Abstract
The tale of the little locomotive that takes on a task that other locomotives refuse and succeeds due to determination is one of the most popular children's stories of all time. The locomotive's earnest repetitions of “I think I can” when performing its goal, followed by a triumphant “I thought I could” when the goal is achieved, are familiar worldwide. The best known version of this story is The Little Engine that Could, first published in 1930, with the authorship attributed to Watty Piper (a pseudonym), and with credit given to Mabel C. Bragg for the 1916 version The Pony Engine. In the 1950s a fierce effort was made to instead give credit to Frances M. Ford, who wrote a version in 1912. In actuality, the roots of the story date at least to the beginning of the twentieth century. The first uses of the iconic phrases appear in 1902–1903 and a recognizable form of the story was published in 1906. The basic tale was in wide circulation before 1920, often used in the context of a sermon or a presentation to a trade group, rather than as a children's story. The identity of the original author remains unknown.
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