John Henry - American

The air in the mountain tunnel was always thick with dust and the ringing sound of hammers on steel, but it was a good sound to me. My name is Silas, and long ago, I was a railroad man, helping to carve a path for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway right through the heart of a mountain in West Virginia. It was hard, sweaty work, but we were a team, and the strongest and kindest man among us was John Henry. He wasn't just big; his heart was big, too. When he swung his 14-pound hammers, one in each hand, the mountain seemed to tremble, and when he sang, his voice boomed through the tunnels and gave us all strength. We were proud of our work, chipping away at that solid rock, inch by inch. But one day, a salesman came to our camp with a strange, new contraption on a wagon. It hissed and chugged and spat out steam, and the man claimed this steam-powered drill could do the work of a dozen men, faster and cheaper. A cold quiet fell over us workers as we looked at the machine. We worried it would take our jobs, the only way we had to feed our families. That’s when our friend John Henry stepped forward, his hammers resting on his broad shoulders. This is the story of how he made a stand for all of us; this is the legend of John Henry.

The railroad boss, eager to finish the tunnel faster, was mighty interested in that steam drill. The salesman bragged, 'This machine can drill fifteen feet in a day! No man can beat it!' But John Henry, calm as a summer morning, looked the boss in the eye and said, 'Before I let that drill beat me down, I'll die with my hammer in my hand.' And so, a challenge was set. It would be John Henry against the steam drill, a race to see who could drill the deepest hole into the mountain rock from sunup to sundown. The next morning, on a cool September 3rd, the whole camp gathered at the mouth of the Big Bend Tunnel. The air was buzzing with excitement and worry. On one side, the steam drill was set up, hissing and clanking as two men operated its levers. On the other side stood John Henry, stripped to the waist, his powerful muscles shining in the early light. He held a heavy steel drill in one hand and his mighty hammer in the other. His shaker, a young boy named Phil, stood ready to turn the drill and clear the dust. The whistle blew, and the race began! The steam drill roared to life with a deafening racket, grinding into the rock. But John Henry began to swing. WHAM! His hammer hit the steel. WHAM! He swung again, finding a rhythm that was like a powerful song. WHAM! WHAM! All day long, he never stopped. The sun beat down, and sweat poured from him, but his arms were a blur of motion. We all cheered for him, singing along with the rhythm of his hammer, our voices echoing off the mountain. He was more than just a man; he was the spirit of every worker there, proving that heart and determination were the most powerful things in the world.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the valley, the foreman called the contest to a halt. The steam drill hissed to a stop, its metal hot and smoking. John Henry lowered his hammer, his chest heaving, but a proud smile was on his face. The foreman brought out his measuring line. He measured the steam drill's hole first: nine feet. A respectable depth. Then, he walked over to where John Henry had worked. The crowd held its breath. He lowered the line into the hole, and then again. 'Fourteen feet!' he shouted. A huge cheer erupted from the workers! John Henry had won! He had beaten the machine. He had saved our jobs and shown everyone the strength of a human being. But he had put every last bit of his mighty heart and soul into that race. After the cheering quieted, he laid down his hammers, and his great heart, having done its powerful work, grew tired and still. We were sad to lose our friend, but we were also filled with pride. The story of John Henry's victory was told by railroad workers from one end of the country to the other. It was turned into songs and poems, passed down through generations. His tale isn't just about a race; it's a reminder that no matter what challenges we face, our own strength, courage, and spirit can make a difference. The legend of John Henry still inspires people today to work hard, stand up for what's right, and remember the incredible power that lies within the human heart.