Heidi

An extract from

Heidi

by Johanna Spyri

The old man opened the door and Heidi stepped inside after him. A table and a chair were the only furniture; in one corner stood the grandfather's bed, and on the further side was a large door in the wall – this was the cupboard. The grandfather opened it; inside were his clothes; on a second shelf were some plates and cups and glasses, and on a higher one still, a round loaf, smoked meat, and cheese.

Heidi looked carefully round the room, and asked, "Where am I to sleep, Grandfather?"

"Wherever you like," he answered.

Heidi was delighted, and began at once to examine all the nooks and corners to find out where it would be pleasantest to sleep. In the corner she saw a short ladder against the wall; up she climbed and found herself in the hayloft. There lay a large heap of fresh sweet-smelling hay, while through a round window in the wall she could see right down the valley.

"I shall sleep up here, Grandfather," she called down to him, "It's lovely, up here. Come and see!"

"Oh, I know all about it," he called up in answer.

"I am getting the bed ready now," she called down again, as she went busily to and fro at her work, "but I shall want you to bring me up a sheet."

"All right," said the grandfather. He carried it up to the loft, where he found Heidi had already made quite a nice bed. She had put an extra heap of hay at one end for a pillow, and had so arranged it that, when in bed, she would be able to see comfortably out through the round window.

"That is capital," said her grandfather; "but wait a moment first," and he went and fetched another large bundle of hay to make the bed thicker, so that the child should not feel the hard floor under her. It looked as tidy and comfortable a bed as you could wish for.