I had to write this for an assignment in Social Studies, and I decided to post it here. Enjoy!

The Little Camel That Could
By ME!
Based on the book "The Little Engine That Could"


One day little Josie woke up to find her mother being herded away by humans across the desert. She had been told that camels were sometimes taken, but Josie didn’t believe it could ever happen to her. Josie went after her mother, but soon the humans were out of sight. She trudged on, not giving up.

Soon Josie came across a cactus. “Oh, excuse me, Mr. Cactus. Could you help me find some water? I haven’t had a drink in days.”
“I’m sorry, my friend, but I am stuck here. I absorb water from when it rains and store it for later. I cannot help you,” the cactus answered.

It was beginning to get dark, so Josie decided to stop for the night. The temperature can get to freezing at night in the desert, so it’s a good thing that camels have fur.
Her body had toughened skin parts in various places, so the hard desert floor did not hurt her. She memorized the land formations before she went to sleep so she could find her way in the morning.

The young camel awoke to find the scenery completely different. She began to panic. Then she spotted a little mouse with her two babies.
“Help me, Mrs. Mouse. I cannot find my way. I planned to follow the sand dunes, but everything is different now!”
“Don’t worry, sweetie. The sand dunes move about a foot each day, but I could help you find your way. What direction was the sun setting while you were walking?”
“Um, I think it was in front of me,” Josie answered.
“Well, then you should head west, which is that way,” the mouse said, pointing. “I know you’ll make it. Camels are the only large mammals that can survive the harsh desert, you know. You look thirsty. Follow me.”
The mouse took Josie to an oasis. She drank up the water fast. She was thirsty, but camels can survive without water for days and they drink it up quickly when they get it. And the hump on her back is ninety percent fat, so she had plenty of energy.

Once Josie had all the water she needed, she was on her way again. Suddenly a huge sandstorm came and covered her. The flaps on her nose closed to keep sand out and she closed her eyes. Her eyelids were semi-transparent so she had no problem seeing.

Josie was getting tired, and her hump was becoming smaller. If it wasn’t for the fact that her broad, flat, thick-soled hooves don’t sink in the sand, she would have wished she could stop and sink down forever, all her worries gone. She thought about quitting, but a picture of her mother came into her head. The young camel remembered something she was told since she was a baby: If you ever feel like quitting, say “I think I can” to motivate yourself.
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can . . .

Josie came to a small town, and her hope came back. Soon she spotted a group of camels, and in it . . . her mother! She raced to her, happy as can be. The owner of the camels saw Josie and kept her. Josie, her mother, and all the other camels lived happily ever after.

The End