Hello,
And welcome back to Drift Off.
I'm Joanne your host,
And I'm so glad you're here.
Tonight we're moving into Chapter 4 of Heidi,
And if you're listening to this,
It's because you're a premium subscriber,
Which means you get to hear it a little ahead of everyone else.
It's my small way of saying thank you for your support.
It truly means a lot,
And I hope this is a lovely way to end your day.
But first,
Let's take a moment to arrive.
Find your comfortable place,
And let yourself settle.
Let the weight of your body sink down into wherever you're resting.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes,
Take a slow breath in,
And a long breath out.
Let your shoulders drop,
Let your jaw unclench,
And let your hands go heavy and soft.
And again,
Breathe in,
And out,
Nice and slow.
With each breath out,
Imagine the tension in your body just melting away,
Starting at the top of your head,
Softening down through your neck and shoulders,
Through your arms,
And all the way down to your fingertips.
Squeeze your hands into fists,
And squeeze the muscles of your arms.
Squeeze tight,
Hold,
And now let go.
That's it.
There's nothing to hold onto right now,
Nothing to carry.
Allow your arms to grow heavy.
Your hands soft.
Your whole body sinking down into the surface that you're resting on.
Take another slow breath in,
And as you exhale,
Let your mind grow quiet and easy by visualizing the soft glow of a mountain sunset.
Imagine the beautiful colors as the sky turns slowly from gold to rose to the deepest,
Warmest amber.
The peaks going still and peaceful as the light fades,
The whole world settling into a beautiful,
Unhurried calm.
You are safe.
You are warm.
You are exactly where you need to be.
And whenever you're ready,
Let's begin.
Chapter 4,
Shooting Down the Mountainside The next morning,
The sun came out bright and early.
Peter appeared with the goats,
And the two children climbed up together to the high meadows just as before.
And so it went on.
Day after day,
Until Heidi,
Living her life among the grass and flowers,
Was burned brown by the sun and grew so strong and healthy that nothing ever troubled her.
She was happy too,
As free and lighthearted as the little birds that make their home in the green forest trees.
Then autumn came.
The wind blew louder and stronger,
And sometimes the grandfather would say,
You must stay home today,
Heidi.
A sudden gust would blow a little thing like you clean off the rocks and down into the valley.
Whenever Peter heard he had to go alone,
His face fell.
He could see nothing but trouble ahead,
And didn't know how he would get through the long dull day without her.
There was also the good meal he would miss.
And besides that,
The goats were twice as difficult without Heidi.
They had grown so used to her being there that they scattered in all directions and refused to move properly unless she was with them.
Heidi herself was never unhappy.
For wherever she was,
She found something to interest her.
She loved best of all to go up the mountain with Peter to the flowers and the great bird,
But she also found her grandfather's hammering and sawing and carpentry very entertaining.
On the days when the large round goat's milk cheese was made,
She loved watching him stir the great cauldron,
But the thing that drew her most was standing beneath the three old fir trees on windy days,
Looking up as though they bowed and swayed and roared while the wind rushed through them.
She could have stayed there for hours.
As the days grew shorter and cooler,
Heidi went to the cupboard and got out her shoes and stockings and dress.
Then it turned truly cold,
And Peter would arrive in the mornings blowing on his fingers to warm them,
But before long,
He stopped coming altogether.
One night,
A heavy snow fell,
And the next morning,
The whole mountain was covered.
Not a single leaf or blade of grass to be seen anywhere.
Heidi stood at the little window and stared out in wonder as the snow began to fall again,
Thick flakes drifting steadily down until it reached the windowsill,
Then crept higher and higher,
Until at last,
The window could not be opened,
And she and her grandfather were snug and shut in together.
Heidi thought this was wonderful,
And ran from one window to the other.
The next day,
The snow stopped,
And the grandfather went out and shoveled great heaps of it away from the house until they rose around the hut like little mountains.
One afternoon,
Heidi and her grandfather were sitting on their three-legged stools by the fire when there came a heavy thump at the door.
It was Peter,
White all over with snow,
Having fought his way through deep drifts.
He had been determined to reach the hut,
For it had been a whole week since he had seen Heidi.
Good evening,
He said as he came in,
And went and pressed himself as close to the fire as he could,
His face shining with pleasure at being there.
Heidi watched in fascination as the warmth worked on him,
And he began to drip and thaw,
Looking rather like a small waterfall.
Well,
General,
Said the grandfather,
Now that you've lost your army,
You'll have to turn to your pen and pencil.
Why must he turn to his pen and pencil?
Heidi asked at once,
Full of curiosity.
Because in winter,
He goes to school,
Her grandfather explained,
And learns to read and write.
It's hard work,
Though useful enough later on.
Am I not right,
General?
Yes,
Indeed,
Agreed Peter.
Heidi's interest was thoroughly sparked,
And she had so many questions to ask Peter about school,
That the conversation went on long enough for him to dry out completely.
Well,
General,
Said the grandfather at last,
Rising from his stool,
You have been through quite an ordeal,
And must need something to eat.
Come and join us.
He brought the supper out of the cupboard,
While Heidi pushed the stools up to the table.
Peter's eyes went wide when he saw the thick slice of bread with the generous piece of meat that Alm Uncle placed before him.
It had been a very long time since he had eaten anything so good.
When the meal was over,
And it had grown dark,
Peter got up to go.
He had said his goodnights and his thanks,
And was nearly out the door when he turned back and said,
I'll come again next Sunday,
And my grandmother sent word.
She would very much like you to come and visit her one day.
The idea of going to visit someone was entirely new to Heidi,
And it lodged in her mind and wouldn't let go.
The very next morning,
She said to her grandfather,
I must go down to see the grandmother today,
She'll be expecting me.
The snow is too deep,
Said her grandfather,
Hoping to put her off.
But not a day went by without Heidi saying it five or six times,
I must certainly go today,
Grandfather,
The grandmother will be waiting.
On the fourth day,
With the bright winter sun shining through the window as they sat at dinner,
She said it again,
I really must go down to the grandmother today,
Or I shall keep her waiting far too long.
The grandfather got up from the table,
Climbed to the hayloft,
And came back down with the thick sack that served as Heidi's coverlet.
Come along then,
He said.
Heidi skipped out after him into the glittering world of snow.
The old fir trees stood perfectly still now,
Their branches laden with white,
Sparkling and shimmering in the sunlight.
Heidi jumped for joy at the sight of them.
Come and look,
Grandfather,
The fir trees are all silver and gold.
The grandfather had gone into the shed,
And came back out dragging a large hand sleigh and a low seat inside,
Guided by the feet,
And a pole fastened to the side.
He settled himself in,
Lifted Heidi onto his lap,
And wrapped the sack smugly around her.
Then he put his left arm firmly around her,
Grasped the pole with his right hand,
And pushed off with both feet.
The sleigh shot down the mountainside so fast that Heidi felt sure they were flying through the air like a bird,
And she cried out with pure delight.
Then all at once they came to a stop,
And there was Peter's hut.
The grandfather lifted Heidi out,
Unwrapped her,
And set her down.
In you go,
He said.
When it starts to grow dark,
Make your way home.
Then he turned and went back up the mountain,
Pulling the sleigh behind him.
Heidi opened the door and found herself in a small dark room with a fireplace and a few dishes on a wooden shelf,
The little kitchen.
She opened another door into a second small room.
It was not a herdsman's hut like her grandfather's,
With its wide ground floor and spacious hay loft,
But a very old cottage,
Narrow and worn and poor.
Near the door was a table,
And beside it sat a woman patching a waistcoat that Heidi recognized at once as Peter's.
In the corner sat an old woman bent over a spinning wheel.
Heidi was quite sure this was the grandmother.
She went straight to her and said,
Good day,
Grandmother.
I've come at last.
Have you been waiting long?
The old woman raised her head and felt for the hand the child held out.
She held it in her own for a moment,
Running her fingers gently over it,
And then said,
Are you the child who lives up with Alm Uncle?
Are you Heidi?
Yes,
Said Heidi.
I've come down in the sleigh with Grandfather.
Is it possible?
Your hands are quite warm.
Brigitte,
Did Alm Uncle come himself with the child?
Peter's mother had left her work and stood looking Heidi over from head to foot.
I don't know,
Mother.
It seems unlikely.
The child has probably made a mistake.
But Heidi looked steadily at her and said,
I know perfectly well who wrapped me up and brought me down in the sleigh.
It was Grandfather.
Perhaps then there was some truth in what Peter told us about Alm Uncle during the summer,
Said the grandmother quietly.
Though who would have thought it possible?
What does she look like,
Brigitte?
Brigitte had looked Heidi over so thoroughly that she was well able to describe her,
And she did so.
Meanwhile,
Heidi had been making a careful tour of the room,
Looking at everything in it.
Suddenly she exclaimed,
Grandmother,
One of your shutters is banging back and forth.
Grandfather could put a nail in it in no time.
It will break a pane of glass before long.
Look how it keeps hitting.
Ah,
Dear child,
Said the old woman.
I can't see it,
But I can hear it very well.
That and many other things besides.
Everything about the place rattles and creaks when the wind blows.
It gets in through all the cracks and holes.
The house is falling apart,
And in the night when the others are asleep,
I often lay awake shaking with fear that the whole thing will give way and come down on our heads.
And there's no one to mend anything.
Peter has no skill for that kind of work.
But why can't you see the shutter,
Grandmother?
Look,
There it goes again,
Heidi pointed to it.
Alas,
Child,
I can see nothing,
Nothing at all,
Said the Grandmother sadly.
But if I went outside and held the shutter open to let in more light,
Then you'd be able to see,
Wouldn't you?
No,
Dear,
No one can make it light for me anymore.
But what about all the white snow outside?
Surely that would be bright enough.
Come with me,
Grandmother,
And I'll show you.
Heidi took the old woman's hand,
Ready to lead her outside.
Let me be,
Dear child.
It is always dark for me now,
Whether there is snow or sun.
It will never be light for me again,
Not on this earth.
At these words,
Heidi burst into tears.
She sobbed and sobbed,
Crying out,
Can no one make it light for you again?
Is there really no one who can do it?
The Grandmother tried her best to comfort her,
But it was not easy to calm Heidi once the tears had come.
At last,
The old woman said gently,
Dear Heidi,
You cannot imagine how happy it makes me just to hear a kind voice and have someone talk to me.
Come and sit beside me and tell me about your life up there.
What do you do each day,
And how your grandfather occupies himself?
I knew him well,
Many years ago,
But I've heard very little of him since,
And Peter tells me next to nothing.
This was a new and cheerful thought.
Heidi dried her tears quickly and said in a bright voice,
Wait until I've told Grandfather everything,
Grandmother.
He will find a way to make it light for you again,
I'm sure of it,
And he'll mend the house so it doesn't shake anymore.
He can fix everything.
Then Heidi settled herself on the little stool beside the Grandmother and began to talk.
She described her life with her grandfather,
The days up on the mountain with the goats,
And all the things he could make with his hands.
Seats and stools,
The mangers for little swan and little bear,
A new tub for bathing in summer,
A new milk bowl and spoon.
The Grandmother listened with great attention,
Now and then turning to say,
Do you hear that,
Brigitte?
Do you hear what she says about Uncle?
The conversation was suddenly broken off by a loud thump at the door,
And in marched Peter.
He stopped dead when he saw Heidi,
Then broke into a wide smile as she called out,
Good evening,
Peter.
You're back from school already,
Said the Grandmother,
Surprised.
I haven't known an afternoon pass so quickly in years.
How is the reading coming along,
Peter?
Same as usual,
Said Peter.
The old woman gave a small sigh.
I had hoped for better news by now,
She said,
Seeing as you'll be twelve come February.
What did you hope he would tell you?
Asked Heidi.
I hoped he would have learned enough to read to me by now,
She said.
There is an old prayer book on the shelf up there with the most beautiful hymns in it.
I haven't heard them for so long that I can no longer remember them.
I had hoped Peter might read one to me now and then,
But he finds it too hard.
At this,
Heidi jumped up from her stool and said quickly,
Good night,
Grandmother.
It's growing dark.
I must go home at once.
She said goodbye to Peter and his mother and headed for the door.
But the Grandmother called out anxiously,
Wait,
Heidi,
You mustn't go alone.
Peter must go with you and have something warm for your throat.
I haven't anything to put on,
Heidi called back,
But I won't be cold,
I'm sure of it.
And with that,
She was outside and off at such a pace that Peter had to run to catch up with her.
They had taken only a few steps when they saw the Grandfather coming down the mountain to meet them.
In a moment,
His long strides had brought him to their side.
That's right,
Heidi,
You kept your word,
He said.
He wrapped the sack firmly around her,
Lifted her in his arms,
And set off up the mountain.
They had no sooner got inside the hut than Heidi began,
Grandfather,
Tomorrow we must take the hammer and some long nails and fix Grandmother's shutter,
And do the same in all the other places too,
Because the whole house shakes and rattles.
Must we indeed?
And who told you that?
Asked her Grandfather.
Nobody told me,
But I know it all the same.
Everything's coming apart,
And in the night when Grandmother can't sleep,
She lies there trembling,
Thinking the house will fall in on them,
And everything is dark for her Grandfather.
She can't see anything at all,
And she doesn't think anyone can help her.
But you can,
I know you can.
We must go tomorrow,
Will we,
Won't we?
The child clung to the old man,
Looking up at him with complete and trusting confidence.
He looked down at her for a long moment without speaking,
Then he said,
Yes,
Heidi,
We will go down and do something about the rattling at least.
We'll go tomorrow.
Heidi skipped around the room with joy,
Crying out,
We're going tomorrow,
We're going tomorrow.
The Grandfather kept his promise.
The following afternoon,
He brought out the sleigh again,
Set Heidi down at the Grandmother's door just as before,
And told her to come out when it began to grow dark.
Then he put the sack in the sleigh,
Went around to the side of the house,
And set to work.
Heidi had barely stepped inside when the Grandmother called out from the corner,
It's the child again,
She's come back.
Heidi ran to her,
Drew the little stool close,
And the two were soon deep in talk.
Then all at once,
A loud hammering rang out against the wall of the cottage.
The Grandmother gave such a start that she nearly knocked over her spinning wheel,
And cried out in a trembling voice,
Oh Lord,
It's happening,
The house is coming down.
No,
No,
Grandmother,
Don't be frightened,
Said Heidi,
Taking hold of her arm.
It's only Grandfather with his hammer.
He's mending everything so that you won't have to be afraid anymore.
Is it possible?
Can it really be?
Cried the Grandmother.
Do you hear that,
Brigitte?
Go outside and see if it is Alm-Uncle,
And if it is,
Ask him to come in for a moment so I can thank him.
Brigitte went out and found Alm-Uncle fixing heavy pieces of new wood along the wall.
She went up to him and said,
Good evening,
Uncle.
Mother and I are so grateful to you for this kindness.
She wants to thank you herself.
I don't know who else would have done it for us,
And we shall never forget.
That will do,
Said the old man,
Cutting her short.
I know well enough what people think of Alm-Uncle without being told.
Go back inside,
I can see for myself what needs mending.
Brigitte went in at once,
For Uncle had a way about him that made people disinclined to argue.
He hammered his way around the whole house,
Then climbed the narrow steps to the roof and worked his way up there until every nail he had brought was used up.
By the time he came down,
It was growing dark.
He had barely dragged the sleigh out from behind the ghost shed when Heidi appeared at the door.
He wrapped her up and lifted her into his arms as he had done the day before.
Although he had to haul the sleigh up the mountain behind him,
He was afraid that if she sat in it alone,
Her wrappings would slip off and she would be half frozen by the time they reached the top.
So he carried her,
Warm and safe,
All the way home.
And so the winter passed.
After many long years of joyless days,
The blind grandmother had found something at last to make her happy.
She listened for the sound of small feet as soon as morning came,
And when she heard the door open and knew that Heidi was really there,
She would call out,
God be thanked,
She has come again.
Heidi had grown just as fond of the old grandmother,
And though she knew now for certain that no one could give her back her sight,
She took comfort in the grandmother's own words that the darkness felt much lighter when Heidi was there.
And so on every fine winter's day,
The child came sliding down in the sleigh.
The grandfather always took her,
Never once objecting,
And he always brought his hammer and a few things along in the sleigh too.
Many an afternoon was spent putting the old cottage to rights.
It no longer groaned and shook through the night,
And the grandmother,
Who for many winters past had not known a peaceful night sleep,
Said she would never forget what all uncle had done for her.
Sweet dreams,
My friend.
Sleep well.
