Little Heidi (English-Chinese parallel text)

Author: (Switzerland) Johanna Spyri, translated by Feng Lizeng and others
Translator: Feng Lizeng, Li Fenghua
Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-09-01
Features: "Up there, right up there. We still have a long way to go, come quickly! The stone is at the very top where the birds rest and screech." This really worked; Heidi immediately stood up, carrying a bunch of flowers to Peter. "You have enough flowers already," Peter said as he climbed up, "if you pick any more, you won’t be able to leave here. Besides, if you pick all the flowers, you won’t see them tomorrow." The last sentence was very effective; Heidi’s apron was already full of flowers, and it couldn’t hold any more. Moreover, not having flowers to pick tomorrow was certainly not a pleasant thought. So she followed Peter closely and no longer ran around. The flock also became more disciplined. They smelled the scent of their favorite plants drifting up from the slope above and climbed up recklessly.
Peter usually let the flock stop to graze and rest at the base of the large stone. There was a large flat area covered by shrubs and fir trees, with a bare, rocky summit rising above the treetops. A deep crack had been split into the rocks on one slope. It was very dangerous, and Grandpa’s warning to Peter to be careful was very reasonable. After reaching the rest spot, Peter took out his pockets and carefully placed them in a small hole. He had experienced the fierce mountain winds there and didn’t want a sudden gust to blow his precious food into the valley. Then, he lay down on the warm ground and stretched out his entire body. The tension of the journey had also taken its toll on him.
Heidi took off her apron, wrapped the flowers, and placed them near the pockets before sitting beside Peter’s outstretched body, looking around. The deep valley was bathed in the morning sun, revealing a vast expanse of alpine snow before her, set against the azure sky. To the left was a large pile of rocks, with bare, towering peaks on both sides, frowning down at her. Heidi sat motionless, watching everything before her. The surroundings were quiet, with only the gentle breeze swaying the bell-shaped crowns of blue flowers and the golden buds of rockroses, as if they were happily nodding and smiling on tender stems. Peter, exhausted, fell fast asleep, while the flock wandered around in the shrubs above.
Heidi felt an unprecedented joy. She basked in the golden sunlight, breathed in the fresh air, and inhaled the fragrance of wildflowers. She didn’t think of anything else, only wishing she could stay there forever. As time passed, the countless times Heidi had looked up at the mountains from the valley now seemed to have faces, as if they were old friends watching over her. Suddenly, she heard a scream above her head. Looking up, she saw a bird larger than any she had ever seen, with its massive wings spread wide, circling in the sky and emitting a sharp cry.
"Peter, Peter, wake up," she shouted, "Look! There’s a big bird up there! Quick, look!" At her shout, Peter sat up. The two sat watching the large bird soaring higher and higher into the blue sky until it disappeared behind the gray mountain peaks. "Where is it going?" Heidi asked, her eyes fixed on the bird’s path with great interest.
"It’s going back to its nest," Peter said. "Its home is up there so high! That’s wonderful! Why is it making that noise?"
"It can’t help it," Peter explained. "Shall we climb up and see where its nest is?" Heidi suggested.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" With each "hey," his refusal grew stronger. "Even the goats can’t climb that high. Besides, didn’t Alm Uncle say you can’t fall off the rocks?"
Just then, Peter suddenly whistled and shouted. Heidi didn’t know what was going on, but the flock understood perfectly. One after another, they jumped off the rocks and gathered into the green meadow. Some continued to chew on juicy grass stems, while others bounced around, headbutting each other with their horns. Heidi jumped up and ran among the flock, weaving through them. It was the first time she had seen the flock play like this, and she was overjoyed, the happiness beyond words. She knew each sheep individually, for, in her eyes, every sheep was different, with its own unique behavior.
At this moment, Peter took out his pockets from the hole and placed the bread and cheese on the ground, forming a square. The two larger pieces were on Heidi’s side, and the smaller ones on his. He was very clear about the ownership of the items. Then, he took out a small bowl and squeezed fresh milk from the white goat for Heidi, placing it in the middle. He called her over to eat, but now it was even harder to call her than to call the goats, for she was too engrossed in her new companions and their games to see or hear anything else. However, Peter had his own way. He shouted so loudly that the stones on the mountain echoed in response, and finally, he managed to call Heidi over.
She saw the tempting food on the ground and jumped around happily.
"Don’t jump around now; it’s time to eat," Peter said. "Sit down and have your meal!" Heidi sat down. She excitedly glanced at the neatly arranged square and the small bowl in the middle and asked, "Is this milk for me?"
"Yes," Peter said. "And those two large pieces of bread and cheese. After you finish the milk, I’ll squeeze another bowl for you, and then I’ll start eating."
"Where will you drink the milk from?" Heidi asked.
"I’ll drink from my speckled goat. You’d better eat quickly," Peter reminded her again.
Heidi finally picked up the bowl and drank the goat milk down in one gulp. As soon as she put down the empty bowl, Peter immediately stood up and squeezed another bowl for her. Heidi took the bread, broke off a piece, and the remaining piece was much larger than Peter’s. She handed both the bread and the entire piece of cheese to Peter and said, "You can eat all of this; I’m full."
Peter stared at Heidi in surprise, unsure what to say or do. He had never said or done such a thing before. Therefore, he hesitated, unsure whether Heidi was sincere. But Heidi, still holding the bread and cheese, saw that Peter wasn’t taking them and placed them on his lap. Now she understood that Heidi was truly sincere.
Peter grabbed the food, nodded repeatedly in gratitude, and accepted it. He enjoyed a hearty meal, which was the first time he had eaten so well since becoming a shepherd.
Heidi kept watching the flock and said, "Tell me what they’re all called." Peter knew this perfectly, for there was nothing else he had to remember. It was very easy for him. So he pointed to each one and named them. Heidi listened carefully and soon could point to each sheep and name them herself, for they were all so distinct that it was easy to tell them apart with careful observation. For example, Bock, who was tall and strong with a pair of large horns, always wanted to bully the other goats, so everyone avoided him. Only a small goat named Gruffin, though slender, could bravely face Bock and launch a series of fierce attacks with quick and agile movements. The large Bock was taken aback and stood frozen, not daring to retaliate rashly, for the small goat’s horns were sharp and very aggressive.
Then there was the little white Snowflake, whose voice was gentle and sorrowful. Heidi had gone to comfort it many times, holding its head in her arms.
At this moment, the small goat let out a sad cry. Heidi jumped up and ran over, hugging its neck and sympathetically asking, "Snowflake, what’s wrong? Your cries sound like you’re in trouble." The goat leaned on her trustingly while still crying.
Peter hadn’t finished his meal yet, but he spoke from where he was sitting: "It’s crying like that because its mother can’t be with it anymore. It was sold in Mayenfeld the day before yesterday and will never come up to the mountain again."
"Who is the mother?" Heidi asked.
"Of course, it’s its mother."
"And who is the grandmother?" Heidi asked again.
"She doesn’t have a grandmother."
"And the grandfather?"
"He doesn’t have a grandfather either."