Grandfathers -- Fiction; Mountain life -- Switzerland -- Fiction; Orphans -- Fiction; Switzerland -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
At last the evening came. The old fir-trees were rustling and a mighty
wind was roaring and howling through the tree-tops. Those sounds
thrilled Heidi's heart and filled it with happiness and joy. She
danced and jumped about under the trees, for those sounds made her
feel as if a wonderful thing had happened to her. The grandfather
stood under the door, watching her, when suddenly a shrill whistle was
heard. Heidi stood still and the grandfather joined her outside. Down
from the heights came one goat after another, with Peter in their
midst. Uttering a cry of joy, Heidi ran into the middle of the flock,
greeting her old friends. When they had all reached the hut, they
stopped on their way and two beautiful slender goats came out of the
herd, one of them white and the other brown. They came up to the
grandfather, who held out some salt in his hands to them, as he did
every night. Heidi tenderly caressed first one and then the other,
seeming beside herself with joy.
"Are they ours, grandfather? Do they both belong to us? Are they going
to the stable? Are they going to stay with us?" Heidi kept on asking
in her excitement. The grandfather hardly could put in a "yes, yes,
surely" between her numerous questions. When the goats had licked up
all the salt, the old man said, "Go in, Heidi, and fetch your bowl
and the bread."
Heidi obeyed and returned instantly. The grandfather milked a full
bowl from the white goat, cut a piece of bread for the child, and told
her to eat. "Afterwards you can go to bed. If you need some shirts and
other linen, you will find them in the bottom of the cupboard. Aunt
Deta has left a bundle for you. Now good-night, I have to look after
the goats and lock them up for the night."
"Good-night, grandfather! Oh, please tell me what their names are,"
called Heidi after him.
"The white one's name is Schwaenli and the brown one I call Baerli," was
his answer.
"Good-night, Schwaenli! Good-night, Baerli," the little girl called
loudly, for they were just disappearing in the shed. Heidi now sat
down on the bench and took her supper. The strong wind nearly blew her
from her seat, so she hurried with her meal, to be able to go inside
and up to her bed. She slept in it as well as a prince on his royal
couch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account