Part 2 (1/2)
”Wherever you want to,” he replied. That suited Heidi exactly. She peeped into all the corners of the room and looked at every little nook to find a cosy place to sleep. Beside the old man's bed she saw a ladder. Climbing up, she arrived at a hayloft, which was filled with fresh and fragrant hay. Through a tiny round window she could look far down into the valley.
[Ill.u.s.tration: HERE A NEAT LITTLE BED WAS PREPARED]
”I want to sleep up here,” Heidi called down. ”Oh, it is lovely here.
Please come up, grandfather, and see it for yourself.”
”I know it,” sounded from below.
”I am making the bed now,” the little girl called out again, while she ran busily to and fro. ”Oh, do come up and bring a sheet, grandfather, for every bed must have a sheet.”
”Is that so?” said the old man. After a while he opened the cupboard and rummaged around in it. At last he pulled out a long coa.r.s.e cloth from under the s.h.i.+rts. It somewhat resembled a sheet, and with this he climbed up to the loft. Here a neat little bed was already prepared.
On top the hay was heaped up high so that the head of the occupant would lie exactly opposite the window.
The grandfather was well pleased with the arrangement. To prevent the hard floor from being felt, he made the couch twice as thick. Then he and Heidi together put the heavy sheet on, tucking the ends in well.
Heidi looked thoughtfully at her fresh, new bed and said, ”Grandfather, we have forgotten something.”
”What?” he asked.
”I have no cover. When I go to bed I always creep in between the sheet and the cover.”
”What shall we do if I haven't any?” asked the grandfather.
”Never mind, I'll just take some more hay to cover me,” Heidi rea.s.sured him, and was just going to the heap of hay when the old man stopped her.
”Just wait one minute,” he said, and went down to his own bed. From it he took a large, heavy linen bag and brought it to the child.
”Isn't this better than hay?” he asked.
Heidi pulled the sack to and fro with all her might, but she could not unfold it, for it was too heavy for her little arms. The grandfather put the thick cover on the bed while Heidi watched him. After it was all done, she said: ”What a nice bed I have now, and what a splendid cover! I only wish the evening was here, that I might go to sleep in it.”
”I think we might eat something first,” said the grandfather. ”Don't you think so?”
Heidi had forgotten everything else in her interest for the bed; but when she was reminded of her dinner, she noticed how terribly hungry she really was. She had had only a piece of bread and a cup of thin coffee very early in the morning, before her long journey. Heidi said approvingly: ”I think we might, grandfather!”
”Let's go down then, if we agree,” said the old man, and followed close behind her. Going up to the fireplace, he pushed the big kettle aside and reached for a smaller one that was suspended on a chain.
Then sitting down on a three-legged stool, he kindled a bright fire.
When the kettle was boiling, the old man put a large piece of cheese on a long iron fork, and held it over the fire, turning it to and fro, till it was golden-brown on all sides. Heidi had watched him eagerly.
Suddenly she ran to the cupboard. When her grandfather brought a pot and the toasted cheese to the table, he found it already nicely set with two plates and two knives and the bread in the middle. Heidi had seen the things in the cupboard and knew that they would be needed for the meal.
”I am glad to see that you can think for yourself,” said the grandfather, while he put the cheese on top of the bread, ”but something is missing yet.”
Heidi saw the steaming pot and ran back to the cupboard in all haste.
A single little bowl was on the shelf. That did not perplex Heidi though, for she saw two gla.s.ses standing behind. With those three things she returned to the table.
”You certainly can help yourself! Where shall you sit, though?” asked the grandfather, who occupied the only chair himself, Heidi flew to the hearth, and bringing back the little stool, sat down on it.
”Now you have a seat, but it is much too low. In fact, you are too little to reach the table from my chair. Now you shall have something to eat at last!” and with that the grandfather filled the little bowl with milk. Putting it on his chair, he pushed it as near to the stool as was possible, and in that way Heidi had a table before her. He commanded her to eat the large piece of bread and the slice of golden cheese. He sat down himself on a corner of the table and started his own dinner. Heidi drank without stopping, for she felt exceedingly thirsty after her long journey. Taking a long breath, she put down her little bowl.