Once upon a time, there lived a small, curious little engine named Choo-choo. During the day, he worked hard—transporting 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 call out with all his might: "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. His first stop was a thick, green forest.
Choo-choo raced along the rails, moving 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 though the trees closed their branches behind him as he passed. 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 one another. He could even catch fragments of their conversation, and he clearly heard the trees greeting him: "Good night," they said. Finally, in the midst of the dark forest, the little engine discovered a station. Standing on it was a small grey young 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,—the rabbit replied, rubbing his fluffy paws over his eyes.
I'm heading there right now, hop in, I'll give you a lift,—the engine was pleased to have an unexpected travelling companion.
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 could already see from a distance how the water glistened in the light of the stars. Choo-choo loved to look at water; his favourite moment on all his 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 though 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 lake shore, 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 the matter? Why aren't you asleep?
I can't fall asleep. My dream has gone missing and I can't find it anywhere. So I'm just sitting here waiting for morning to come,—the mouse said 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 would be happy to give you a lift.
The mouse got into the carriage and the engine continued 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 along his path small and large, colourful flowers. They grew almost everywhere—near the railway track on which the engine travelled, along the forest, and it seemed to him as though 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 sorts of shades met him on his way. Finally, he came to a large flower meadow; it seemed as though some careless artist had spilled all the paints, and they had mixed together, creating a scatter 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 hardly had the carriage doors opened when the engine heard a buzzing sound. 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 asleep?—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 continued 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 flown over each 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 tell the passengers quickly 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 already 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 old 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 in time.
And I'm the engine Choo-choo, I've brought three passengers who 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 I made this whole journey through the Forest, the Mirror Lake, and the Flower Meadow for nothing?
Why would you say that? You've helped me greatly; it's thanks to you that these little creatures 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, dreaming of what he loved most in the world.
He saw himself speeding up and crying out: "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 far away. Choo-choo-choo-choo.
