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August 23, 2024 18 mins
Heidi by Johanna Spyri - Chapter 14 - On Sunday When The Church Bells Ring

STORYTIME FRIDAY  

Heidi is a story of goats and a young childs resilience and adventures in the Mountains.  It was written in 1880 by Johanna Spyri who was born and lived in Switzerland. A timeless Classic enjoyed by children and adults alike. Echoes from the Mountain is a podcast by Gracious Mountain Therapies

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Ready to climb your own personal mountain and looking for help? Loraine is an accredited BWRT practitioner, clinical Hypnotherapist and Advanced EFT practitioner.  Book an initial consultation at https://www.graciousmountain.co.uk/book-online

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heidi by Joanna Spury, chapter fourteen. On Sunday, when the
church bells ring, Heidi was standing under the swaying fir trees,
waiting for her grandfather to join her. He had promised
to bring up her trunk from the village while she

(00:21):
went to visit the grandmother. The child was longing to
see the blind woman again and to hear how she
had liked the rolls. It was Saturday, and the grandfather
had been cleaning the cottage. Soon he was ready to start.
When they had descended and Hide entered Peter's hut, the

(00:44):
grandmother called lovingly to her, have you come again, child?
She took hold of Hide's hand and held it tight.
Grandmother then told the little visitor how good the roll
had tasted and how much stronger she felt already. Brigida

(01:05):
related further that the grandmother had only eaten a single roll,
being so afraid to finish them too soon. Heidi had
listened attentively and said, now, Grandmother, I know what I
shall do. I Am going to write to Clara and
she'll surely send me a whole lot more. But Brigida

(01:28):
remarked that is meant well, but they get hard so soon.
If only I had a few extra pennies, I could
buy some from our baker. He makes them too, But
I am hardly able to pay for the blackbread. Hidie's
face suddenly shone. Oh, Grandmother, I have an awful lot

(01:52):
of money, she cried, Now I know what I'll do
with it. Every day you must have a fresh roll,
and two on Sundays Peter can bring them up from
the village. No, no, child, the grandmother implored that must
not be. You must give it to grandfather and he'll

(02:13):
tell you what to do with it. But Heidi did
not listen, but jumped gaily about the little room, calling
over and over again. Now grandmother can have a roll
every day. She'll get well and strong, and she called
with fresh delight. Maybe your eyes will see again too,

(02:34):
when you are strong and well. The grandmother remained silent,
not to mar the happiness of the child. Seeing the
old hymn book on the shelf, Heidi said, Grandmother, shall
I read you a song from your book? Now? I
can read quite nicely, she added, after a pause, Oh yes,

(02:57):
I wish you would, child, Can you really read? Heidi,
climbing on a chair, took down the dusty book from
a shelf. After she had carefully wiped it off, she
sat down on a stool. What shall I read, grandmother?
Whatever you want to was the reply. Turning the pages,

(03:22):
Heidi found a song about the sun and decided to
read that aloud. More and more eagerly she read while
the grandmother, with folded arms, sat in her chair. An
expression of indescribable happiness shone in her countenance, though tears

(03:45):
were rolling down her cheeks. When Hidie had repeated the
end of the song a number of times, the old
woman exclaimed, Oh, Hidi, everything seems to me again, and
my heart is light. Thank you, child, you have done

(04:07):
me so much good. Heidi looked and raptured at the
grandmother's face, which had changed from an old, sorrowful expression
to a joyous one. She seemed to look up gratefully,
as if she could already behold the lovely celestial gardens

(04:28):
told of in the hymn. Soon the grandfather knocked on
the window for it was time to go. Heidi followed quickly,
assuring the grandmother that she would visit her every day now.
On the days she went up to the pasture with Peter,
she would return in the early afternoon, for she did

(04:51):
not want to miss the chance to make the grandmother's
heart joyful and light. Brigida urged Tidy to take her
dress along and with it on her arm, the child
joined the old man and immediately told him what had happened.
On hearing of her plan to purchase rolls for the

(05:13):
grandmother every day, the grandfather reluctantly consented. At this, the
child gave a bound, shouting, oh, Grandfather, Now grandmother won't
ever have to eat hard black bread anymore. Oh, everything
is so wonderful now. If God, our father had done

(05:37):
immediately what I prayed for, I should have come home
at once and could not have bought half as many
roles to grandmother. I should not have been able to
read either. Grandmamma told me that God would make everything
much better than I could ever dream. I shall always
pray from now on the way Grandma taught me. When

(06:02):
God does not give me something I pray for, I
shall always remember how everything has worked out for the best.
This time, we'll pray every day, Grandfather, won't we for
otherwise God might forget us. And if somebody should forget
to do it murmured the old man. Oh, he'll get

(06:24):
on badly, for God will forget him too. If he
is unhappy and wretched. People don't pity him, for they
will say he went away from God, and now the Lord,
who alone can help him, has no pity on him.
Is that true, Heidi, who told you so? Grandmamma explained

(06:48):
it all to me. After a pause, the grandfather said, yes.
But if it has happened, then there is no help.
Nobody can come back to the Lord when God has
once forgotten him. But Grandfather, everybody can come back to him.

(07:09):
Grandmamma told me that. And besides, there is the beautiful
story in my book. Oh grandfather, you don't know it yet,
and I shall read it to you as soon as
we get home. The grandfather had brought a big basket
with him, in which he carried half the contents of

(07:30):
Heide's trunk. It had been too large to be conveyed
up the steep ascent. Arriving at the hut and setting
down his load, he had to sit beside Hidie, who
was ready to begin the tale. With great animation, Hidi

(07:51):
read the story of the prodigal son, who was happy
at home with his father's cows and sheep. The picture
showed him leaning on his staff watching the sunset. Suddenly
he wanted to have his own inheritance and be able
to be his own master. Demanding the money from his father,

(08:13):
he went away and squandered it all. When he had
nothing in the world left, he had to go a
servant to a peasant who did not own fine cattle
like his father, but only swine. His clothes were rags,
and for food he only got the husks on which
the pigs were fed. Often he would think what a

(08:35):
good home he had left, and when he remembered how
good his father had been to him and his own ungratefulness,
he would cry from repentance and longing. Then he said
to himself, I shall go to my father and ask
his forgiveness. When he approached his former home, his father

(08:56):
came out to meet him. What do you think will
happen now, Heidi asked, you think that the father is
angry and will say, didn't I tell you? But just listen.
And his father saw him and had compassion and ran
and fell on his neck. And the son said, Father,

(09:19):
I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son. But
the father said to his servants, bring forth the best
robe and put it on him, and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and bring
hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us

(09:41):
eat and be merry. For this My son was dead
and is alive again. He was lost and is found,
and they began to be merry. Isn't it a beautiful story?
Grandfather asked Heidi, when he sat silently beside her. Yes, Heide,

(10:03):
it is, said the grandfather, but so seriously that Heide
quietly looked at the pictures. Look how happy he is,
she said, pointing to it. A few hours later, when
Heidi was sleeping soundly, the old man climbed up the ladder,

(10:30):
placing a little lamp beside the sleeping child. He watched
her a long long time. Her little hands were folded,
and her rosy face looked confident and peaceful. The old
man now folded his hands and said, in a low voice,

(10:55):
while big tears rolled down his cheeks, father, I have
sinned against Heaven and thee, and am no more worthy
to be thy son. The next morning found the uncle
standing before the door, looking about him over valley and mountain.

(11:21):
A few early bells sounded from below, and the birds
sang their morning anthems. Re Entering the house, he called, Heidi,
get up, the sun is shining. Put on a pretty dress,
for we are going to church. That was a new call,

(11:44):
and Heidi obeyed quickly. When the child came downstairs in
her smart little frock, she opened her eyes wide. Oh, grandfather,
she exclaimed, I have never seen you in your sunday
coat with the silver buttons. Oh how fine you look.

(12:05):
The old man, turning to the child, said with a smile,
you look nice too. Come now, With Hidey's hand in his,
they wandered down together. The nearer they came to the village,
the louder and richer the bells sounded. Oh, grandfather, do

(12:29):
you hear it? It seems like a big high feast,
said Heide. When they entered the church, all the people
were singing. Though they sat down on the last bench behind,
the people had noticed their presence and whispered it from

(12:49):
ear to ear. When the pastor began to preach, his
words were a loud thanksgiving that moved all his hearers.
After the service, the old man and the child walked
to the parsonage. The clergyman had opened the door and

(13:11):
received them with friendly words. I have come to ask
your forgiveness for my harsh words, said the uncle. I
want to follow your advice to spend the winter here
among you. If the people look at me askance, I
can't expect any better. I am sure, mister pastor, you

(13:33):
will not do so. The pastor's friendly eyes sparkled, and
with many a kind word, he commended the uncle for
this change, and, putting his hand on Heide's curly hair,
ushered them out. Thus, the people, who had been all

(13:53):
talking together about this great event, could see that their
clergyman shook hands with the old man. The door of
the parsonage was hardly shut when the whole assembly came
forward with outstretched hands and friendly greetings. Great seemed to

(14:14):
be their joy the old man's resolution. Some of the
people even accompanied him on his homeward way. When they
have parted at last, the uncle looked after them, with
his face shining as with an inward light. Heidee looked
up to him and said, grandfather, you have never looked

(14:37):
so beautiful. Do you think so? Child? He said, with
a smile, you see Heidi, I am more happy than
I deserve. To be at peace with God and men
makes one's heart feel light. God has been good to
me to send you back. When they arrived at Peter's hut,

(15:03):
the grandfather opened the door and entered. How do you do, grandmother,
he called out, I think we must start to mend
again before the fall wind comes. Oh my god, the
uncle exclaimed the grandmother in joyous surprise. How happy I
am to be able to thank you for what you
have done, Uncle, Thank you God, bless you for it.

(15:28):
With trembling joy, the grandmother shook hands with her old friend.
There is something else I want to say to you, uncle,
she continued. If I have ever hurt you in any way,
do not punish me. Do not let Hidie go away
again before I die. I cannot tell you what hide

(15:49):
means to me, so saying, she held the clinging child
to her. No danger of that, Grandmother. I hope we
shall all stay together now for many years to come.
Brigida now showed Heidee's feather hat to the old man

(16:09):
and asked him to take it back, but the uncle
asked her to keep it since Heidi had given it
to her. What blessings this child has brought from Frankfort,
Brigida said, I often wondered if I should not send
our little Peter too. What do you think, uncle? The

(16:32):
uncle's eye sparkled with fun when he replied, I'm sure
it would not hurt Peter. Nevertheless, I should wait for
a fitting occasion before I sent him. The next moment,
Peter himself arrived in great haste. He had a letter
for Heidi, which had been given to him in the village.

(16:55):
What an event a letter for Hidi. They all sat
down at the table while the child read it aloud.
The letter was from Clara Seesman, who wrote that everything
had got so dull since Hidi left. She said that

(17:16):
she could not stand it very long, and therefore her
father had promised to take her to Ragats this coming fall.
She announced that Grandmamma was coming too, for she wanted
to see Heidi and her grandfather. Grandmamma, having heard about
the rolls, was sending some coffee too, so that the

(17:37):
grandmother would not have to eat them dry. Grandmama also
insisted on being taken to the grandmother herself when she
came on her visit. Great was the delight caused by
this news, and what with all the questions and plans
that followed, the grandfather himself forgot how late it was.

(17:59):
This day which had united them all. Caused the old
woman to say, at parting, the most beautiful thing of all, though,
is to be able to shake hands again with an
old friend as in days gone by. It is a
great comfort to find again what we have treasured. I

(18:20):
hope you'll come soon again. Uncle. I am counting on
the child for tomorrow. This promise was given while Heidi
and her grandfather were on their homeward path. The peaceful
sound of evening bells accompanied them. At last they reached

(18:41):
the cottage, which seemed to glow in the evening light.
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