Johanna Spyri - Heidi

‘Oh, but there is. Grandmamma said so, and everything will come right in the end, like it does in the lovely story in my book. You haven’t heard it yet, but we’ll soon be home now, and then I’ll read it to you.’ Heidi hurried as fast as she could go up the last steep slope, and when they reached the hut, she let go his hand and ran indoors. He took the basket off his back. He had packed half the contents of her trunk in it, for the whole thing would have been too heavy for him to carry so far uphill. Then he sat down on the bench outside, lost in thought, until Heidi reappeared with the book under her arm. ‘That’s good, you’re all ready,’ she said, climbing on to the seat beside him.

She had read the story so often that the book opened at the right place by itself, and she began straightaway to read about the young man with the shepherd’s crook and the fine cloak, who looked after his father’s sheep and goats in the fields. ‘One day,’ she continued, ‘he asked for his share of his father’s fortune so that he might go away and be his own master. As soon as he got it, he left home and wasted it all. When it was gone, he had to go and work for his living, and he got a job with a farmer, who had no flocks nor pastures as his father had, but only pigs. This young man had to look after them. His fine clothes were gone, and he had only rags to cover him, and only the pigs’ swill to eat, and he was very sad when he remembered how well he had been treated at home, and realized how ungrateful he had been to his father. Alone with the pigs, he wept with remorse and homesickness and thought, “I will rise up and go to my father and ask him to forgive me. I will say to him that I am no longer worthy to be treated as his son, but ask if he will let me be one of his servants.” So he set out, and when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and came running towards him.’ Heidi broke off to ask, ‘What do you suppose happens now? I expect you think his father would be angry and say, “I told you so.” Just you listen though. When his father saw him, his heart was filled with compassion for him, and he ran and met him and put his arms round him and kissed him; and his son said, “Father, I have done wrong against Heaven and against you and am no longer worthy to be your son.” But his father called to the servants, “Bring me the good robe and put it on him, and a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet. Fetch the calf we have fattened and kill it for a feast, and we will eat and be merry, for my son was dead to me and is alive again, he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry.’

Instead of looking pleased and surprised as she had expected, the old man sat very still, without speaking, until she said, ‘Isn’t that a lovely story, Grandfather?’

‘It is indeed,’ he replied, but he looked so grave that she too fell silent, and sat looking at the pictures. Presently she pushed the book gently in front of him. ‘You can see how happy he is,’ she said, pointing to the picture of the return of the prodigal son.

Some hours later, when Heidi was in bed and asleep, the old man climbed up to the loft and put his lamp on the ground so that its light fell on her. She lay with her hands folded, as if she had fallen asleep saying her prayers. There was a peaceful, very trusting expression on her face, which moved him deeply and he stood gazing down at her for a long time. Then he too folded his hands, bowed his head, and, in a low voice, said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee and am no longer worthy to be called Thy son,’ and down his wrinkled cheeks rolled two large tears.

He rose early next morning and went out of doors. It was a beautiful day — a Sunday. The sound of bells floated up from the valley and the birds in the fir trees were singing their morning chorus. Then he stepped back into the hut and called up to Heidi, ‘Time to get up. The sun is shining. Put on your best dress and we’ll go to church together.’

She had never heard him suggest such a thing before, and she soon came hurrying down, wearing one of the pretty Frankfurt dresses. At sight of him, she stopped in astonishment.

‘I’ve never seen you dressed like that before, Grandfather,’ she exclaimed. ‘Silver buttons on your jacket. You do look fine in your Sunday clothes.’

He smiled at her. ‘And so do you,’ he said. ‘Now let’s go.’ He took her hand and together they set off down the steep path. Bells from many churches were ringing, getting louder and clearer as grandfather and child went on, and the joyful clanging delighted Heidi.

‘Oh, Grandfather, this must be a very special day,’ she cried.

The people of Dörfli were already in church and the singing had started as Heidi and Uncle Alp went in and sat down at the back. The hymn was hardly over before people were nudging one another and whispering that Uncle Alp was in church. Women kept turning round to look and so lost the place in their hymn‐books, and the leader of the choir simply could not keep the voices together. But when the pastor began to preach, everyone gave him their attention, for he spoke of praise and thanksgiving, and with such warmth that his listeners were truly moved.

At the end of the service the old man took Heidi by the hand again, and they went towards the pastor’s house. The congregation watched them with interest. Several people followed to see whether they would actually go inside and, when they did so, hung around in little groups, asking what it could possibly mean and speculating whether Uncle Alp would come out again angry or friendly. There were those who said, ‘He can’t be as bad as people make out. Did you see how gently he held the child by the hand?’ or ‘I’ve always said they were wrong! He wouldn’t be going to see the pastor at all if he was such a bad lot.’

‘What did I tell you?’ demanded the baker. ‘Would the child have left that place where she was so well looked after, with plenty to eat and drink, and have come back, of her own accord, to him if he was as hard and bad as people said?’ Gradually they all changed their minds about old Uncle Alp and began to feel quite friendly towards him. Then some women joined in the talk, and they had heard from Bridget and Grannie how Uncle Alp had come down and patched up their cottage for them and stopped the shutters rattling; and in no time, they were looking eagerly at the house door, like old friends waiting to welcome home a traveller who had been long away, and greatly missed.

Now when Uncle Alp had gone inside the pastor’s house, he knocked on the study door and the pastor came out, looking quite as though he had expected the visit — for of course he had seen them in church. He shook hands with Uncle Alp so warmly that at first the lonely old man could hardly speak. He had not expected such kindness. When he had collected himself, he said:

‘I’ve come to ask you to forget what I said when you called on me that time, and not to hold it against me that I wouldn’t take your friendly advice. You were quite right and I was wrong. I shall do as you suggested and move down to Dörfli for the winter. The weather is too severe then for the child to be up in the hut. And if the people down here do regard me with suspicion, that’s no more than I deserve; and I know you won’t do so.’

The pastor’s face showed how pleased he was. He pressed Uncle Alp’s hand again, and said, ‘Neighbour, your mountains have been a good church to you, and brought you to mine in the right frame of mind. You’ve made me very happy. You’ll never regret coming back to live among us, I’m sure. And as for myself, I shall always welcome you as a dear friend and neighbour, and I look forward to our spending many pleasant winter evenings together. And we’ll find friends for Heidi too,’ he added, putting his hand on her curly head. He went with them to the door, and all the people outside saw them part like old friends. As soon as the door was closed everybody crowded round Uncle Alp with outstretched hands, each wishing to be the first to greet him, so that he didn’t know where to begin. ‘We’re so pleased to see you among us again,’ they said; or ‘I’ve long been wanting to have a chat with you, Uncle.’ Such greetings were heard on every side, and when he told them that he intended to come back to his old home in Dörfli for the winter, there was such a chorus of delight and enthusiasm that he might have been the most beloved person in the village, whose absence had been keenly felt by everyone.