Knjigice
Fairy tale · Classic fairy tales
Heidi
The story of the girl who found a home high in the mountains
Also in: Heidi (Slovenian) · Heidi (Slovak)
High above the village, where the steep meadows touch the sky, an old man with a long white beard lived in a wooden hut. People called him the Alm-Uncle, and they were a little afraid of him. One morning Aunt Dete came puffing up the steep path, leading a small girl by the hand. "This is Heidi, your granddaughter," she said. "From now on she will live with you."
1
At first Grandfather was grumpy and said very little. But Heidi made herself a bed in the hay under the roof, right beneath the little round window that looked far down into the valley. "This is where I'll sleep!" she cheered. In the evening Grandfather brought her a thick sheet and a warm blanket. Stars shone through the little window, and Heidi fell asleep with a smile.
2
Every morning Peter the goatherd came past the hut with his herd. Heidi was allowed to go with him to the pastures! She loved Grandfather's two goats best of all — snow-white Little Swan and soft brown Little Bear. The goats nudged her with their muzzles and ate out of her hand. "You do have a way with them," marvelled Peter. Heidi laughed so brightly it echoed across the pastures.
3
How beautiful summer was on the mountain! The grass was full of bluebells and golden flowers, the great eagle circled high above the rocks, and the wind sang in the old fir trees behind the hut. In the evening the mountains glowed as if made of pure fire. "Grandfather, the mountains are burning!" cried Heidi. "That is the sun saying goodbye," said Grandfather. "Tomorrow it will come back."
4
But one winter Aunt Dete came again. "Heidi must go to the city," she said. "In a grand house there lives a girl called Clara, who cannot walk and needs company." Before Heidi knew what was happening, the train was carrying her far from the mountains. In the big city there were no pastures and no fir trees — only walls, roofs and stone streets.
5
Clara was a pale, gentle girl in a wheelchair, but her eyes lit up the moment she met Heidi. They became the best of friends. Heidi told her about Grandfather, about Peter, about Little Swan and Little Bear. And at every meal she hid a soft white roll in her pocket. "For Peter's grandmother," she whispered to Clara. "She has no teeth left, and hard bread hurts her."
6
Yet Heidi grew paler and paler with quiet longing for her mountains. At night footsteps began to creak through the house — "a ghost!" whispered the servants. But the wise doctor discovered it was Heidi, wandering the stairs in her sleep, dreaming of the alp. "This child needs mountain air," he said firmly. "She must go home — at once!"
7
When Heidi came running up the steep path again, Grandfather was sitting in front of the hut. He saw her — and could hardly believe his eyes. "Grandfather!" cried Heidi, and flew into his arms. The old man held her tight; his beard trembled, and something warm slid down his cheek. "You will never leave again," he said quietly. "Never again," Heidi promised.
8
The very next morning Heidi hurried to Peter's grandmother. "Grandmother, it's me, Heidi! And look — soft white rolls, just for you!" The blind grandmother felt her face and smiled as she had not smiled for a long time. "Child, you are back! Now all will be well on the mountain again." And truly — even the spinning wheel in the corner hummed more cheerfully that day.
9
In the summer a very special visit came to the alp. Men carried a wheelchair up the path — and in it sat Clara! "Heidi!" she called. "It's all just as you told me — even lovelier!" Every day Grandfather carried her to a sunny spot among the flowers, and Little Swan and Little Bear happily ate right out of her hands. In the mountain air Clara's cheeks grew rosier and rosier.
10
Clara drank sweet goat's milk, slept in the fragrant hay and sat all day among the flowers. Every day she grew stronger. Then one morning her legs began to tingle. "How I would love to stand," she whispered. "How I would love to walk on the grass like you, Heidi." Grandfather looked at her seriously: "Then we shall practise. A little every day."
11
And practise they did. Grandfather held her under her arms, Heidi called her closer, Peter cheered. First one single step. Then two. And one sunny day Clara let go of Grandfather's hand and — walked. Step by step, all by herself, to Heidi in the middle of the flowering meadow! "I'm walking!" she cried. "Heidi, I'm walking!"
12
What joy there was! When Clara's father and grandmother arrived, Clara came walking down the path to meet them herself. Her father hugged her and for a long while could not say a word. The wheelchair stayed by the hut — nobody needed it any more, and the two goats sniffed at it curiously. "Mountains and good people," said Grandfather, "are the best medicine of all."
13
Then winter came, and soft snow covered the mountain. A fire glowed in Grandfather's hut, warm bread smelled sweet on the table, Little Swan and Little Bear dozed in the little shed. Heidi sat in Grandfather's lap and watched the stars sparkle behind the round window. "I am home," she sighed happily. And high in the fir trees the wind quietly sang its song.
14The End
