Sharing Food, The Eagle And The Fire

 When Grandma Lu got home, she was greeted with, "What's for supper?" She put down her book and said, "Well, let's see what's in the fridge. Oh good, there are lots of leftovers from last night. I will just warm them up and I won't have to cook."

After supper Grandma Lu was doing dishes and thinking about Heidi and her grandfather. "What a life they must have lived. Far different from mine that's for sure. My old bones could not climb mountains and I have never had a drink of goat's milk. However, I did have some goat ice cream once. Oh my that's been so many years ago when we went to visit my cousin in Florida. They raised goats. It was good, but very different."

When Grandma Lu picked up the book the phone rang. It was her friend and they visited for quite some time. Then her husband wanted her to watch television with him. It soon was time for bed so she didn't get a chance to read any more of her book. "Tomorrow, dear Heidi. I will read about your adventures tomorrow."

The next morning Grandma Lu's husband said he was going to be gone for the morning helping a neighbor. It was Grandma Lu's chance to read her book. She opened up the chapter where Heidi joined Peter and his goats, plus her grandfather's two goats to climb the mountain where the grass was green and the flowers were beautiful. As they were leaving her grandfather warned Peter again about watching out for Heidi and not letting her fall off the cliffs. He also reminded him to milk a goat for Heidi's lunch as well as the bread and cheese he had added to Peter's lunch bag.

Heidi was picking wildflowers and keeping them in her apron when suddenly a loud screech startled her and she asked Peter what the loud screech was. "It is an eagle. He's probably flying to his nest." Heidi  immediately wanted to go to the eagle's nest. Peter said it was way too high to climb. The goats couldn't even climb that high. "Well, why is he screeching?" asked Heidi. Peter said, "I don't know. That's just what they do." Heidi thought to herself that when she got back to her grandfather's hut she would ask him.

Soon it was time for their lunch. Peter quickly milked a goat and gave Heidi the milk. She drank it quickly because she was thirsty. He again milked the goat and she drank some more. Peter got out the big chunk of cheese and large slice of bread Heidi's grandfather had packed for her and then he got out his little piece of bread for himself. After Heidi had eaten what she wanted she gave Peter a large portion of cheese and bread that was left and told him to eat it. She was full. Peter had never eaten so much at one time. He was so very thankful for the large lunch.

Heidi had asked Peter the names of all the goats. He knew their names and told Heidi. She repeated the names and asked Peter if the mountains had names and he told her no. As he was putting lunch things away he heard the bleating of a goat. He ran to see what the matter was and saw Thistlefinch a goat that was a bold and usually strong goat had gotten too close to the edge of a cliff and was in danger of falling completely off the mountain. Only one leg remained close enough for Peter to grab and hang on to. Peter was losing the battle of saving the goat, but Heidi quickly came to the rescue with some fresh good smelling herbs. The goat calmed down and ate the herbs making it easier for Peter to pull the goat to safety. Losing a goat was unforgiveable to Peter's living. He would lose what little pennies he earned. His mother, grandmother, and he would surely starve. He took up his rod and was going to beat the goat for being so careless. Heidi stopped him immediately and told him she would give him her lunch or at least the majority of it if he would never beat the goats. Peter reluctantly agreed, but he was still angry.

The sun had started to set and as it did it seemed that the mountain was on fire. The snow on top of the mountains had turned a beautiful rosy color and even her wonderful fir trees took on a rosy glow. "Oh look, Peter. All the mountains are on fire. Look at that mountain. It is all rosy. What is it's name?" Peter said, "Those mountains don't have names. They are just mountains." Heidi thought to herself, "Well, there's another question that I need to ask Grandfather when we get back home."

When Peter, the goats, and Heidi came back the mountain to Heidi's grandfather's house. Peter waved and said, "Goodbye, see you tomorrow!" Grandfather shook his head and said, "Not, tomorrow. The weather will be bad with a lot of wind. A little person like Heidi would get blown away." That made Peter sad. He liked Heidi's company even though she talked a lot, she was funny. Plus she brought a big lunch with her every day and shared it with him. He would miss that a lot. It was no fun to be hungry.

After Heidi washed up for supper she asked her grandfather the two questions she had saved for him all day. "Grandfather, why do eagles screech? Her grandfather mimicked the eagle and roared, "You silly people you should live on top of the mountain where the air is fresh and the scenery is beautiful?" Heidi laughed at her mostly grouchy grandfather being silly. Then she asked the second question. "Grandfather why do the mountains turn red as fire in the afternoon?" Her grandfather smiled and said, "That is the sun kissing the mountains, the flowers, and the snow a goodnight." With that he said, "It's time for young ladies to get to bed now so no more questions." Heidi gave his legs a squeeze and quickly got dressed for bed. When she crawled into her comfy straw bed she closed her eyes and dreamed of a rosy mountain filled with beautiful wildflowers and fell sound asleep.

But grandfather did not sleep. He now was responsible this sweet little granddaughter. He had things to think about and things to do. Tomorrow would be a new day and new things to not only teach this little one, but to do for her as well.

Heidi Loves The Wildflowers And Goat's Milk

 Heidi's grandfather gave her a heavy blanket to cover up with for the chilly night. Heidi just couldn't wait to go to bed in her wonderful new bedroom. She told her grandfather that she wished that she was sleepy so she could go to her new bedroom. He smiled and said, "I think we should probably eat something first. You have had a long day today." The minute she heard the word food she got hungry.

Grandma Lu smiled as she was reading this old book. "I get hungry too at just the mention of food." She continued to read about the supper that alm-uncle or grandfather prepared for Heidi. On the fireplace he took big chunks of cheese and roasted them over the fire. He had hunks of bread that he put the roasted cheese on and put them on plates that Heidi had found in the cupboard. He also had milk that he put in bowls on the table. Again Grandma Lu smiled. "I did not realize that she was eating cheese made of goat milk or that she was drinking goat's milk when I read this so many years ago. Heidi had told her grandfather that she had never tasted anything better.

Grandfather made a chair and a table out of his chair and a three legged stool for Heidi to eat on. He stood and ate his meal. When they had finished eating they went outside to the shed. Heidi watched her grandfather quickly make her a chair that was high enough for her to eat from. She was so excited.

At last evening came. Again she could hear those fir trees howl. It was so very windy, but it did not scare Heidi. She loved the fir tree noise.

All at once Heidi heard a sharp whistle. It was Peter, the goatherder. When they got about half way up the mountain they stopped at Grandfather's home. Grandfather's two goats came out of the herd and stood before her grandfather. He had salt in his hands and the goats licked up the salt eagerly while Heidi petted them and asked all kinds of questions. One of the goats was brown and one was white. She asked their names and if they were going to stay and where they would stay. The fierce looking grandfather at last smiled and answered yes, yes, yes. 

Grandfather told Heidi to go in the house and get a bowl and a piece of bread. Grandfather quickly milked one of the goats and filled the bowl with milk which Heidi drank with her bread. It was so good!

She again asked her grandfather the names of the goats. He said, "The brown one is Schwanli and the white one is Barli. She watched as the goats walked into the shed. The wind was so strong it about knocked her over so she went into the hut and climbed the ladder to her big beautiful bedroom. She felt like a princess as the wind rocked the hut Heidi fell sound asleep.

The next morning she at first didn't know where she was. When she realized where she was she jumped out of bed and climbed down the ladder .Peter was already there with the goats waiting for Schwanli and Barli. Grandfather asked Heidi if she would like to go with Peter for the day on the mountain and watch the goats. She clapped her hands and said, "Yes, Yes, Yes." Grandfather had Heidi wash and get dressed. He put extra bread and cheese in Peter's food bag. He told Peter to milk a goat for Heidi and put the milk in a bowl for her. He warned Peter to make sure he watched her closely so that she didn't fall over the rocks.

Heidi was wild with joy. Where she had lived before she was not allowed to go outside because the old woman Ursula, was deaf and afraid to let Heidi out of her sight. She now was free to jump and run and explore the mountain with her new friend, Peter. Oh and so many beautiful wildflowers. There were primroses and golden rockroses. There were blue flowers and red flowers. There were flowers that were tall and flowers that grew in bushes. How she loved them. Oh and the butterflies loved the flowers too!

 Those wildflowers were soon to be so very irritating to Peter's easy life as a goatherder. Now that little girl was everywhere and laying hiding in the flowers! He found himself getting angry as the climb continued. He swung his rod trying to keep the goats together plus watch out for Heidi. All that little girl did was pick flowers and talk and ask questions!

Again Grandma Lu grinned as she remembered her own grandfather acting like Peter, the goatherder. Grouchy. She never knew why her grandfather was grouchy, but Peter, yes. Grandma Lu figured the Peter was so very poor and lonely. He had no friends, and needed to herd goats to make pennies to survive on. His grandmother was blind and his mother cared for her and managed their home and mended their clothes. Peter made the only money that they had to buy they needed.

Grandma Lu looked up from her book and discovered that she had been at the library for quite some time. She should probably check out her book and go home and get supper ready for her and her husband. How she had enjoyed the afternoon. She had seen and visited with people she knew and smiled when she remembered the small boy, Joey, and teaching him about imagination.

The Straw Bed Was The Perfect Place To Sleep

 Peter, the goatherder, grinned at his new little friend. She was so funny. She had taken off all her clothes except her petticoat and was asking him so many questions it made his head spin. But he thought she was fun and cute and answered her questions as best he could. She wanted to know everything about his goats; how many and where they were going, and what he did with them once they got there. It had been a lonely life for Peter with only goats to not only herd, but to talk to.

Heidi had forgotten about her aunt Deta since she was having such a new and interesting adventure with Peter. However, soon she was reminded by the cross voice of her aunt when she had discovered her clothes and shoes and socks in a pile. Heidi had taken her clothes off and left them in a spot that was a good half hour's walk to collect them. Her aunt was so unhappy and told Heidi so in no uncertain words. After a moment Heidi's aunt offered Peter a nickel to gather Heidi's clothes. Even though he was late he was excited to have the extra money and scrambled down the mountain to get the clothes.

The rest of the trip up the mountain took about forty-five minutes. It was a steep climb, but to Heidi it was worth every minute. Overlooking the meadow she could see mountains and steep cliffs. She also saw an old man sitting on a bench with a pipe in his mouth. He had been watching the three visitors and the goats climb to where his home was.

Heidi walked over to him and said, "Hello, grandfather!" He took the child's hand and said, "What does this mean?" Heidi's aunt told the old man that Heidi was his granddaughter. She said that she was the daughter of his son whom had died almost four years ago.

True to his grouchy and mean reputation he shouted, "Take her away! I know nothing of caring for a child. She will cry and beg for you. And you, Peter, you are late with my goats. Get them now or...Peter saw the angy face and scurried to get the alm-uncle's goats.

Deta said, When the baby, Heidi, was left in my hands a few years ago I found a way. Now is my chance for a good job and I intend to take it!"

Oh this made Heidi's grandfather angry. He stood up and yelled, "Go then. Go on and don't come back.!"

Deta hurriedly said good-bye to Heidi and and started down the mountain. Well the people that told her not to leave Heidi with the old man, now yelled at her when she came down to the village. "How could you leave that child with that mean man?" Deta couldn't wait to get away from this mountain and nosy people. She would be so glad to move away and earn money. She soon would be on her way to Frankfurt.

Heidi decided to walk around the hut that her grandfather called home. Behind the hut were fir trees. The wind blew through them and made a marvelous sound that made Heidi so very happy. She went back to talk to the large and strange man she was now to live with. He said, "What do you want to do now?" She said, "I want to see where I will sleep at night." He said, "Alright, go in and see where you would like your bed. Bring your clothes with you."

Heidi picked up her clothes, socks, shoes, hat, coat, and a shawl. And looked around the inside of her new home. It was large inside. It had a fireplace, a table and only one chair, and a bed that her grandfather slept in.

"Give me your clothes and I will put them away. They will be there for you to wear tomorrow." "Oh, no. I don't want to wear them anymore." Her grandfather's big bushy eyebrows grew together to make almost one huge eyebrow. "And why is that?" he asked. "Because I want to be light footed like the goats," she laughed. For some reason the old man was pleased with her answer and showed her where to put her clothes. It was a very large and tall cupboard. It held towels, soap, food like bread and eggs, and also clean clothes.

As Heidi looked around she saw a ladder. She climbed up the ladder and much to her surprise she saw another whole room. It had fresh straw scattered about, it had a window, and most of all she felt fresh air from the fir trees. She could hear the birds chirping. She could hear the goats in their shed; she could see the wildflowers growing everywhere! She knew that this was the perfect place.

"Here, Grandfather. Here is where I want to sleep." For only being five years old she knew exactly how to gather the straw to make her a very comfortable bed. One thing was missing. She needed a sheet. "Grandfather, do you have a sheet for my bed? He chuckled and said, "Yes, I do. A pillow as well. Are you sure this is where you want to sleep?" She assured him it was and together they made a bedroom that Heidi just knew she would never want to leave.

Her Dad's Dictionary and her Mother's List

 Grandma Lu read about the author of the book Heidi. "Goodness sakes, this was written long before I was born. I have a feeling my mother read this when she was a girl because she told me that it was too old for me to read. I wonder why she let me check it out that day. She was probably testing me to see just how many words that I knew." Grandma Lu smiled. Her mother had been right, but oh my how she made me learn what to do when I didn't know what a word meant.

Her memory went back to when she was probably about eight years old and lived on the farm. She got the book on a Saturday, but there was no time to start reading it that day. The next day was Sunday which was church day. Sunday mornings were always a rush because her dad had cows to milk and feed and a white shirt and tie to put on. Inevitably Jerry, the bull, had made his way out of the fence which upset my mom to no end. Then after church we either had dinner at my grandparent's house or had company at our house. "Oh how I itched to get out my new book and read about a girl about my age or younger called Heidi. But before I got a chance to read it it was a Monday afternoon after my chores were done. How I remember perhaps the first five minutes of trying to read my new book. Oh my. It did not turn out the way I thought it was going to. I had situated myself and my book in my dad's chair in the living room dining room combination. I could see my mom cooking or baking probably something for supper.

The first chapter was titled Going Up to the Alm-Uncle.

"Mom, what is an Alm-Uncle? She answered me with,  "Are you reading your new book?" I answered, "Yes. I don't know what an Alm-Uncle is." She said, "The story that you are reading takes place in a country called Switzerland. It's far far away and they have different customs and sayings than we do here in America. If I remember right Alm is their word for pasture or meadow. That is where Heidi's grandfather lived on a mountain, but his cabin was on a beautiful pasture or meadow."

"But they call him Alm-Uncle when he was really her grandfather?"

My mother would rub her forehead when she was frustrated, worried, tired, or had answered one of my many questions throughout her day. Her answer was, "Because, and don't ask again. I think it was an expression that they used for grandfather. Now read your book. If it's too hard we will take it back and get you something easier. It's not fun to read a book that has too many hard words."

I read about five words before I stumbled on another word. I asked my mom how to pronounce it this time. I could hear her clear her throat. I also saw her stop her work, wipe her hands and got into a cupboard in the living room. I recognized the book that she took out. It was my dad's huge dictionary. She looked at me and said, "Now, little one. You go get your tablet, a pencil and your book. Put them on your lap. This book tells you how to sound out and pronounce words that you aren't sure of. Write each of them down just like they are in the dictionary. When you are about done reading this afternoon you and I will go over them together. Okay?"

Grandma Lu smiled to herself as she remembered that big old dictionary. She still had it. Her dad had a way with a cardboard box and a roll of duct tape to make things last for years. She had made that list for her mother. It took so much time! It was not fun to read by herself. That evening her mother sat beside her and together they read the book about a little girl who had no mother. Her aunt was taking her to her grandfather to live. But he lived on a mountain! She had no clue what a mountain was or why any little girl wouldn't have a mama. But she was especially upset about this little girl having to live with her grandfather, because her grandfather never smiled and said, "Little girls shouldn't talk so much."

As Grandma Lu read she remembered the steep climb Heidi made. She was so terrible hot. Her aunt had dressed her in many layers of clothes so she wouldn't have to carry them. Finally Heidi sat down on the ground and started taking off her clothes. Her aunt said, "Heidi, what are you taking your clothes off for?  We have to get to Alm-Uncle's soon so I can get to my new job. I can no longer take care of you. I have a new job in a town called Frankfurt. We need to get there soon so he will give you your evening meal and I can be on my way to a new career and an exciting life."

After about an hour Heidi and her aunt came to a village that the book called a hamlet. Grandma Lu smiled remembering that she had written that word on her list.

The folks in the village seemed to be afraid of Heidi's grandfather. They said he was old and grouchy and were questioning her aunt for taking her to his house.  But Heidi wasn't listening to the folks talking about her grandfather. She had wandered away and found a boy that the book called a goatherd. That was because he took care of and herded goats like shepherds take care of and herd sheep. The boy's name was Peter and he was eleven years old. Heidi was only five.

Again Grandma Lu smiled remembering telling her mom she knew all about shepherds 'cause they were in the Bible.

                                               &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Reading a book from your childhood when you are a seasoned adult changes your whole perspective on this story. As I re-read this book I found out why her grandfather was so mean acting and looking. He had lost a son. A terrible thing for any parent to experience. My mom and dad had lost a daughter when she was only five. I'm wondering now if this was one reason my mother thought I could skip reading this book.

By the way, my mother did go over some of the words on my list and determined that many of them were German words that neither one of us could pronounce. However, she continued to have me write down all words that I did not know and look them up in the dictionary. I also had never ever seen a goat except in a picture book called Three Billy Goat Gruff.

The next story will be Heidi's arrival at her grandfather's home or hut as it is called in the book.