist had spilled all the paints, and they had mixed together, creating a scattering of unusual flowers. The entire field was covered with flowers and even on the horizon they didn't end.
The station was in the very centre of the meadow. Choo-choo approached it, breathing in the scents of the flowers. He stopped and as soon as the carriage doors opened, the engine heard buzzing. A small black and yellow bee was waiting for him at the station. She spoke to him herself:
Hello, where are you headed? — buzzed the bee.
I'm going to the land of dreams, — answered Choo-choo.
Take me with you, please, I've always dreamed of going there, — she asked.
Shouldn't you be sleeping? — the engine asked.
It's been time for a while now, but I just can't fall asleep, — complained the bee.
Then get in with me, I'll be happy to take you.
The bee got into the last free carriage and the train went on. She looked out the window for a long time at the flower field that rushed past. The bee remembered how during the day she had fluttered over every flower, collecting pollen. And the engine raced on and on: "Choo-choo, choo-choo", it swayed. The bee fell sweetly asleep without noticing, settling by the window.
Choo-choo travelled along the railway for a long time until he saw a large red signpost. On it was written: "Land of Dreams".
"Hurray, I've finally arrived, I need to quickly tell the passengers that they'll soon be able to find their dreams!" — he thought happily.
But soon the little engine realised that the rabbit, mouse and bee had fallen asleep long ago on the journey.
Don't wake them, dear engine, — Choo-choo heard a voice beside him.
Choo-choo looked around and saw a small elderly man. He looked like a real gnome with a long grey beard.
Oh, hello, I didn't know anyone was here.
My name is Snoozy, I'm a dream gnome. I live in this land and make sure that everyone gets their dream on time.
And I'm the engine Choo-choo, I've brought three passengers, they lost their dreams and wanted to find them here.
As you can see, their dreams are here. Right now each of them is seeing their own dream.
So does that mean all this journey through the Forest, the mirror lake and the flower meadow, I did for nothing?
Why would you say that? You helped me greatly, it was thanks to you that these little animals were able to fall asleep. As a thank you for your help, I want to give you a special dream.
The wizard gnome clicked his fingers, and the engine found himself at home. There were no more passengers in him, and the magical land of dreams was far, far away. That night Choo-choo slept especially sweetly, he dreamed of what he loved most in the world.
He saw himself speeding up and shouting: "Toot-toot" and as if by magic the echo answered him: "Toot-toot-toot-toot", and the wheels clattered and clattered, clattered and clattered, carrying him away into the distance. Choo-choo-choo-choo.
