"Once, a long time ago, there were three little engines, who lived in their own little shed, on their own little railway. Of the three of them, Duke was the oldest and wisest, and he liked to keep the little engines in order. Duke also helped new engines and taught them what to do. Many engines came and went on the little railway, but Duke outlasted them all. One day, a big gray tank engine had arrived. Duke had told him to take some trucks to the slate mines. \u201CDon't be late,\u201D Duke had warned him, \u201CThat would never suit His Grace!\u201D The engine just laughed, and puffed away with his trucks. After his hard work, he had stopped in a siding to rest. Next to him was a big shed. He could just barely see a green boiler and a long funnel. \u201CIt must be an engine,\u201D he thought to himself. \u201CHullo!\u201D he called to the shed, \u201CIs there anybody in there?\u201D \u201CAre you one of the new engines?\u201D came a voice. \u201CI might be,\u201D the engine said suspiciously, \u201CMy name is Fredrick.\u201D \u201CMy name's Smudger. I used to work on this railway too.\u201D \u201CWhat happened?\u201D asked Fredrick. \u201CI came here several years ago,\u201D said Smudger, \u201Cbut I wasn't used to the line, and I had a bad attitude. On my first day, Duke warned me that this railway puts up with no nonsense, and that I needed to be on my best behavior. \u201C'I'll be fine!,' I insisted, 'I can handle myself!' But that was easier said than done, as I soon found out. I often rode too roughly down the line, and often derailed. Duke got really tired of me constantly coming off. \u201COne day, I myself had finally got tired of his nagging. \u201CListen, Dukie,' I said to him, 'Who worries about a few spills?' \u201C'We do here,' he said, but I just laughed.\u201D \u201CWhy did you laugh?\u201D asked Fredrick. \u201CI don't remember anymore,\u201D Smudger said sadly, \u201CI must have found it funny, or else I laughed to hide my own shame.\u201D Smudger coughed, and then he continued. \u201CThen one day, manager took away my wheels, and told me he was going to make me 'useful at last'.\u201D \u201CSo what do you do now?\u201D \u201CHe made me into a pumping engine, to pump water out of a mine for some town. Then I broke down, and I was moved here behind the shed. Driver says all I need is a good pair of wheels, and I'll be running as good as new.\u201D Smudger sighed sadly. \u201CIt would be so nice,\u201D he said thoughtfully, \u201Cif I could go out and see the world again.\u201D \u201CWell,\u201D Fredrick said with a grin, \u201Cif it's freedom you want, you should leave as quickly as possible.\u201D \u201CWhy is that?\u201D asked Smudger. \u201CThis railway's on the verge of closing,\u201D said Fredrick, \u201CMines and routes are slowly going away. I'd say in a good year or two, the engines will be up for sale.\u201D Smudger gulped. \u201CThen what should I do?\u201D he asked. \u201CThere's an important man coming to visit tomorrow,\u201D said Fredrick, \u201Crepresenting a far-away railway. He's looking for engines ready to work as soon as possible.\u201D \u201CHow far away?\u201D asked Smudger. \u201CFar enough that you won't see me again!\u201D laughed Fredrick, \u201COn the other side of the world, it seems! Driver says that tomorrow's his last day on Sodor, so if you want to get a new home, you'd better make sure to grab his attention.\u201D \u201CI'll try,\u201D said Smudger, growing excited, \u201CThank you, Fredrick.\u201D \u201CPlease,\u201D replied Fredrick, \u201CMy friends call me Freddie.\u201D And with that, Freddie chuffed off back to work."@en . "Once, a long time ago, there were three little engines, who lived in their own little shed, on their own little railway. Of the three of them, Duke was the oldest and wisest, and he liked to keep the little engines in order. Duke also helped new engines and taught them what to do. Many engines came and went on the little railway, but Duke outlasted them all. One day, a big gray tank engine had arrived. Duke had told him to take some trucks to the slate mines. \u201CDon't be late,\u201D Duke had warned him, \u201CThat would never suit His Grace!\u201D The engine just laughed, and puffed away with his trucks."@en . . . "Smudger the Free Engine"@en .