Heidi was an eight years old orphan girl who was reared by her selfish maternal aunt Detie. But later, Detie wanted to concentrate on her career. So she brought Heidi to her grandfather.
He was a queer old man living in an Alpine cottage far from the village. He was, therefore, called Uncle Alp. Uncle Alp was kind-hearted but mistrusted anybody and wanted to keep the child away from all the evils of the world. So he refused to send Heidi to school.
Heidi made friends with Peter, the goatherd, and went with him up the mountains every
day as he tended the goats.
She also made friends with Peter’s blind grand-mother and the other members of his family. Heidi grew to
love living in the mountains.
A few years later, Detie came back. She wanted to take Heidi to Frankfurt to be a companion to Clara, a
crippled girl of a rich family. Grandfather got angry and stormed her out. But Detie convinced Heidi.
When Heidi came to Clara s house in Frankfurt, she met Clara and Fraulein Rottenmeier, Clara’ s governess.
Fraulein thought Heidi was too dumb to be a proper companion for Clara, especially when she found Heidi
couldn’t read and write.
But Clara’s father permited her to stay despite the governess’ harsh feelings. Heidi learnt to read, but
she couldn’t get acquainted to the strict discipline in a rich upper-class house.
She felt very lonesome and got depressed by the grey anonymous city. When Clara’s grandma came, she became very friendly with Heidi. She liked Heidi and helped her to read.
Heidi became ill of homesickness. She was fond of village life. She started to walk in her sleep.
Finally, Clara’s father and the doctor of the family decided to stay up till midnight and found
her walking in her sleep. He found right diagnosis and sent her back to the Alps.
Heidi came back to the mountains. She was so happy to see everything back in her life, mountains, Peter,
his grandmother and her grandfather. Grandfather was very happy to have her back. He regained his faith in god.
Next summer, Clara visited Heidi in the village with her grandma. They decided to let Clara stay there
for a while with Heidi and gain benefit from the health-giving mountain air.
They went to the pastures and Heidi showed Clara all the beauty of her world.
But Peter got terribly jealous, and felt unobserved.
Out of anger and jealousy, he pushed the empty wheelchair down to the valley; so it got smashed.
Clara wanted to see the flowers and was forced to walk on her feet by Heidi. Peter helped Heidi.
He was repenting of his folly.
Clara’s strong desire showed a miracle. She overcame her handicap. Healing at body, spirit and soul is that
healthy Alpine world. Clara’s father was called. He was so happy to see her daughter standing on her own feet.
Heidi thanked God for the miracle. She was very happy for Clara, who became her very good friend
when she was in the city.
