Thomas and Friends Storytime.
Bruno's Great Pig Problem.
A podcast story for kids.
Starring Thomas and Bruno the Brake Car.
Based on the railway series by the Reverend W. Audrey.
Created by Brit Allcroft.
And read by me, Rachel Louise Miller.
This episode is brought to you by amazon parents and caregivers.
New toy engines are now available at amazon.
Find brake car bruno thomas and more friends at amazoncom.
Engines sold separately and subject to availability.
And now it's story time.
Over the hill and round the bend you'll find a large roundhouse called Tidmouth Sheds where five little engines sleep soundly at night and wake in the morning as the sun shines its light.
They all have work to do and cargo to tow.
For this happy crew it's all engines go.
Today's story is about making an unlikely friendship.
It's called Bruno's Great Pig Problem.
It was a beautiful fall afternoon.
Thomas and Bruno were playing a rhythm game on their way to McColl's farm.
STIRS WHISTLE STIRS
Whistle!
Stairs!
Whistle!
As they pulled into the farm, Bruno put his brakes on and they came to a stop.
The farmhands began filling their flat car with hay.
Wow, Bruno, said Thomas.
I can't wait to deliver this hay to Kirk Ronan for the medieval fair.
Bruno replied if we leave fast, we'll get there on schedule.
Bruno loved being on schedule but didn't love noisy farms.
Moo went, the cow went, the sheep went, the duck and wink went the pig.
Hearing the noisy animals made Bruno shudder and it hurt his ears.
The sooner we leave the better, he moaned.
And oh, please be more careful with that hay, he said to the farmhands.
The hay scratched along Bruno's back.
He didn't like that feeling.
Everyone has sounds and feelings they don't like.
What are yours?
Sorry, Bruno, said Thomas.
I know you don't love farms.
Almost done.
Why don't we play our rhythm game?
Then you can focus on one sound.
What? said Bruno.
He was starting to shake and was finding it hard to pay attention.
He started flapping his stairs up and down very quickly, causing them to clank along the tracks.
Thomas was about to repeat himself when he turned around and saw Bruno's distress.
Bruno, can you steam on your steam headphones?
Bruno took a moment to respond, then said, Yes, I can.
But he didn't put them on.
Thomas realised he could have been clearer.
Please steam them on and we'll get away from this noise.
As Bruno steamed on his headphones, the world around him grew quieter.
Soon, Bruno was able to take a deep breath in and out.
And his stares stopped flapping.
Bruno puffed off his headphones.
''Are you alright, Bruno?'' asked Thomas.
''Yes, thank you, Thomas.'' said bruno as they pulled away from the noisy farm and onto the quiet tracks towards kirk ronan shall we continue our rhythm game now that it's quieter asked thomas okay bruno agreed train whistle said thomas Scratchy hay on my backside, said Bruno.
He didn't like that feeling.
As he listened for another sound... Pig, said Bruno.
Pig? they both shouted.
There, on the flat car, a cute little pig was poking its fuzzy head out of the hay.
Bruno, put on the brakes.
Isn't that the pig from McColl's farm?
Bruno asked.
It must have hidden in the hay, said Thomas.
Well, we'd best keep moving, said Bruno, releasing his brakes.
But Thomas didn't move.
Bruno, shouldn't we take her back to the farm?
I'd like to, said Bruno.
She is annoying, but we'll be late if we turn back now.
Thomas could see Bruno was getting distressed again.
OK, let's get going then, he said.
As they zoomed off, they kept playing their rhythm game.
Pig!
Stairs!
Whistle!
Whistle!
They pulled up to a signal and stopped.
Seeing a nearby pond, the pig leapt off the flat car and went to have a drink.
Oh no, there's no time for this.
Come on pig, we have to go, said the frustrated Bruno.
The pig leapt back onto the flat car, snuggled into Bruno and quickly fell asleep.
Hey, I didn't say you could... Oh, that's rather nice, actually.
Bruno liked how tight the pig snuggled into him, her weight and how warm she felt, and something else he couldn't understand.
Bruno and Thomas were nearly at Kirk Ronan when they stopped at a signal.
Next to the trap was a huge muddy puddle.
Bruno didn't like mud and was glad when the signal changed and they could move.
With no more distractions, Thomas, said Bruno, we'll get to Kirk Ronan just on time.
OK, said Thomas.
Let's keep playing our game.
Stairs!
Stairs whistle.
Bruno waited for the pig to oink so he could shout pig.
But no oink came.
Bruno waited again, but still no oink.
Their curly tail friend had vanished.
She's gone.
Bruno gasped we've got to find her.
Thomas, said Bruno whispered.
Bruno was flapping his stairs and breathing heavily once again.
We'll be late, Thomas, if there's another distraction.
Thomas finished Bruno's sentence.
Will it make you feel better if we drop the hay at Kirk Ronan first and then come back and find her?
Indeed, Bruno wasn't feeling great.
His gears were grinding, his stairs flapping.
He could hear every sound for miles and he couldn't think.
He wished the pig was nuzzling him right then.
They could get to Kirk Ronan on schedule.
He'd love that.
But somehow it didn't feel right.
Okay, said Thomas.
Let's deliver this hay.
But Thomas couldn't move because Bruno had slammed on his brakes.
No, Bruno said.
I think it's better if we find the pig first.
You sure, Bruno? asked Thomas.
It means we'll be late to Kirk Ronan.
Bruno thought for a moment and then said, No, no, we should find her now.
Bruno wasn't sure why he'd changed his mind.
Because it's important to... She's not a problem.
She's, um, my... What was that?
Bruno gasped.
What was what? said Thomas.
He hadn't heard anything.
That! said Bruno.
It sounded like the pig.
She must be nearby.
Thomas was confused.
He couldn't hear the pig.
But he trusted Bruno.
Let's go find her, Thomas said.
As they puffed back the way they came, they played their rhythm game to help them find her.
But this time there was only one sound they were listening for.
Pig!
Pig!
Pig! said Bruno each time he heard her oink.
This way, he told Thomas as the sounds got louder and louder until... There she is, called Thomas.
They found the pig at the signal sloshing in the big muddy puddle.
Isn't that silly?
Oh, she's all muddy and smelly and delightful, said Bruno as the pig came up, jumped on the flat car and nuzzled him.
I... yes, yes, hi.
So Thomas, Bruno and the pig continued their journey towards Kirk Ronan.
If we'd returned her earlier, she'd never have got lost.
Pigs should be safe on farms, not making deliveries with us.
Thomas smiled.
Maybe, but then we wouldn't have gone on this grand adventure.
Eventually, they delivered the hay to Kirk Ronan.
A bit late, but no one minded.
As they left to return the pig, music echoed from the fair and fireworks crackled across the sky.
The sounds didn't bug Bruno as he could feel his new friend snuggling into him.
That night back at the farm, Bruno gently nudged the sleeping pig back into her pen with his stares.
Thomas?
Bruno asked.
Would you bring me back to visit the pig sometimes?
As they left the farm, Thomas replied, Bruno, I'll bring you back here any time you want.
The End Thomas and Friends is a registered trademark of Galane Thomas Limited.
