Heidi arrived in Grandmamma's room and looked with delight at the beautiful and colorful books.
She sat beside Grandmamma and eagerly turned the pages.
Halfway through one book, she suddenly cried out.
For a moment or two, she looked at the picture with happy eyes, and then, she burst into sobs.
Grandmamma looked at the picture that was upsetting Heidi.
It was a green pasture with young animals grazing on the fresh grass.
In the middle was a shepherd leaning on his staff and looking at his happy flock.
The whole scene was bathed in golden light because the sun was just sinking below the horizon.
"Don't cry, dear child, don't cry," said Grandmamma.
"The picture has reminded you of something, I think.
But there is a beautiful story that goes with it."
Since the day that Heidi had tried to go home and Fraulein had taken Grannie's rolls, a change had come over Heidi.
She realized now that she could not go home whenever she wanted.
She would have to stay in Frankfurt for a long time─maybe forever.
Even though Clara, Herr Sesemann, Grandmamma, and even Sebastian were kind to her, Heidi's life with them was making her sad.
But Heidi worried that Herr Sesemann would think she was ungrateful if she wanted to leave, and so would Grandmamma and Clara as well.
There was no one she could talk to about her longing to go home.
As days passed, the weight grew heavier and heavier on Heidi's heart.
She ate less and less, and every day she grew a little paler.
She was awake for long hours in the night picturing the mountain with its sunshine and flowers.
When she finally fell asleep, she would dream of the mountains turning a soft red in the evening light.
She would wake up in the morning thinking that she was back at the hut.
And when she suddenly realized that she was far from home, she would lay her face in her pillow and weep quietly so that no one could hear.
Heidi's unhappiness did not escape Grandmamma's notice.
She watched Heidi carefully.
After a few days, when she realized that Heidi was getting more and more sad, she took her into her room.
"Now, tell me, Heidi, what is the matter?" she asked.
"Are you in trouble?"
But Heidi was afraid to tell Grandmamma the truth.
"I can't tell you," she said simply.
"Well, could you tell Clara about it?" asked Grandmamma.
"Oh, no, I cannot tell anyone,"
said Heidi in so firm a tone and with such a troubled look on her face that Grandmamma felt a deep pity for the child.
"Then, dear child, let me tell you what to do.
When we are in great trouble, we must pray to God for help.
You say your prayers every evening, don't you?"
"No, I never say any prayers," answered Heidi.
"Have you never been taught to pray?" Grandmamma said with surprise.
"You think no one can help you, but it is not true.
When your heart is heavy with grief, you can tell everything to God.
He can help make you happy again."
A sudden gleam of joy came into Heidi's eyes,
"May I tell Him everything?"
"Yes, of course," was Grandmamma's answer.
Quickly, Heidi ran to her own room.
She sat down on her chair, closed her eyes, and told God everything that was making her so sad and unhappy.
She begged God earnestly to help her and to let her go home to Grandfather.