Heidi

Everyone calls him Uncle Alp, because that's where he lives.

On top of an alp.

Well, some mountain in Switzerland, anyway.

When he was younger, he drank, you know.

And gambled away practically the entire family fortune.

And when he joined the Army, well...

they say that he killed a man and that he had to go to court...

and then things took a very nasty turn.

I'm appalled at the prospect of leaving the child with a man like that.

But I have to work.

And I won't get a good position with a child along.

And the lord knows I've done my best for her since my poor sister died.

Are you all right, Heidi?

Tobaco

What's he like, my grandfather?

You'll love him.

Well, he's everything you'd expect in a grandfather.

Is this where grandfather lives?

No, he lives much further up the mountain.

He must be mad, honestly.

Who lives here?

How should I know, child?

Do you think they'd of water?

Ask them.

Yes?

May I have a drink of water, please?

What's your name, then?

Heidi.

What's yours?

Peter.

What are you doing up here anyway?

I've come to live with my grandfather.

Uncle Alp?

That's what they call him, I think.

Rather you than me.

Quickly now.

Say hello to your grandfather, then.

Hello, grandfather.

I'm Heidi.

Your granddaughter.

Why have you brought her here?

She's come to live with you.

What?!

I've done all I can for her these past few years.

Now it's your turn.

Don't be ridiculous, girl.

Where's Detie?

She's gone, grandfather.

Gone?

Then you'd better hurry up and catch her, hadn't you?

But she said she only had one ticket to Frankfurt.

Shit!

You can't stay here. It...

Where will I sleep, grandfather?

Where you like.

I could sleep up here, grandfather.

You'll need this one also. It gets...

much colder later.

Thank you, grandfather.

Goodnight.

Morning, grandfather.

Morning.

Hello. Hello.

Hey, what's your name?

What's their names, grandfather?

Well, this one's Daisy, this is Dusky.

It's Pete, come to take them up to high pasture.

Can I go with him?

I suppose so.

Only, wash your face first...

so the sun won't laugh at how dirty it is.

Presumably you have no objections,

General of the Goats?

Suppose not.

This is her lunch.

See she gets all of it, mmm?

And mind you look after her.

Especially around that ravine.

The sun can't laugh at me now, grandfather.

See you later then.

Careful! Hey!

Didn't you hear Old Alp warn me about the ravine?

I was only looking. And don't call him Old Alp.

Stay where I can see you from now on, all right?

Is that all you're having?

It's all we can afford.

Have this. And the bread.

Are you sure?

I've got more than enough of this.

Thanks.

Get off.

Don't send him away. What's his name?

Finch.

He's more trouble than the rest of them put together.

I think he's lovely.

What's that?

A hawk, of course.

Does it live up here?

It has a nest at the top of the peak there.

Can we go up and see it?

Don't be silly. Even the goats can't get up there.

Why does it make that noise?

I don't know.

Where's that stupid Finch gone now?

Oh, no!

- Come on. - Don't you dare!

He needs to be taught a lesson.

He's just a baby. No, I said!

Promise me more of that cheese tomorrow, then.

Tomorrow and every day.

And the bread, just so long as you promise...

to never never beat any of them ever again.

Promise.

Bye, Peter. Can I come with you tomorrow, then?

If you like.

Can I, grandfather?

Of course.

I brought you these.

Oh, no, what happened to them, grandfather?

Perhaps they wanted to stay in the sun.

I'll never, ever pick any more ever again.

Why does it croak like that?

He's jeering at all the people who live down in the village...

and make trouble for one another.

He's telling them...

"why don't you mind your own business?"

"Or climb to the top of a mountain sometime.

You'd all be a lot better off."

What are you doing, grandfather?

Making cheese.

Can I try?

Are your hands clean?

All right, go on then.

You'll need to do it much harder than that.

That will be Peter.

All right, run along. I'll finish off.

It will snow soon.

How do you know?

I just know.

My grannie, she said she'd like to meet you.

What's she like?

Ancient.

And blind.

She sees people through her fingers.

Really? I'd like to see her do that.

What about tomorrow, then?

All right.

Don't forget about tomorrow.

I won't.

Come on.

In you go, Daisy.

Grandfather, have you made that?!

It is just something for you to sit on by the fire when the winter comes.

Oh, grandfather, thank you. It's lovely.

Thank you, thank you.

Peter says I'll be going to meet his grannie tomorrow.

Will that be all right?

Yeah, I suppose so.

How will Peter get up here with the goats, grandfather?

He won't be able to.

But I promised to visit his grannie.

She'll be expecting me.

She'll just have to be patient, won't she?

And so will you.

Now, go get some warmer clothes on.

Where are you going?

To see Heidi.

The snow's too deep, Peter.

Don't worry, I'll be all right.

I'll be back before dark.

Who's this, grandfather?

My son.

Your father.

He died in an accident.

Him and your mother.

Don't you remember them at all?

I was only a baby, Aunt Detie said.

What was he like? My father?

A lot like you, actually.

Why don't you ever go down to the village, grandfather?

Oh, I...

I go when I have to.

Peter?!

Are you out of your mind,

coming up here before the snow's even frozen?

I'm here, aren't I?

Hello, Heidi.

Hello.

So, General you're going to have to start chewing a pencil again, eh?

Chewing a pencil?

In the winter, Peter has to go to school.

And he finds chewing a pencil helps a lot.

Don't you, Peter?

What do you do at school, Peter?

Learning to read and write.

Not like I'm ever gonna bother to.

Why not?

Because it's a waste of time.

Why does a goatherd need to read and write anyway?

Well, that would depend, wouldn't it?