约翰·亨利

John Henry

A narration by John's wife Polly explains his early life: said to have been "born with a hammer in his hand," John was a slave alongside Polly until they were granted their freedom and soon married. As a wedding gift, Polly gives John a massive sledgehammer forged from his old shackles and John promises her that he will die holding that hammer. Searching for land to settle down in, they come across a group of other former slaves hired to build railways, with the promise that they will receive land if they complete the railways in a shorter period of time than required. However, the hard work tires almost all the men. John, who has the stamina of ten men, inspires them to keep working and never give up. Despite all this, the contract is cancelled, as his place is taken by a steam drill. John refuses to back down and proves that man can achieve more than a machine by challenging the steam drill driver to a race for who can finish the railroad first. He builds the railway and even a tunnel straight through a mountain, the steam drill breaking before it can finish. However, the group's celebration turns bittersweet as John collapses from exhaustion. Realizing he won't live much longer, Polly gently places John's hammer in his hand before he passes away with a smile on his face. The short film ends by showing that the story was being told to John's young son in their house in the town that now covers the land that John gave them. The child is scared by some thunder, but Polly tells him that it's just the sound of his father, hammering in the sky.