Barnaby was a little blue train. He loved his job! Every day, Barnaby chugged along the tracks, pulling cars filled with wonderful things. He carried shiny red apples to the market, fluffy white sheep to green pastures, and colorful building blocks to the toy shop.
Barnaby worked very hard. He puffed and he steamed, ‘Chugga chugga choo choo!’ all day long. He loved making everyone happy, delivering everything they needed. But as the sun began to set, Barnaby started to feel… tired.
He tried to keep going. ‘Chugga… chugga…,’ he wheezed. But his wheels felt heavy, and his whistle sounded sleepy. Old Man Tiber, the stationmaster, noticed Barnaby’s slow pace. He gently waved a red flag.
“Barnaby,” he called, “It’s time to rest. You’ve done a wonderful job today! Everyone is thankful for your help.” Barnaby felt a little sad. He wanted to *keep* helping! But Old Man Tiber smiled kindly.
“Even little trains need sleep, Barnaby. Resting helps you be strong and ready for another day of adventures.” He guided Barnaby to his cozy roundhouse, a special place just for trains to sleep.
Inside, Barnaby’s bed was made of soft straw. A friendly owl, Hoot, perched nearby. “Hoo-hoo,” Hoot said softly. “Rest now, little train. Dream of all the good things you delivered today.”
Barnaby closed his eyes. He thought about the happy faces of the people he helped. He realized Old Man Tiber was right. Resting *felt* good. It wasn’t being lazy; it was being kind to himself.
Soon, Barnaby was fast asleep, dreaming of chugging along sunny tracks. He knew that tomorrow, he would wake up refreshed and ready to say, ‘Chugga chugga choo choo!’ again. But for now, it was time to rest, and that was perfectly okay.