John Henry - American

Look! The sun is warm and the mountain air smells like pine trees. This is a story about a man named John Henry. John Henry was a very strong man, and everyone says he was the strongest steel-driving man there ever was. He loved the sound his big hammer made when it hit the steel. Clang, clang, clang! His hammer rang like a big bell. He was a railroad worker, and his job was to make a path for the train right through a big, rocky mountain. This is the story of John Henry.

One day, a man brought a new machine to the mountain. It was a steam drill that went hiss and chugga-chugga! The man said the machine could drill faster than any person. But John Henry knew his arms were strong and his heart was brave. So they had a race! The steam drill started with a loud roar, chugga-chugga-hiss! John Henry swung his shiny hammer and sang a song. Wham! Bam! The rocks went crumble, crumble, as he worked faster and faster.

A Hero's Heart
John Henry hammered so fast and so hard that he beat that noisy machine! Hooray! Everyone cheered because a person’s strong heart had won the race. John Henry was very tired from all his hard work. He laid his hammer down to take a long, peaceful rest. People told his story in songs, remembering that a brave and determined heart can do amazing things. And when people hear a train whistle, they still remember to always try their best, just like John Henry did.