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When the greatest of all great storms had passed only one ship in the harbour was left undamaged and that was little Rickety Ship, he had been protected from the howling winds that had roared above his single funnel that had as always, fallen just short of the high harbour wall that now protected him. Little Rickety Ships small but stout little engine had also managed to fight each oncoming wave as they tried to push him angrily against the solid concrete walls. “My goodness, that was a very rough night” sighed little Rickety Ship, as a shrilling whistle blew steam from his funnel while his engine chugged happily.


“Help!” A sudden and desperate cry came from over the harbour walls. “There is a ship in trouble at sea! It has been caught by the storm. Is anyone left undamaged to give assistance?”

Everyone of the big ships then called out, one by one. “Not I. This vessel is not seaworthy!”

Little Rickety Ship waited for the last grand ship to fall silent, then shouted at the very top of his voice “Vessel proceeding to assist!” and his stout little engine chugged him forward toward open sea.

The large and grand ships laughed to each other as little Rickety Ship chugged out of the harbour entrance. ”What does that Rickety Ship think he is doing?” they all shouted. “Come back silly thing! You will be of no use!”

But little Rickety Ship ignored them and his engine chugged forward through the high waves.

Within next to no time little Rickety Ship could see the stricken vessel. It was absolutely huge and the biggest ship that he had ever see before.

“A tanker!” exclaimed little Rickety Ship. “Caught on the rocks!” He chugged forward struggling against the high waves.

“Save yourself!” called out the huge tanker which was a new visitor to the area and had not seen little Rickety Ship before “You cannot help me!”


With a shrill call of his funnel whistle little Rickety Ship raced forward. “Yes I can !” he shouted and human sailors from his belly emerged throwing ropes toward the huge tanker. Human sailors also quickly came from the tankers belly and attached these ropes to the tankers long deck.

Little Rickety Ship chugged forward and pulling with all his might, his stout little engine steamed with sweat. With a last surge forward from exhausted little Rickety Ship, the huge tanker finally slid from the rocks and little Rickety Ship towed it through rough seas back to the harbour.


The great tanker which was much more grander and bigger than all the other ships in the harbour berthed against the harbour walls and little Rickety Ship let go of the ropes.

“You are a small little Rickety fellow!” exclaimed the great tanker. “But your are the bravest and most big hearted engine that I have yet to see!” The huge tanker bellowed toward all the other ships in the harbour. ”I think you should all agree?”

Little Rickety Ship smiled as the big ships all sounded their whistles, and little Rickety Ship now knew that they would not tease or bully him again. And they all sailed happily ever after.

story of little rickety ship

Story of Little Rickety Ship

Little Rickety Ship was the smallest and youngest boat in the harbour. In fact, little Rickety Ship was so small that he was not able to see over the high harbour wall like all the other much larger and much grander ships could.

These bigger ships were really not very pleasant vessels, they were all big bullies who always liked to tease little Rickety Ship and they would call him nasty names just because he was much smaller than they were. But little Rickety Ship just ignored them, as he knew, in his own tough little engine heart, that he was just as good as them and would prove it someday.

Then, one dark night, whilst all the ships were in the harbour were sleeping, the greatest of all great storms rolled in from the sea. In the inky dark night, almost all of the sleeping ships were damaged by huge waves and roaring winds that had suddenly smashed into, then over the harbours solid concrete walls.

Cartoon Buddy Club Story Book Collection


Little Rickety Ship


1. The Story Telling Tree
2. The Terrifying Bad Breathed Dragon
3. Little Rickety Ship

3