Percy's New Friends

It was a busy day on the island of Sodor. All the engines huffed and puffed busily. Except Percy. Percy wasn't busy at all, so he puffed perkily to Brendam Docks. Percy wheeshed and whooshed with a whistle and a whoop.

(Toot)

(Toot!)

N

Narrator: He was very happy to see all his friends.

Percy: “Hello, Emily. Would you like to play with me?”

Emily: “Hello, Percy. I'm far too busy to play. I have these crates to deliver.”

(Toot!)

Narrator: So Percy puffed on. He saw Salty. Percy whistle and whooshed loudly.

Percy: “Hello, Salty. Would you like to play with me?”

Salty: “Hello, Percy. I'm sorry. I have to shunt these cars. Huh! Busy day, busy day.”

Narrator: Percy chuffed on. Then he saw his best friend, Thomas. Percy wheeshed and whooshed. He hooted and tooted.

(Tooting)

Percy: “Hello, my best friend, Thomas. Can you play with me?”

Thomas: “I'm sorry, Percy. I have to take these tools to the Quarry. I must huff and puff.”

Narrator: Percy peeped sadly. All his friends had chuffed away, busy. Then Percy saw Cranky the Crane.

Percy: “Hello, Cranky. I haven't any friends to play with.”

Narrator: Then Percy saw a seagull fly down. It perched on Cranky’s Crane arm. The seagull squawked. Cranky creaked a smile.

Percy: “Who's that, Cranky?”

Cranky: “This is my friend, Seagull.”

Narrator: Suddenly, Percy peeped and puffed.

(Toot!)

Narrator: An idea had popped into his pistons.

Percy: “I can make friends with animals too. Then I will have lots of friends to play with.”

Narrator: Cranky cranked crankily.

Cranky: “Do you know how to make friends with animals?”

Percy: “Of course I do, Cranky, the same way I always make friends. I wheesh and I whoosh; I hoot and I toot as loudly as I possibly can.”

Narrator: So with a wheesh and a whoosh, a hoot and a toot,

(Percy toots)

Narrator: Percy puffed off loudly to make some new friends. Cranky was cross.

Cranky: “Not so loud, Percy. You scared Seagull.”

Narrator: But Percy didn't hear. He had already huffed happily away. Percy puffed into the woods. He saw a rabbit. With a wheesh and a whoosh and a hoot and a toot,

(Percy toots)

Narrator: Percy steamed towards the rabbit.

Percy: “Hello, Mr. Rabbit. Will you be my friend?”

(Toot-toot!)

Narrator: The rabbit hopped and popped into the woods.

(Toot!)

Narrator: Percy was puzzled.

Percy: “Perhaps Mr. Rabbit didn't hear me. Next time, I must be even louder.”

Narrator: So Percy puffed on through the woods. Then Percy saw two squirrels. With a wheesh and a whoosh, a hoot and a toot,

(Percy toots)

Narrator: Percy raced towards the squirrels.

Percy: “Hello, squirrels. Would you like to be friends with me?

(Toot!)

Narrator: The squirrels scurried and hurried up a tree. Percy was puzzled.

Percy: “The squirrels must be very busy. I shall have to find some other friends.”

Narrator: And Percy puffed on out of the woods. Then Percy saw a bird.

Percy: “I'm sure Mr. Bird would like to be my friend.”

Narrator: So with a wheesh and a whoosh, a hoot and a toot, Percy rattled and raced towards the bird.

(Tooting)

Percy: “Hello, Mr. Bird. I'm Percy. Would you like to be friends with me? Please?”

(Toot-toot-toot!)

Narrator: But with a squawk and a swoosh, the bird flew off down the track.

Percy: “Come back, Mr. Bird.”

(Toot-toot!)

Narrator: But the bird didn't come back. He flew off high over the sparkling sea.

Percy: “But I can't follow you over the sea, Mr. Bird.”

Narrator: Percy was sad.

Percy: “Mr. Bird doesn't want to be my friend. None of the animals want to be my friend.”

Narrator: Just then, the tracks trembled, and the air filled with a mighty roar.

(Rumbling)

Percy: “Bust my Buffers!”

(Tooot-tooot!)

Gordon: “Out of my way! Express coming through!”

Narrator: Percy rattled from funnel to footplate as Gordon thundered past. Percy opened his eyes. Thomas puffed up.

Thomas: “Hello, Percy. You look scared. What happened?”

Percy: “Gordon scared me.”

Thomas: “I'm sure Gordon didn't mean to, Percy.”

Percy: “I know, Thomas. Gordon is a big engine, and I'm little. Big noisy things can scare little quiet things.

Narrator: This made Percy think.

Percy: “The rabbit and the squirrels and the bird, they are much littler than me, and they are quiet.”

Narrator: Then an idea bubbled in Percy's boiler.

Percy: “I must go. Good-bye Thomas.”

Narrator: Percy puffed back the way he came. And there on the track, he saw Mr. Bird again. But this time, Percy gently applied his brakes. He chuffed as slowly and quietly as he could.

Percy: “Hello, Mr. Bird. I'm very sorry I was so loud earlier. I didn't want to scare you.”

Narrator: The bird looked at Percy. Then he flew up onto Percy's buffer.

Percy: “Do you want to go for a ride, little bird?”

(Bird Twitters)

Narrator: Percy and Mr. Bird puffed gently on. Next, Percy saw the pair of squirrels. He gently applied his brakes and chuffed as slowly and quietly as he could.

Percy: “Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Squirrel. I'm very sorry I was so loud earlier. I didn't want to scare you.”

(Squirrels chittering)

Narrator: The squirrels jumped up onto Percy's buffer.

Percy: “All aboard.”

Narrator: And Percy, the two squirrels, and Mr. Bird puffed quietly back through the woods. Then Percy saw the rabbit. He chuffed up very quietly.

Percy: “Hello, Mr. Rabbit. I'm very sorry I was so loud earlier.”

Narrator: The rabbit looked at Percy. Then he hopped up onto Percy's buffer. Next to Mr. And Mrs Squirrel.

Percy: “Hold tight, everyone.”

Narrator: And Percy, Mr. Rabbit, the two squirrels, and Mr. Bird puffed gently along the track. At tidmouth, all the other engines were back in their sheds.

Henry: “Where is Percy?! It's late.”

(Chug-Chug-Chug…)

Percy: “Quiet, everyone. Here I am.”

Narrator: The other engines were surprised.

Thomas: “Percy, who are all these animals?”

Narrator: Percy's firebox fizzled with pride.

Percy: “Everyone, meet my new friends.”