Level 5

Rolls for Grannie

T he new kittens were soon hidden safely
with the others, thanks to Sebastian. For
the second day now, Clara’s lesson had been
interrupted with laughter and excitement.
Later in the day, everything was explained to
Fraulein. She quickly realized that Heidi’s
trip the day before was the cause of all the
chaos. “I am going to punish you for all your
bad behavior,” she told Heidi. “I’ll put you
in the cellar with the rats and black beetles.”
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 Heidi was silent and puzzled. She did not
know what a cellar was like, and she had
never seen a rat or a black beetle. But Clara
interrupted in great distress. Clara’s father
had written to say that he would be home
soon, so she said, “No, no, Fraulein, you
must wait until Father arrives. He will say
what is to be done with Heidi.”
“Fine, Clara, but I will have something to
say to Herr Sesemann when he arrives!”
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replied Fraulein.
The next days went by without any further
disturbance. Heidi and Clara did their
lessons in the mornings. In the afternoons,
Heidi told Clara about Grandfather’s hut on
the mountain, about Peter and the goats, and
Peter’s Grannie. Heidi’s heart was longing to
return. She would always finish her stories
with, “I must go home! Tomorrow, I must
really go home!”
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 Even though Heidi missed her old home,
she had a secret that cheered her up a little
every day. She knew how much Peter’s
grandmother would love the soft white rolls
that were served with dinner. So after each
meal, she pocketed a roll and saved it in her
room.
Detie had told her that she could go home
any time she wanted, and one morning Heidi
decided she could stay no longer. From the
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bundle of clothes Detie had brought to
Frankfurt, Heidi chose her red shawl and
straw hat. She tied up the rolls in her shawl
and put the hat on her head. Just as she
reached the front door, she ran into Fraulein.
“What are you doing? Have I not strictly
forbidden you to run about?” said Fraulein.
“I am not going to run about. I am going
home!” said Heidi, hiding the bundle of rolls
behind her back.
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 “What are you talking about? Have you
not been treated well here? What would
Clara’s father say?” said Fraulein.
“But I only want to go home. Grannie is
waiting for me. I can’t share my lunch with
Peter. And I can’t watch the sunset on the
mountains!” exclaimed Heidi.
“The child is out of her mind!” cried
Fraulein. She grabbed Heidi’s hand, took
away her hat and shawl, and gave them to
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Sebastian. “Take her to her room at once,”
said Fraulein.
Heidi climbed the stairs with slow, heavy
steps. Sebastian felt sad as he watched her.
“Don’t give in!” he said. “Don’t let her
make you unhappy! Keep up your courage!”
Later in the day, Fraulein remembered
what Heidi had been wearing when she had
tried to leave. She decided to add some of
Clara’s clothes to Heidi’s wardrobe. When
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 she opened Heidi’s closet, she couldn’t
believe what she saw. “What is this, Heidi?
A pile of old rolls in the bottom of your
closet?!” Fraulein called Sebastian. “Take
away these old rolls at once!” ordered
Fraulein.
“No, no!” screamed Heidi. “The rolls are
for Grannie!” But Fraulein would not listen,
and Heidi flung herself down on her bed in
despair.
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 Level 5

Rolls for Grannie

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