Chapter 1 Up the Mountain Meyenfeld is a pretty little town that lies at the bottom of a mountain range in Switzerland The mountain’s jagged peaks rise high above the valley below Behind the town a footpath winds gently up the mountain The grass on the lower slopes is poor But if you travel up farther the scent of mountain fl owers from the rich grasses engulfs the air It is the grass high in the mountains that the goats prefer On a hot day in June a tall woman climbed up the path She had a bundle of clothes in one hand In the other she held the hand of a fi ve-year-old The child was wrapped up in two dresses as if it were winter She had a large 4
red scarf on as well that covered much of her black curls After climbing an hour the pair came to a little village Dorfl i It was halfway up the mountain This was the woman’s old home People called out to her but she ignored them Then a familiar voice called Wait a minute Detie I need to go up the mountain as well I’ll come with you Detie waited impatiently as the small child sat on the ground Are you tired Heidi asked Detie The child tugged on her scarf No but I’m hot We’ll be there in an hour said Detie At that moment a plump woman Barbie joined them Where are you going with the child I suppose she’s the child your sister left behind Detie started back up the path That’s right I’m taking her to live with Uncle Alp 5
now I have a job offer in Germany that I must take I’ve watched her for fi ve years It’s time her grandfather does his duty Barbie was horrifi ed Sending her to Uncle Alp on that mountain You must be crazy What does he know about caring for a young child She looked at Heidi She’ll hate the life up there It seems cruel to punish a child that way Detie continued on in silence What’s wrong with that old man asked Barbie He hasn’t set foot in church in years He ignores everyone He’s downright rude When he does come down he carries a big stick Everyone gets out of his way for fear he’ll use it He looks wild with those bushy eyebrows and that crazy beard He’s not the type of person you’d want to run into on the mountain let alone leave a child with Detie was prepared for comments such as these He must do his duty and look after his grandchild It is the honorable thing to do 6
