By Johanna Spyri
Heidi: Introduction
This is the story of a little girl named Heidi. She lived in Switzerland more than one hundred years ago. Heidi is an orphan. When the story begins, she is only five years old. Her aunt takes her to live with her grandfather high up on the mountain. Lower down the mountain is the town of Dorfli. But Grandfather lives alone and never visits the town people.
Heidi loves living on the mountain and quickly makes friends. There is a young boy, Peter, who looks after the herd of goats every day. Peter lives with his grandmother a little further down the mountain, but not as far as the town. Heidi loves to visit Peter’s grandmother.
A day comes, however, when Heidi has to leave the mountain to go live with a sick girl in the city. She meets a whole new group of people, some are friendly and some are unfriendly. Miss Rottenmeier, who is in charge of the house, is very disagreeable. But Clara, the sick girl, becomes Heidi’s friend, and Heidi meets her friendly doctor.
Heidi and Clara have some fun adventures, but Heidi never forgets her home on the mountain. She misses the flowers, the goats, and all her friends. Will she ever be able to see them again? Perhaps the friendly doctor can help .
__ a clear sunny morning, two people walked up a narrow mountain path. Detie, a tall, strong-looking young woman, was leading a girl named Heidi by the hand. Heidi had a heart-shaped face and short, curly brown hair. Detie, who looked after Heidi, was her aunt. She had accepted a new job in Frankfurt and could not take Heidi with her. She had decided to take Heidi to live with Heidi's grandfather. Grandfather lived high on the mountain where the flowers and grass grew wild among the rocks. As she climbed, Heidi could smell the short grasses and mountain plants. High above her, on the steep slope just below the mountaintop, she could see a tiny herd of goats.
Against the side of Grandfather's hut, looking down toward the valley, was Grandfather's chair. When they came over the rise, Heidi saw him sitting there with his pipe in his mouth.
"I wish you good day," said Detie, as she walked toward him. "I have brought you your granddaughter. You will hardly recognize her. You haven't seen her since she was one year old."
While frowning at Heidi, the old man asked rudely, "And why have you brought the child up here to see me?"
"Because she is going to live with you," said Detie. "I have done my duty looking after her since her parents died. Now it is your turn to do your duty."
"So, that's it, is it?" said the old man, as he looked at Detie with a flash in his eye. "And what am I supposed to do when she starts to cry and whine because she misses you?"
"That's your business," replied Detie. "She was left with me when she was a baby. I have put up with her for five years. If you cannot arrange to keep her, do what you want with her. But remember you will be responsible if any harm comes to her." Detie was suddenly feeling hot and irritable. She felt a little guilty about leaving Heidi alone with her grandfather.
With a stern loud voice, Grandfather replied, "Go away right now! I don't want to see your face again anytime soon!"
Detie did not wait to be told twice, and with a quick "Good-bye!" to Heidi, she turned and ran down the mountain. When Detie reached Dorfli, the village in the valley below, the women began to criticize her. They had seen Detie take Heidi up the mountain and knew what she had done. One woman cried out, "How could you do such a thing?" Another said, "To think of leaving a helpless little girl up there with such a grumpy man!"
Detie hurried through the village as quickly as she could. She promised herself that, when she had plenty of money from her new job, she would do something good for Heidi.
After Detie left, Heidi decided to explore. She found a shed built against the hut, but inside it was empty. Behind the hut, she discovered some fir trees. Their large branches grew in curious twists. A strong breeze was blowing, and it made a rushing sound in the branches that sounded like music. Heidi twirled and jumped and felt the cool wind on her cheeks. She was enjoying herself so much she almost forgot about her grandfather.
When Heidi finished playing under the fir trees, she found Grandfather sitting on his chair facing the valley. She went straight up to the old man, put out her hand, and said, "Good evening, Grandfather." It didn't bother her that Grandfather was rude to Detie, and even a little to her.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I want to see inside the house," said Heidi.
"Come, then!" Grandfather rose and stepped to the door. "Bring your bundle of clothes with you."
"I don't want them anymore," Heidi said.
"And why don't you want them?" he asked.
"Because I want to run on the mountain like the goats."
The old man turned and looked at Heidi. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with happy anticipation. "She is definitely intelligent," he thought to himself. "Well, you can go about like the goats if you want to," said Grandfather, "but bring your things in anyway. We must put them in the cupboard."
Heidi did as she was told. Inside the hut was one room. There was a small table and a chair on one side, and Grandfather's bed was in a corner. There was also a large fireplace. Next to the bed was the cupboard. They put her belongings inside, right next to Grandfather's things. Heidi then looked carefully around the room. "Where am I going to sleep?" she asked.
"Wherever you like," he answered.
Heidi was delighted. After examining all the corners of the room, she saw a short ladder and climbed it. At the top was the hayloft. In it was a large heap of fresh, sweet-smelling hay. Through a round hole in the wall she could see right down the valley.
"I want to sleep up here, Grandfather," she told him. "It is so lovely."
They busily arranged the hay into a soft bed and found a sheet and a warm blanket. Now Heidi could lie in her bed and fall asleep looking down on the beautiful valley below.
After all their work, it was time to eat. Heidi quickly found the bowls. "Good, I see you know how to set the table," said Grandfather. He put out the food, and they ate a delicious meal of cheese, bread, and milk. Heidi had never tasted anything so wonderful. "Was the milk good?" asked Grandfather.
"It's the best milk I've ever had," said Heidi.
"Then you must have some more." Grandfather poured her another big cup.
Suddenly, they heard a sharp whistle. They went outside and watched as goats came springing down the mountain. In their midst was Peter, the twelve-year-old goatherd. Peter lived with his old, blind grandmother a little further down the mountain. As Peter neared Grandfather's hut, the goats stood still. Two of them ran forward to where Grandfather was standing. "Are they yours, Grandfather?" Heidi asked excitedly.
"Yes, yes, the white one is named Daisy, and the brown one, Dusky," Grandfather said.
Heidi watched as he milked the white goat and then settled them both in their shed for the night. Next, it was Heidi's turn to settle down for the night. She climbed up to her bed of straw. Soon, she was sleeping as sweetly and soundly as any young princess on a silk bed.
