00:00Thomas and Friends, the monster under the
00:29shed, illustrated by Richard Courtney.
00:36It was a dark, blustery evening at the station.
00:39Sir Topham Hatt had closed the railway early on account of the weather.
00:44The engines were waiting for the signal to return to their sheds.
00:48Maybe one of us should tell a story to pass the time, Thomas suggested.
00:53The other engines looked pleased with Thomas' idea.
00:57I have the perfect story for tonight, James volunteered with a sly grin.
01:06A long time ago, James began, there was a brave blue engine who was always eager to
01:12help.
01:13Blue engine, the station master asked one night, would you go to the end of the tracks
01:19to pick up a coach that was left behind?
01:22Of course, the brave, eager engine replied, and he set out into the dark, foggy night.
01:29But by the time the little blue engine reached the end of the tracks, the fog was so thick
01:34he could hardly see anything.
01:36I'll just have to wait until morning, said the engine to himself, and he settled into
01:41an old shed for the night.
01:46Late that night, the little blue engine awoke to a noise coming from below the shed.
01:54He opened his eyes and saw long fingers reaching for him through the floorboards.
01:59There was a monster under the shed.
02:02Terrified, the little blue engine raced out of the shed with the horrible, engine-eating
02:07monster chasing him through the fog.
02:12Then what happened, Percy asked timidly.
02:17That's where the story ends, said James.
02:20No one ever heard from that little blue engine again.
02:23What about the monster, Percy whispered.
02:27Don't be silly, Percy, Gordon said with a chuckle.
02:30It's just a story.
02:35What if that story is true, Percy asked Thomas on their way to the sheds.
02:41What if the engine-eating monster is out there somewhere right now?
02:46Stop being such a scaredy-cat, Percy, Thomas answered.
02:50There are no such thing as monsters.
02:55Later that night, after they had settled in for bed, the engines were startled by a terrible
03:01racket coming from Percy's shed.
03:04Gordon, Thomas, help!
03:06There's a monster in my shed, wailed Percy.
03:09Suddenly, James appeared, roaring with laughter.
03:13He had been rattling some scrap metal behind the sheds to frighten Percy.
03:17I'm a monster, I'm a monster, James shouted.
03:22Percy was embarrassed for making such a fuss.
03:25It's okay, Percy, said Henry.
03:27Sometimes good imaginations think bad thoughts.
03:33Later that night, Thomas woke with a fright.
03:37He heard a strange noise.
03:40Stop it, James, Thomas yelled.
03:42But James was sound asleep.
03:46If it's not James, then maybe I really do have a monster under my shed, thought Thomas.
03:53And he stayed awake all night just to be safe.
03:59Thomas was awfully tired when he met Percy at the docks the next morning.
04:04Did you hear any other strange noises in your shed last night, Thomas asked.
04:09Not after James' silly prank, Percy replied.
04:13Now Thomas felt silly himself for staying awake all night.
04:20By the middle of the day, Thomas was very sleepy and running far behind schedule.
04:26Henry pulled up beside him.
04:28You look as if you could use some special coal, said Henry.
04:32Oh, I'm just a little tired, Thomas answered.
04:35He didn't want anyone to know that he'd been too frightened to sleep.
04:40Just then, James sped by on the express track.
04:44What's the matter, Thomas, he called.
04:47Monster's keeping you up at night?
04:49And James disappeared down the track, laughing loudly.
04:54By the end of the day, Thomas barely had enough steam to make it back to the yard.
05:00The other engines were telling stories again, but Thomas headed straight to bed.
05:09Sometime that night, Thomas woke with a fright.
05:14The noises were back, and they were definitely coming from under the shed.
05:19Who's there, Thomas whispered into the dark.
05:25Came the answer.
05:27Go away, monster.
05:28Get out, Thomas ordered as he closed his eyes tight.
05:41The noise was getting louder and closer.
05:45That will surely wake the other engines, Thomas said to himself.
05:49They'll save me from the monster.
05:51But the other engines didn't stir.
05:57It's just outside the door, Thomas yelped.
06:03There's its head.
06:04Help, Gordon, Thomas whispered.
06:07But only the monster heard him.
06:12Then the doors of Thomas's shed began to rattle on their hinges.
06:22It's trying to get in, thought Thomas.
06:25Then, suddenly, the banging stopped.
06:32Thomas was too frightened to move.
06:35He peered out into the dark, and there it was, the horrible engine-eating monster.
06:42Thomas could see its eyes glowing in the night.
06:46Thomas clamped his own eyes shut and screamed.
06:49Gordon, Henry, Percy, James, he cried.
06:53Save me from the monster.
06:59Thomas, Gordon said, laughing, opened your eyes.
07:04What are you laughing at, Gordon, snapped Thomas.
07:07There's a monster right outside my shed.
07:14Not anymore, Gordon replied.
07:17Now the monster is inside your shed.
07:20Thomas opened one eye very slowly.
07:23A hedgehog, Thomas yelled in surprise.
07:27I was afraid of a tiny little hedgehog.
07:30Now the engines all laughed, and Thomas laughed with them.
07:37Percy has a good imagination, Thomas.
07:40But I think yours is even better, said Gordon with a little chuckle.
07:44I think you're right, agreed Thomas.
07:47It's the only thing in the world that could turn a tiny little hedgehog into a big scary
07:52monster.
