,,what ,,sami ,,sings ,,with ,,the      
,,birds  ,,by  ,,johanna ,,spyri        
,,translated ,,by ,,helen ,b4 ,,dole    
#aiag  ,illustration3 8,up in the       
ash-trees the birds piped and sang      
merrily together40     ,,contents       
,,chapter     ,,first ,,old ,,mary ,,ann
     ,,second ,,at ,,the                
,,grandmother',s     ,,third ,,another  
,,life     ,,fourth ,,hard ,,times      
,,fifth ,,the ,,birds ,,are ,,still     
,,singing     ,,sixth ,,sami ,,sings    
,,too     ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations   
,,up ,,in ,,the ,,ash-,,trees ,,the     
,,birds ,,piped ,,and ,,sang ,,merrily  
,,together4  ,,where ,,have ,,you ,,come
 ,,from ,,with ,,all ,,your ,,household 
,,goods8  ,,such ,,stray ,,waifs ,,as   
,,you ,,are ,,not ,,willing ,,to ,,do   
,,anything4     ,,what ,,sami ,,sings   
,,with ,,the ,,birds     ,,chapter      
,,first  ,,old ,,mary ,,ann   ,for three
 days the ,spring sun had been shining  
out of a clear sky and casting a        
gleaming1 golden coverlet over the blue 

waters of ,lake ,geneva4 ,storm and rain
 had ceased4 ,the breeze murmured softly
 and pleasantly up in the ash-trees1 and
 all around in the green fields the     
yellow buttercups and snow-white daisies
 glistened in the bright sunshine4      
,under the ash-trees1 the clear brook   
was running with the cool mountain water
 and feeding the gaily nodding primroses
 and pink anemones on the hillside1 as  
they grew and bloomed down close to the 
water4  ,on the low wall by the brook1  
in the shadow of the ash-trees1 an old  
woman was sitting4 ,she was called 8,old
 ,mary ,ann0 throughout the whole       
neighborhood4 ,her big basket1 the      
weight of which had become a little     
heavy1 she had put down beside her4 ,she
 was on her way back from ,la ,tour1 the
 little old town1 with the vine-covered 
church tower and the ruined castle1 the 
high turrets of which rose far across   
the blue lake4 ,old ,mary ,ann had taken
 her work there4 ,this consisted in all 
kinds of mending which did not need to  

be done particularly well1 for the woman
 was no longer able to do fine work1 and
 never could do it4  ,old ,mary ,ann had
 had a very changeable life4 ,the place 
where she now found herself was not her 
home4 ,the language of the country was  
not her own4 ,from the shady seat on the
 low wall1 she now looked contentedly at
 the sunny fields1 then across the      
murmuring brook to the hillside where   
the big yellow primroses nodded1 while  
the birds piped and sang in the green   
ash-trees above her1 as if they had the 
greatest festival to celebrate4  8,every
 ,spring1 people think it never was so  
beautiful before1 when they have already
 seen so many10 she now said half aloud 
to herself1 and as she gazed at the     
fields so rich in flowers1 many of the  
past years rose up and passed before    
her1 with all that she had experienced  
in them4  ,as a child she had lived far 
beyond the mountains4 ,she knew so well 
how it must look over there now at her  
father's house1 which stood in a field  

among white-blooming pear-trees4 ,over  
yonder the large village with its many  
houses could be seen4 ,it was called    
,zweisimmen4 ,everybody called their    
house the sergeant's house1 although her
 father quite peacefully tilled his     
fields4 ,but that came from her         
grandfather4 ,when quite a young fellow1
 he had gone over the mountains to ,lake
 ,geneva and then still farther to      
,savoy4 ,under a ,duke of ,savoy he had 
taken part in all sorts of military     
expeditions and had not returned home   
until he was an old man4 ,he always wore
 an old uniform and allowed himself to  
be called sergeant4 ,then he married and
 ,mary ,ann's father was his only child4
 ,the old man lived to be a hundred     
years old1 and every child in all the   
region round knew the old sergeant4     
,mary ,ann had three brothers1 but as   
soon as one of them grew up he          
disappeared1 she knew not where4 ,only  
this much she understood1 that her      
mother mourned over them1 but her father

 said quite resignedly every time3 8,we 
can't help it1 they will go over the    
mountains2 they take it from their      
grandfather40 ,she had never heard      
anything more about her brothers4  ,when
 ,mary ,ann grew up and married1 her    
young husband also came into the house  
among the pear-trees1 for her father was
 old and could no longer do his work    
alone4 ,but after a few years ,mary ,ann
 buried her young husband2 a burning    
fever had taken him off4 ,then came hard
 times for the widow4 ,she had her      
child1 little ,sami1 to care for1       
besides her old1 infirm parents to look 
after1 and moreover there was all the   
work to be done in the house and in the 
fields which until now her husband had  
attended to4 ,she did what she could1   
but it was of no use1 the land had to be
 given up to a cousin4 ,the house was   
mortgaged1 and ,mary ,ann hardly knew   
how to keep her old parents from want4  
,gradually young ,sami grew up and was  
able to help the cousin in the fields4  

,then the old parents died about the    
same time1 and ,mary ,ann hoped now by  
hard work and her son's help little by  
little to pay up her debts and once more
 take possession of her fields and      
house4 ,but as soon as her father and   
mother were buried1 her son ,sami1 who  
was now eighteen years old1 came to her 
and said he could no longer bear to stay
 at home1 he must go over the mountains 
and so begin a new life4 ,this was a    
great shock to the mother1 but when she 
saw that persuasion1 remonstrance and   
entreaty were all in vain her father's  
words came to her mind and she said     
resignedly1 8,it can't be helped2 he    
takes it from his great-grandfather40   
,but she would not let the young man go 
away alone1 and he was glad to have his 
mother go with him4 ,so she wandered    
with him over the mountains4 ,in the    
little village of ,chailly1 which lies  
high up on the mountain slope and looks 
down on the meadows rich in flowers and 
the blue ,lake ,geneva1 they found work 

with the jolly wine-grower ,malon4 ,this
 man1 with curly hair already turning   
grey and a kindly round face1 lived     
alone with his son in the only house    
left standing1 near a crooked           
maple-tree4  ,mary ,ann received a room 
for herself and was to keep house for   
,herr ,malon1 and keep everything in    
order for him and his son4 ,sami was to 
work for good pay in ,malon's beautiful 
vineyard4 ,the widow ,mary ,ann passed  
several years here in a more peaceful   
way than she had ever known before4     
,when the fourth ,summer came to an end1
 ,sami said to her one day3  8,mother1  
,i must really marry young ,marietta of 
,st4 ,legier1 for ,i am so lonely away  
from her40  ,his mother knew ,marietta  
well and besides she liked the pretty1  
clever girl1 for she was not only always
 happy but there were few girls so good 
and industrious4 ,so she rejoiced with  
her son1 although he would have to go   
away from her to live with ,marietta and
 her aged father in ,st4 ,legier1 for   

she was indispensable to him4 ,herr     
,malon's son also brought a young wife  
home1 and so ,mary ,ann had no more     
duties there1 and had to look out for   
herself4 ,she kept her room for a small 
rent1 and was able to earn enough to    
support herself4 ,she now knew many     
people in the neighborhood1 and obtained
 enough work4  ,mary ,ann pondered over 
all these things1 and when her thoughts 
returned from the distant past to the   
present moment1 and she still heard the 
birds above her singing and rejoicing   
untiringly1 she said to herself3  8,they
 always sing the same song and we should
 be able to sing with them4 ,only trust 
in the dear ,lord6 ,he always helps us1 
although we may often think there is no 
possible way40  ,then ,mary ,ann left   
the low wall1 took her basket up again  
on her arm and went through the fragrant
 meadows of ,burier up towards ,chailly4
 ,from time to time she cast an anxious 
look in the direction of ,st4 ,legier4  
,she knew that young ,marietta was lying

 sick up there and that her son ,sami   
would now have hard work and care1 for a
 much smaller ,sami had just come into  
the world4 ,tomorrow ,mary ,ann would go
 over and see how things were going with
 her son and if she ought to stay with  
him and help4  ,mary ,ann had scarcely  
stepped into her little room and put on 
her house dress1 to prepare her supper1 
when she heard some one coming along    
with hurried footsteps4 ,the door was   
quickly thrown open and in stepped her  
son ,sami with a very distressed face4  
,under his arm he carried a bundle      
wrapped up in one of ,marietta's aprons4
 ,this he laid on the table1 threw      
himself down and sobbed aloud1 with his 
head in his arms3  8,it is all over1    
mother1 all over2 ,marietta is dead60   
8,oh1 for ,heaven's sake1 what are you  
saying80 cried his mother in the        
greatest horror4 8,oh1 ,sami1 is it     
possible80  ,then she lifted ,sami      
gently and continued in a trembling     
voice3  8,come1 sit down beside me and  

tell me all about it4 ,is she really    
dead8 ,oh1 when did it happen8 ,how did 
it come so quickly80  ,sami willingly   
dropped down on a chair beside his      
mother4 ,but then he buried his face in 
his hands and went on sobbing again4    
8,oh1 ,i can't bear it1 ,i must go away1
 mother1 ,i can't bear it here any      
longer1 it is all over60  8,oh1 ,sami1  
where would you go80 said his mother1   
weeping4 8,we have already come over the
 mountains1 where would you go from     
here80  8,i must go across the water1 as
 far as ,i possibly can1 ,i can't stay  
here any longer4 ,i cannot1 mother10    
declared ,sami4 8,i must go across the  
great water as far as possible60  8,oh1 
not that60 cried ,mary ,ann4 8,don't be 
so rash6 ,wait a little1 until you can  
think more calmly2 it will seem         
different to you40  8,no1 mother1 no1 ,i
 must go away4 ,i am forced to it2 ,i   
can't do any different10 cried ,sami1   
almost wild4  ,his mother looked at him 
in terror1 but she said nothing more4   

,she seemed to hear her father saying3  
8,it can't be helped4 ,he takes it from 
his grandfather40 ,and with a sigh she  
said3  8,it will have to be so40  ,then 
there sounded from the bundle a strange 
peeping1 exactly as if a chicken were   
smothering inside4 8,what have you put  
in the bundle1 ,sami80  asked the       
mother1 going towards it1 to loosen the 
firmly tied apron4  8,that's so1 ,i had 
almost forgotten it1 mother10 replied   
,sami1 wiping his eyes1 8,i have brought
 the little boy to you1 ,i don't know   
what to do with it40  8,oh1 how could   
you pack him up so6 ,yes1 yes1 you poor 
little thing10 said the grandmother     
soothingly1 taking the diminutive ,sami 
out of one wrapping and then a second   
and a third4  ,the father ,sami had     
wrapped the little baby first in its    
clothes1 then in a shawl1 and then in   
the apron as tight as possible1 so that 
it couldn't slip out on the way1 and    
fall on the ground4 ,when little ,sami  
was freed from the smothering wrappings 

and could move his arms and legs he     
fought with all his limbs in the air and
 screamed so pitifully that his         
grandmother thought it seemed exactly as
 if he already knew what a great        
misfortune had come to him4  ,but father
 ,sami said perhaps he was hungry1 for  
since the evening before no one had paid
 any attention to the little baby4 ,this
 seemed to the sympathetic ,mary ,ann   
quite too cruel1 and she realised that  
if she didn't care for the poor little  
mite it would die4 ,she wrapped him up  
again carefully in his blanket1 but not 
around his head1 and carried him upright
 on her arm1 not under it1 as one       
carries a bundle4 ,then she ran all     
around her room to collect milk1 a dish 
and fire together1 so that the starving 
little creature might have some         
nourishment4 ,as she sat on her stool1  
and the little one eagerly sipped the   
milk1 while his tiny little hand tightly
 clasped his grandmother's forefinger   
like a life-preserver1 she said1 greatly

 touched3  8,yes1 indeed1 you little    
,sami1 you poor little orphan1 ,i will  
do what ,i can for you and the dear     
,lord will not forsake us40  ,and to the
 big ,sami she said3  8,i will keep him1
 but don't take any rash steps6 ,in the 
first great sorrow many a one does what 
he later regrets4 ,see1 you can't run   
away from sorrow1 it runs with you4     
,stay and bear what the dear ,lord      
sends4 ,he is not angry with you4 ,hold 
to him still in time of sorrow1 then the
 sun will shine tomorrow6 ,it will be   
the same with you as it has been with so
 many others40 ,sami had listened in    
silence1 but like one who does not      
understand what he hears4  8,good night1
 mother6 ,may ,god reward you for what  
you do for the boy10 he said then1 after
 wiping his eyes again4 ,then he pressed
 his mother's hand1 and went out of the 
door4     ,,chapter ,,second  ,,at ,,the
 ,,grandmother',s   ,old ,mary ,ann had 
now to begin over again1 where she had  
left off twenty-one years before1 to    

bring up a little ,sami4 ,but then she  
was fresh and strong1 she had her       
husband by her side1 and lived at home  
among friends and acquaintances4 ,now   
she was in a strange land and was a     
worn-out woman1 and felt that her       
strength would not last much longer4    
,but little ,sami did not realise all   
this4 ,he was tended and cared for as if
 his grandmother wanted to make up to   
him every moment for what he had lost1  
and she was always saying to him1       
pityingly3  8,you poor little thing1 you
 have nobody in the world now but an old
 grandmother40  ,moreover it was so4    
,father ,sami could not be consoled4 ,as
 soon as his young wife was buried he   
went away1 and must have landed a long  
time ago in the far away country4       
,little ,sami grew finely1 and as his   
grandmother talked with him a great     
deal1 he began very early to imitate    
her4 ,his words became more and more    
distinct1 and when the end of his second
 year came1 he talked very plainly and  

in whole sentences4 ,his grandmother    
didn't know what to do for joy1 when she
 realised that her little ,sami spoke   
not a word of ,french1 but pure         
,swiss-,german1 as she had heard it only
 in her native land4 ,he spoke exactly  
like his grandmother1 who was indeed the
 only one he had to talk with4  ,now    
every day her baby gave her a new       
surprise4 ,first he began to say after  
her the little prayer she repeated for  
him morning and evening2 then he said it
 all alone4 ,she had to weep for joy    
when the little one began to sing after 
her the little ,summer song she had     
learned in her own childhood and had    
always sung to him1 and one day suddenly
 knew the whole song from beginning to  
end and sang one verse after another    
without hesitation4  ,in spite of all   
the grandmother's trouble and work1 the 
years passed so quickly to her1 that one
 day when she began to reckon she       
discovered that ,sami must be fully     
seven years old4 ,then she thought it   

was really time that he learned         
something4 ,but suddenly to send the boy
 to a ,french school when he didn't     
understand a word of ,french seemed     
dreadful to her1 for he would be as     
helpless as a chicken in water4 ,she    
would rather try1 as well as she        
possibly could1 to teach him herself to 
read4 ,she thought it would be very hard
 but it went quite easily4 ,in a short  
time1 the youngster knew all his        
letters1 and could even put words       
together quite well4 ,that something    
could be made out of this which he could
 understand and which he did not know   
before was very amusing to him1 and he  
sat over his reading-book with great    
eagerness4 ,but to go out with his      
grandmother to deliver her mending and  
to get new work was a still greater     
pleasure to him1 for nothing pleased him
 better than roaming through the green  
meadows1 then stopping at the brook to  
listen to the birds singing up in the   
ash-trees4  ,the changeable ,april days 

had just come to an end and the beaming 
,may sun shone so warm and alluring that
 all the flowers looked up to it with   
wide-open petals4 ,mary ,ann with ,sami 
by the hand1 her big basket on her arm1 
was coming along up from ,la ,tour4 ,the
 boy opened both his eyes as wide as he 
could1 for the red and blue flowers in  
the green grass and the golden sunshine 
above them delighted him very much4     
8,grandmother10 he said taking a deep   
breath1 8to-day we will sit on the low  
wall for twelve long hours1 won't we1   
really80  8,yes1 indeed10 assented his  
grandmother1 8we will stay there long   
enough to get well rested and enjoy     
ourselves2 but when the sun goes down   
and it grows dark1 then we will go4     
,then all the little birds are silent in
 the trees and the old night-owl begins 
to hoot40  ,this seemed right to ,sami1 
for he didn't want to hear the old owl  
hoot4 ,now they had reached the wall4 ,a
 cool shadow was lying on it2 below the 
fresh brook murmured1 and up in the     

ash-trees the birds piped and sang      
merrily together and one kept singing   
very distinctly3  8,sing too6 ,sing     
too60  ,sami listened4 ,suddenly he     
lifted up his voice and sang as loud and
 lustily as the birds above1 the whole  
song that his grandmother had taught    
him3    ,last night ,summer breezes     
blew3--   ,all the flowers awake anew1  
,open wide their eyes to see1           
,nodding1 bowing in their glee4    ,all 
the merry birds we hear   ,greet the    
sunshine bright and clear2   ,see them  
flitting thru the sky1   ,singing low   
and singing high6    ,flowers in ,summer
 warmth delight3--   ,what of ,winter   
and its blight8   ,snowy fields and     
forests cold8   ,flowers are by their   
faith consoled4    ,songsters1 all so   
blithe and gay1   ,know ye what your    
carols say8   ,how will your sweet      
carols fare   ,when your nests the      
snow-storms tear8    ,all the birdlings 
everywhere   ,now their loveliest songs 
prepare2   ,all the birdlings gayly     

sing3--   8,trust the ,lord in          
everything60  ,then ,sami listened very 
attentively1 as if he wanted to hear    
whether the birds really sang so4       
8,listen1 listen1 grandmother60 he said 
after a while4 8,up there in the tree is
 one that doesn't sing like the others4 
,at first he keeps singing #8,trust6    
,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6' and then the   
rest comes after40  8,yes1 yes1 that is 
the finch1 ,sami10 she replied4 8,see1  
he wants to impress it upon you1 so that
 you will think about what will always  
keep you safe and happy4 ,just listen1  
now1 he is calling again3 ,trust6 trust6
 trust6 trust6 trust6 ,only trust the   
dear ,lord40  ,sami listened again4 ,it 
was really wonderful1 how the finch     
always sounded above the other birds    
with his emphatic 8,trust6 trust6       
trust60  8,you must never forget what   
the finch calls10 continued the         
grandmother4 8,see1 ,sami1 perhaps ,i   
cannot stay with you much longer1 and   
then you will have no one else1 and will

 have to make your way alone4 ,then the 
little bird's song can oftentimes be a  
comfort to you4 ,so don't forget it1 and
 promise me too that you will say your  
little prayer every day1 so that you    
will be ,god-fearing2 then no matter    
what happens1 it will be well with you40
  ,sami promised that he would never    
forget to pray4 ,then he became         
thoughtful and asked somewhat timidly3  
8,must ,i always be afraid1             
grandmother80  8,no1 no6 ,did you think 
so because ,i said ,god-fearing8 ,it    
doesn't mean that3 ,i will explain it to
 you as well as ,i can4 ,you see to be  
,god-fearing is when one has the dear   
,lord before his eyes in everything he  
does1 and fears and hesitates to do what
 is not pleasing to ,him1 everything    
that is wicked and wrong4 ,whoever lives
 so before ,him has no reason to fear   
what may happen to him1 for such a man  
has the dear ,lord's help everywhere1   
and if he has to meet hardship          
oftentimes1 he knows that the dear ,lord

 allows it so1 in order that some good  
may come out of it for him1 and then he 
can sing as happily as the little birds3
 #8,only trust the dear ,lord6' ,will   
you remember that well1 ,sami80  8,yes1 
that ,i will10 said ,sami1 decidedly1   
for this pleased him much better1 than  
if he had to be always afraid4  ,now the
 setting sun cast its last long rays    
across the meadows1 and disappeared4    
,the grandmother left the wall1 took    
,sami by the hand and then the two      
wandered in the rosy twilight along the 
meadow path1 then up the green vine-clad
 hill to the little village of ,chailly 
up on the mountain4     ,,chapter       
,,third  ,,another ,,life   ,one        
morning1 a few days later1 ,mary ,ann   
was so tired she couldn't get up4 ,sami 
sat beside her waiting for her to be    
fully awake in order to go into the     
kitchen and make the coffee4 ,his       
grandmother opened her eyes once and    
fell asleep again4 ,she had never done  
anything like this before4 ,now she was 

really awake4 ,she tried to raise       
herself up a little1 then took ,sami by 
the hand and said in a low voice3       
8,sami1 listen to me1 ,i must tell you  
something4 ,see1 when ,i am no longer   
with you1 you have no one else here1 and
 are an entire stranger4 ,but there over
 the mountains you have relatives1 and  
you must return to them4 ,malon will    
tell you how to get there4 ,you must go 
to ,zweisimmen4 ,there ask for the      
sergeant1 your cousin1 who lives in the 
house with the big pear-trees near it4  
,tell him your grandmother was the      
sergeant's ,mary ,ann and your father   
was ,sami4 ,work hard and willingly1 you
 will have to earn your living4 ,there  
in the chest is some money in the little
 bag2 take it1 it is yours2 don't spend 
it foolishly4 ,sami1 think of what you  
promised me4 ,don't neglect to pray1 it 
will bring you comfort and happiness    
which you will need4 ,try to associate  
with ,god-fearing people and live with  
them1 then you will learn only good4    

,go1 now1 ,sami1 and call ,herr ,malon4 
,i must talk with him40  ,sami went and 
came back with the man of the house4 ,he
 stepped up to ,mary ,ann's bed1 and    
tried to encourage her1 as that was his 
way4 ,but he was alarmed at her         
appearance and wanted to go for the     
doctor1 as he told her4 ,but she held   
him fast and tried with great difficulty
 to express herself in his language1 for
 she had only a scanty knowledge of it4 
,malon nodded his head understandingly  
and then hurried away4 ,when he returned
 to the room a couple of hours later    
with the doctor1 ,sami was still sitting
 in the same place by the bed1 waiting  
very quietly for his grandmother to wake
 up again4 ,the doctor drew near the    
bed4 ,then he spoke with ,malon a while1
 and finally came to ,sami4 ,he told him
 his grandmother would never wake again1
 that she was dead4  ,malon was a good  
man2 he said he himself would go with   
,sami part of the way until he found    
some one who could talk with him and    

take him further2 but he must put all   
his belongings together in a bundle4    
,then the two men went away4  ,after a  
while the young woman of the house came1
 for the forsaken boy had deeply aroused
 her sympathy4 ,she found ,sami still   
sitting in the same place by the bed4   
,he was looking steadfastly at his      
grandmother and weeping piteously4 ,the 
woman spoke to him1 but he did not      
understand her4 ,then she took          
everything out of the cupboard and      
drawers1 packed them into a bundle and  
showed ,sami that he was to eat the     
bread and milk on the table4 ,sami      
swallowed the milk obediently1 but the  
woman put the bread in his pocket4 ,then
 she led the boy once more to the bed1  
that he might take his grandmother's    
hand in farewell4  ,sami obeyed still   
sobbing1 and let himself be led away by 
the woman4 ,herr ,malon was already     
waiting beside his little cart in which 
lay ,sami's bundle4 ,the boy understood 
that he was to draw the cart1 but he    

knew not where4 ,he wept softly to      
himself for it seemed to him as if he   
were going out into the wilderness where
 he would be wholly alone4 ,malon went  
on ahead of him4  ,it was the same way  
,sami had often gone with his           
grandmother down to ,la ,tour4 ,when he 
came to the wall by the brook1 he sobbed
 aloud4 ,how lovely it had been there   
with his grandmother6 ,he could not see 
the way because of his falling tears1   
but he heard ,herr ,malon's heavy step  
in front of him1 and he followed after4 
,at the little station house above the  
vine-covered church ,malon stopped4     
,soon after the train came puffing      
along4 ,malon got in and pulled ,sami   
after him1 and they started away4 ,sami 
crouched in a corner and did not stir4  
,they travelled thus for an hour4 ,sami 
did not understand a word that was      
spoken around him1 although several     
times one and another tried to talk with
 him a little1 for the softly weeping   
boy had indeed awakened their sympathy4 

,the train stopped again4 ,malon got out
 and ,sami followed him4 ,they went a   
short distance together and then ,malon 
stepped to the left into a large garden 
and then into the house4 ,here he talked
 a while with the man of the house1 who 
from time to time looked pityingly at   
,sami4 ,then ,malon took ,sami's hand1  
shook it and left him behind alone in   
the big room4  ,after some time the man 
of the house came back and a sturdy     
fellow behind him4 ,the latter began to 
talk in ,sami's own language4 ,he wanted
 to console the boy and said he would   
soon go on in a carriage4 ,then ,sami   
asked if he was his cousin1 and if this 
was the village of ,zweisimmen8 ,but the
 fellow laughed loudly and said he was  
no cousin1 but a servant here in the    
inn1 and the place was called ,aigle4   
,sami would have to travel an hour      
longer and would not reach ,zweisimmen  
before twelve o'clock at night4 ,but    
there was a coachman here from          
,interlaken1 who had to go back and     

would take him along4  ,the man of the  
house had bread and eggs brought for    
,sami and when he said he wasn't hungry1
 he put everything kindly into the boy's
 pocket4 ,then he led the boy out4      
,outside stood a large coach with two   
horses and high up on the top sat the   
driver4 ,no one was inside4 ,sami was   
lifted up1 the driver placed him next   
himself and drove away4 ,at any other   
time this would have pleased ,sami very 
much1 but now he was too sad4 ,he kept  
thinking of his grandmother1 who could  
no longer talk with him and would never 
wake again4 ,after some time the driver 
began to talk to him4 ,sami had to tell 
him where he came from and to whom he   
was going4 ,he told him everything1 how 
he had lived with his grandmother1 how  
she had fallen asleep early that day1   
and did not wake up again2 and that he  
was going to find a cousin in           
,zweisimmen and would have to live with 
him4 ,sami's childish description       
touched the driver so deeply that he    

finally said3  8,it will be too late    
when we reach there1 you must stay with 
me to-night40  ,then when he saw ,sami's
 eyes close with the approaching        
twilight and only open again when they  
went over a stone1 and the two of them  
up on the box were jounced almost       
dangerously against each other1 he      
grasped the boy firmly1 lifted him up   
and slipped him backwards into the      
coach4 ,here he fell at once fast asleep
 and when he finally opened his eyes    
again1 the sun was shining brightly in  
his face4 ,he was lying in his clothes  
on a huge1 big bed in a room with white 
walls4 ,in all his life he had never    
seen such walls4 ,he looked around in   
consternation4 ,then the coachman of the
 day before came in the door4           
,illustration3 8,where have you come    
from with all your household goods80    
8,have you had your sleep out80 he said 
laughing4 8,come and have some coffee   
with me4 ,then ,i will take you to your 
cousin4 ,some one else must carry your  

bundle4 ,it is too heavy for you40      
,sami followed him into the coffee-room4
 ,here the good man kept pouring out    
coffee for the boy1 but ,sami could     
neither eat nor drink4  ,when the       
coachman had finished his breakfast1 he 
rose and started with ,sami on the way  
to the sergeant's house4 ,it was not    
far4 ,at the house in the meadow among  
the pear-trees he laid ,sami's bundle   
down1 shook him by the hand and said3   
8,well1 good luck to you4 ,i have       
nothing to do in there and have farther 
to go40  ,sami thanked him for all his  
kindness1 and gazed after his           
benefactor1 until he disappeared behind 
the trees4 ,then he knocked on the door4
 ,a woman came out1 looked in amazement 
first at the boy1 then at his big       
bundle1 and said rudely3 8,where have   
you come from with all your household   
goods80  ,sami informed her where he had
 come from and that his grandmother was 
,mary ,ann1 and his father1 ,sami4      
,meanwhile three boys had come running  

up to them1 placed themselves directly  
in front of him1 and were looking at him
 from top to toe with wide-open eyes4   
,this embarrassed ,sami exceedingly4    
8,bring your father out10 said the      
mother to one of her boys4 ,their father
 was sitting inside at the table1 eating
 his breakfast4  8,what's the matter    
now80 he growled4  8,there is someone   
here1 who claims to be a relative of    
yours4 ,he doesn't know where he is     
going10 exclaimed his wife4  8,he can   
come in to me1 perhaps ,i can tell him1 
if ,i know10 replied the man1 without   
moving4  8,well1 go in10 directed the   
woman1 giving ,sami an assisting push4  
,the boy went in and replied very       
timidly1 where he had come from and to  
whom he had belonged4 ,the peasant      
scratched his head4  8,make quick work  
of it10 said the woman impatiently1 who 
had followed with her three boys4  8,i  
think we have enough with the three of  
them1 and there are people who might    
need such a boy40  8,this is quickly    

decided10 said the peasant1 thoughtfully
 cutting his piece of bread in two2     
8send all four boys out40  ,after this  
command had been carried out1 he        
continued slowly3 8,there is no help for
 it4 ,it was stipulated at the time the 
house was sold1 that room must be made  
in the house if either ,mary ,ann1 ,sami
 or the child should come back4         
,besides1 it is not so bad as it seems4 
,where three sleep together there is    
room for a fourth1 and he can do some   
work for his food4 ,the parish can do   
something for his clothes40  ,his wife  
had no desire to have a fourth added to 
her three boys1 for her own made enough 
noise and trouble for her4 ,she         
protested1 saying she knew how it was   
with such stray children and they could 
expect to have a fine time6  ,but it was
 of no use2 it was decided that ,sami   
should have a place in the house4 ,the  
farmer brought in the bundle and carried
 it up to the oldest boy's room1 where  
until now the broad-shouldered ,stffi   

had slept in a bed alone4 ,he could take
 ,sami in with him1 for he was smaller  
than the other two2 ,michael and ,uli   
could stay together as before4  ,then   
the woman opened the bundle4 ,she was   
not a little surprised1 when she found  
inside not only ,sami's clothes1 all in 
the best of order1 but also two good    
dresses1 aprons and neckerchiefs4 ,she  
called ,sami up to her1 and showed him  
the corner in the chest where she had   
put his things4 ,then she said she would
 take the woman's clothes for herself1  
since he could surely make no use of    
them4 ,the clothes which his grandmother
 had always worn were so dear to ,sami1 
that he looked on with sad eyes1 as they
 were carried away1 but he thought it   
had to be so4  ,he had already made the 
acquaintance of the three boys4 ,they   
had shown him below in front of the     
house how one of them could best throw  
down the others1 and had demonstrated   
all sorts of useful tricks4 ,but as each
 tried to outdo the others in showing   

off his knowledge1 a struggle ensued and
 the tricks were immediately applied2   
one threw another over the third1 ,sami 
was knocked and thrown around by all    
three4  ,when he now came down from his 
room a voice from the barn called out3  
8,come here and help pull40  ,sami ran  
along4 ,there stood the two younger     
boys1 ,michael and ,uli1 with great hoes
 on their shoulders1 and ,stffi beside a
 cart which had to be taken along4 ,they
 waited for their father1 and then all  
went out to the field4 ,here ,stffi and 
,sami had to rake together the grass1   
which the father cut1 and load it on the
 cart1 and bring home to the cows4      
,michael and ,uli had to hoe the weeds  
in the next field near by4 ,now it      
appeared that ,sami did not know at all 
how to use the rake1 for he had never   
done such work4  8,he shall weed with   
,uli1 and ,michael can do this work10   
said the farmer4  ,but when ,sami tried 
to do this1 the hoe was too heavy for   
him1 and he could do nothing4  8,then   

kneel on the ground and pull them up    
with your hands10 said the farmer4      
,sami squatted down and pulled at the   
weeds with all his might4 ,the ground   
was hard and the work very tiresome4    
,but ,sami did not forget how his       
grandmother had impressed it upon him to
 do all his work well and willingly4    
,at noon the two weeders took their hoes
 on their shoulders and ,sami had to    
pull the cart1 which was now much       
heavier than on the way there4 ,the boy 
had to use all his strength1 for ,stffi 
showed him plainly that he would not    
take upon himself the larger part of the
 work4  ,then when they passed by the   
field the father indicated to each one  
the piece he would have to weed that    
afternoon2 for he himself would be      
obliged to go to the cattle market4     
,they would find a smaller hoe at home  
for ,sami to take with him in the       
afternoon1 for pulling up the weeds was 
too slow work4  ,after the boys had     
worked several hours in the afternoon1  

they sat down in the shade of an old    
apple-tree to eat their luncheon1 and   
the piece of black bread with pear juice
 tasted very good after the hot work4   
8,have you ever seen a bear80 asked     
,stffi of ,sami4  ,he said he had not4  
8,then you would be fearfully frightened
 if you should suddenly see one10       
continued ,stffi2 8only those who know  
them are not afraid of them4 ,this      
evening there is to be one in the       
village1 and1 as ,i am almost through   
with my piece in the field1 you can     
finish it1 so ,i can go early to see the
 bear40  ,sami agreed4 ,when all four   
had begun to hoe again1 ,stffi soon     
exclaimed3  8,well1 you won't have much 
more to do now1 ,sami1 but keep your    
promise1 or--0  ,stffi doubled up his   
fist1 and ,sami understood what that    
meant4  ,he had hardly gone when        
,michael said3  8,see1 ,sami1 there     
isn't much left of mine1 you can do that
 too2 ,i am going to see the bear40     
,whereupon ,michael ran off4  8,me1     

too10 cried ,uli1 throwing down his hoe4
 8,you can finish that also1 ,sami40    
,when the twilight came on and the      
family put the sour milk and the        
steaming potatoes on the table1 ,sami   
was missing4  8,i suppose he will keep  
us waiting10 remarked the farmer's wife 
sharply4 ,when all had finished and the 
milk mugs were empty1 the woman cleared 
them away and placed the few potatoes   
left over on the kitchen table and      
growled3  8,he can eat here1 if he wants
 anything40  ,it was quite dark1 and    
,sami still had not come4 ,just as the  
other three were being sent to bed1 he  
came in1 so tired he could hardly stand4
 ,the woman asked him harshly1 if he    
couldn't come home with the others4 ,the
 farmer assumed that the piece he had   
told ,sami to weed had been too much for
 him to do1 and he said consolingly3    
8,it is right that you wanted to finish 
your work1 but you must work faster40   
,sami understood the signs which ,stffi 
made behind his father's back1 that he  

was to keep silent about the bear1 and  
he was too much afraid of the three     
boys' fists to say anything about it4   
,he preferred to go straight to bed1 for
 he was too tired to eat4 ,but he       
couldn't go to sleep4 ,he had received  
so many new impressions1 he had borne so
 much anguish1 and had to do so much    
work besides1 he could think of nothing 
else4 ,but now his grandmother came     
before his eyes again as she had prayed 
with him at evening and had been so kind
 to him1 and everything she had told    
him4 ,he wanted so much to pray1 it     
seemed to him as if his grandmother was 
near and told him the dear ,lord would  
always comfort him if he prayed1 and    
that comfort he was so anxious to have4 
,he was so troubled1 when he wondered if
 he could do his work the next day1 so  
that the farmer would not be cross1 and 
how his wife would be1 for he was very  
much afraid of her1 and how it would be 
with the boys1 who forced him to make   
everything appear contrary to the truth4

  ,then ,sami began to pray and prayed  
for a long time1 for he already began to
 feel comforted1 because he could take  
refuge with the dear ,lord and ask ,him 
to help him1 now that he had no one left
 in the world to whom he could speak and
 who could assist him4 ,when at last his
 eyes closed from great weariness he    
dreamed he was sitting with his         
grandmother on the wall and above them  
all the birds were singing so loud and  
so joyfully that he had to sing with    
them3 8,only trust the dear ,lord60     
,,chapter ,,fourth  ,,hard ,,times      
,the following morning ,sami was        
awakened by loud tones1 but it was no   
longer the birds singing2 it was the    
farmer's wife ordering the boys harshly 
to get up right away4 ,she had already  
called them three times1 and if this    
time they didn't obey1 their father     
would come4 ,then they all sprang out of
 bed and in a few minutes were          
down-stairs1 where their father was     
already sitting at the table and would  

not have waited much longer4  ,the day  
did not pass very differently from the  
one before1 and thus passed a long      
series of days4 ,there was already a    
change in the work4  ,sami1 little by   
little1 learned to do everything very   
well1 for he took pains and followed his
 grandmother's advice carefully4 ,he    
always had something to do for the other
 boys still1 so that he never finished  
his work a moment before supper-time4   
,but he was no longer late4 ,a change   
had also come about in this4 ,stffi had 
learned that there was one thing ,sami  
could not or would not do which he      
himself could do very well3 he could not
 tell a lie4  ,he had been late again a 
couple of times1 but had never told the 
reason4 ,finally1 however1 the farmer   
had spoken harshly3  8,now speak out1   
and tell why you can't get through your 
work faster2 you are quick enough when  
anyone is watching you40  ,then ,sami   
had accordingly told all the truth1 and 
the father had threatened to beat the   

boys if they didn't do their work       
themselves4 ,afterwards ,stffi had      
thrashed ,sami to punish him1 and had   
warned him that he would do it every    
time ,sami complained of him4  ,sami had
 replied that he had never complained   
and didn't want to do so1 but when his  
father questioned him he could only tell
 him the truth4 ,stffi tried to explain 
to him that it didn't matter whether he 
told the truth or not1 but here he found
 ,sami more obstinate than he had       
expected1 and no matter what fearful    
threats he hurled at him1 he always said
 the same thing in the end3  8,but ,i   
shall do it40  ,this firmness was the   
result of ,sami's sure conviction that  
the dear ,lord heard and knew everything
 and that lying was something wicked1   
which did not please ,him4  ,so ,stffi  
had to find some other way to get off   
from his work early and make ,sami      
finish what he left4 ,he found that all 
three could never dare abandon their    
work and leave it for ,sami1 but one of 

them might do so each evening1 and he   
threatened to punish his brothers       
severely if they would not agree to     
this4 ,then there would always be three 
or four evenings in succession when     
,stffi wanted to go away early2 then the
 brothers had to stay and work1 and this
 led to many a quarrel1 with heavy blows
 which regularly fell upon ,sami4  ,so  
he never had any happy days4 ,but every 
evening he could be alone with his      
thoughts of his grandmother1 of all the 
beautiful bygone days and all the good  
words she had spoken to him4 ,nobody    
troubled him1 or called to him1 or      
pulled him then1 as usually happened all
 day long4  ,thus the ,summer and       
,autumn passed away1 and a cold ,winter 
had come4 ,there was no more work to be 
done in the fields and meadows1 but     
there were all sorts of things to be    
done to help the farmer in the barn and 
his wife in the house and the kitchen4  
,this ,sami had to do4  ,meanwhile their
 own three boys could go to school1     

which had now begun again1 for they had 
to get some education4 ,sami could get  
that by and by4 ,in the ,summer he had  
acquired a good deal of quickness and   
now did his work so skilfully that the  
farmer said a couple of times3  8,i     
would not have believed it1 for in the  
,summer he was always the last40  ,sami 
now thought that everything would go    
easier than in the ,summer1 but         
something came which was much harder to 
bear than the extra burden of work1     
which was too much for the others4      
,every day the boys fought in the field 
outside1 and ,sami1 as the smallest1    
always came off with the most blows4    
,but that was the end of it1 and when   
the boys came home at night no one      
thought any more about it4 ,in the      
evening the three boys were assigned to 
the little room with the feeble light of
 a low oil lamp1 to do their arithmetic 
for school1 while ,sami had to cut      
apples and pears for drying4 ,from the  
first the three were angry because ,sami

 had no arithmetic to do1 and then one  
would accuse the other of taking the    
light away from him1 and all three would
 scream that ,sami didn't need any at   
all for his work4 ,then one would pull  
the lamp one way1 and another the other 
way1 until it was upset and the oil     
would run over the table into ,sami's   
apples4 ,then there would be a really   
murderous tumult in the darkness2 all   
hands would grope in the oil and one    
would always outcry the others4 ,then   
the mother would come in very cross and 
want to know who was always starting    
such mischief4 ,then one would blame the
 other1 and finally the blame would fall
 on ,sami1 because he made the least    
noise4 ,usually the farmer too came in  
then1 and his angry wife would always   
reply that she had indeed said the boy  
would be an apple of discord in the     
house1 and a ,winter like this they had 
never experienced4 ,often ,sami had to  
endure many hard words and undeserved   
punishment4 ,on such evenings he        

remained sleepless for a long time      
sitting on his bed4  ,then he would rack
 his brains as to how it could happen   
so1 since his grandmother had told him  
that if he was ,god-fearing everything  
would happen for the best4 ,that he     
should be so scolded and badly treated  
was not the best for him4 ,he really    
wanted to be ,god-fearing and not forget
 that the dear ,lord saw and heard      
everything4 ,but ,sami was still very   
young and could not know1 what he later 
knew1 that it is good for everyone if he
 learns early in life to bear hardship4 
,then when the evil days1 which none    
escape1 come again later on1 he can cope
 with them bravely1 because he knows    
them already and his strength has become
 hardened2 and when the good days come  
he can enjoy them as no one else can who
 has never tasted the bad ones4  ,at    
this time ,sami knew nothing about this 
and almost never went to sleep without  
tears2 indeed1 he often wondered whether
 the birds were still calling up in the 

ash-trees3 8,only trust in the dear     
,lord60 and if it were still true that  
everything would come out right4 ,the   
only comfort for him was that his       
grandmother had told him so positively1 
and he held fast to that4  ,it was a    
long1 hard ,winter4 ,the snow lay so    
deep and immovable on the meadows and   
trees1 that ,sami often asked with      
anxiety in his heart1 if it would ever  
entirely disappear1 so that the meadows 
would be green again1 and the flowers   
become alive4 ,it was already ,april1   
and the cold white covering of snow     
still lay all around4 ,then a warm wind 
from the ,south blew all one night into 
the valley1 and when on the next day a  
very warm rain fell1 the obstinate snow 
melted into great brooks4 ,then came the
 sun and dried up all the brooks1 and   
everywhere the new young grass sprang up
 over the meadows4  ,the four boys came 
across the big street of the village and
 turned into the meadow4 ,they were     
pulling along the cart1 on which lay the

 cooking utensils which the farmer's    
wife had just purchased at the annual   
fair in the village4 ,the boys had      
followed their mother's command to go   
slowly and carefully1 so that nothing   
would be broken1 for they knew very well
 that their mother set great store by   
these things1 and it was worth while to 
follow her instructions4  ,now that they
 had come safely over the rough street  
and had turned into the meadow road1 two
 pulling1 two pushing1 they wanted to   
rest a little while4 ,they stopped under
 the first large pear-tree1 stretched   
themselves out on the ground and looked 
up into the blue sky4 ,in the pear-tree 
above1 the birds were singing merrily   
together1 and suddenly one piped up in  
the midst of the others1 always the same
 note1 exactly as if he had a special   
call to give4  8,there he is10 cried    
,sami1 springing up from the ground with
 delight4 ,then he listened again1 and  
again sounded the staccato call1 clear  
and sharp above the singing of all the  

other birds4  8,do you hear it8 ,do you 
hear it80 cried ,sami in his delight4   
8,now he is calling again3 #8,trust6    
,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6' ,and then they 
all sing together3 #8,only trust the    
dear ,lord6'0  8,you are just talking   
nonsense60 exclaimed ,stffi to the happy
 ,sami4 8,the bird is more knowing than 
you are4 ,that is the rain bird2 ,i know
 him well4 ,he notices the rain-wind and
 is calling3 #8,shower6 ,shower6        
,shower6' ,then we know it is going to  
rain40  ,but ,sami would not give up    
what was so dear to him and kept saying 
to himself3  8,but he is singing3       
#8,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6'0     
8,keep quiet60 continued ,stffi sharply 
to him4 8,you are nothing but a little  
tramp1 who can't do anything and doesn't
 know anything and twists everything he 
hears40  ,then the blood rose to ,sami's
 cheeks and the tears came into his eyes
 and1 more courageously than usual      
towards ,stffi1 he cried3  8,i don't do 
that1 but you have done it many times60 

,then ,stffi sprang up and seized hold  
of ,sami to throw him down2 but in his  
anger ,sami turned quite differently    
from usual1 so that ,stffi had to call  
the others to help him4  ,a great       
struggle ensued2 the blows became more  
and more violent1 first on one side and 
then on the other4 ,suddenly the cart   
was upset4 ,a fearful cracking and      
crashing sounded1 and a great heap of   
red1 brown and white crockery lay on the
 ground4 ,dumb with fright1 the boys    
stood and looked at the destruction4    
,stffi was the first to recover himself4
  8,we will say that a wheel came off   
the cart1 and it suddenly fell down40   
,he immediately picked up a big stone in
 order to pound out the nail and take   
the wheel off from the axle4  8,i shall 
say just how it all happened1 that we   
quarreled1 and upset the wagon10 said   
,sami calmly4  ,then ,steffi's wrath    
rose to its height4  8,you traitor1 you 
spy and mischief-maker60 he screamed4   
8,you are nothing but a ragamuffin4 ,we 

will force you40  8,you cannot10 said   
,sami1 8and you are no good either6 ,if 
you were ,god-fearing1 you would not    
want to lie so40  8,well1 well10 they   
all screamed together1 and shaking their
 fists in the most threatening way4     
8,you needn't say that4 ,we are just    
exactly as ,god-fearing as you1 and even
 much more so60  ,suddenly a new thought
 came to ,stffi4 ,he ran off with all   
his might1 and ,michael and ,uli rushed 
after him4 ,sami saw that they were     
hurrying to the house2 he followed      
slowly after4 ,the farmer's wife had    
come back to the house by a shorter way1
 and the farmer was just returning home 
too from the field1 when the three boys 
came rushing along4 ,the whole family   
was standing in great excitement at the 
door and all were talking loudly        
together and making threatening         
gestures1 when ,sami came along4 ,he was
 met by the farmer1 shaking his fist1   
and his wife threw such harsh words at  
him that he stood quite dumfounded4     

8,that was the last straw10 she said1   
8that after all the kindness he had     
received he should tell them they were  
not ,god-fearing people40  ,then the    
farmer joined in4 ,such talk was        
insolent from ,sami1 and it had been    
known for a long time how upright they  
were in his house1 before such a scamp  
had come there and tried to show them   
the way4 ,then his wife began again and 
said ,sami would have nothing more to do
 in her house2 for he had brought       
nothing but trouble since he stepped    
into it2 he could go to his room1 and   
she would come right along4  ,sami was  
so surprised and confused by all the    
attacks and charges1 that he had stood  
quite dumb until now4 ,now he wanted to 
explain how the cart had been upset1 but
 the father said they knew everything   
already1 and all he had to do was to go 
to his room4 ,he obeyed4  ,soon the     
farmer's wife came upstairs1 packed     
,sami's things together and tied them up
 again into a bundle1 which was now much

 smaller than when he had brought it    
there1 for some pieces of his old things
 had been worn out and were not         
replaced1 and his grandmother's clothes 
were no longer there4  ,while she was   
packing the woman kept on talking very  
angrily about ,sami's wickedness and    
insolence1 so that he now for the first 
time understood it all4 ,the boys had   
stated that he had reproached them for  
not being ,god-fearing people2 they had 
punished him for it1 and through his    
resistance he had overturned the cart4  
,sami now tried to explain to the woman 
that it had not happened so1 but she    
said she knew enough1 threw his tied-up 
bundle beside his bed1 and went out4    
,now for the first time ,sami was able  
to think over what had happened to him  
and what was going to come4 ,then he was
 angry because he had to bear such      
injustice and not once have a chance to 
speak4 ,and now he was driven out1 or   
perhaps he would be sent to people where
 it would be even worse for him4 ,then  

he was so overcome with anger and fear  
and anguish1 that he began to cry aloud 
and called out3  8,yes1 yes1            
,grandmother1 you said if ,i was        
,god-fearing everything would happen to 
me for the best2 and ,i have been1 and  
now it has happened this way60  ,but    
with the thought of his grandmother1    
there rose in his heart all the memories
 of his life with her1 how they had     
wandered so peacefully through the      
meadows1 and how beautiful it had been  
under those trees1 how the birds had    
sung and the brook murmured1 and        
suddenly ,sami was mightily overcome1   
and he exclaimed3  8,away6 away6 ,over  
there6 over there60  ,from that moment  
on a bright light rose in his heart4 ,it
 was hope in a new life as beautiful as 
the first had been4 ,then ,sami said his
 evening prayer gladly and fell asleep4 
,,chapter ,,fifth  ,,the ,,birds ,,are  
,,still ,,singing   ,the next morning   
when ,sami sat at the table with the    
family1 no one said a word to him4 ,the 

farmer's wife pushed a piece of bread   
towards his coffee-cup and made up an   
unfriendly face4 ,the farmer was no     
different4 ,the three boys looked sourly
 down at their coffee-cups1 for they had
 no good consciences1 and all three     
feared that their lies of the day before
 might yet be found out1 if ,sami should
 happen to speak4  ,when they rose from 
the table1 the farmer said shortly3     
8,get your bundle6 ,i shall have to lose
 more time with you1 until ,i have found
 a place for you1 for surely no one will
 want you40  ,since the night before a  
change had taken place in ,sami4 ,he no 
longer hung his head1 as he had done    
almost always before from fear2 he      
lifted it up and said3  8,i know already
 where ,i must go40  ,the farmer and his
 wife looked at each other in           
astonishment4  8,i want to go over the  
mountains10 he added4  8,yes1 that is   
best1 that he should go back there1     
where he came from10  said the farmer's 
wife quickly2 8there will no doubt be   

someone going over there from the inn4  
,go quickly with him up there40  ,this  
seemed right to the farmer also4 ,the   
leave-taking was as short as possible1  
and ,sami was light-hearted when he     
started with his little bundle on his   
back away from his cousins' house4  ,at 
the inn1 sure enough1 they found a      
driver who was going with a big         
wood-wagon to ,chteau d'ux4 ,he was     
ready to take the boy with him and      
thought he would be able to find someone
 to take him farther1 if the boy knew   
his way down there on the ,french side4 
,the farmer said ,sami had been brought 
up there and wanted to go back1 he knew 
where4  ,now the driver was ready4      
,sami's bundle was thrown into the wagon
 and the boy seated on it4  8,good      
luck60 said the farmer1 gave ,sami his  
hand and went away4  ,then the driver   
swung himself up on his seat and the two
 strong horses started off4 ,although   
the wood-wagon was far less handsome and
 easy than the coach in which ,sami had 

come1 still he sat much happier in his  
hard seat than when he had left his     
grandmother lying so alone and had to go
 away1 without knowing where4 ,now he   
was going home1 where he knew everything
 and where everything was dear to him1  
every tree and every wall by the way2   
and although he wouldn't see his        
grandmother any longer1 he would find   
all the places where he had been with   
her and where it was more beautiful than
 anywhere else4 ,with these thoughts a  
multitude of questions arose in ,sami's 
mind3 ,would everything be still the    
same as before8 ,would the ash-trees    
still be standing there by the wall8 and
 the red and yellow flowers be growing  
on the hillside8 ,and ,sami had so much 
to think about that he didn't notice how
 the time was passing4 ,so he was very  
much astonished when the wagon stopped1 
for they had come to a large village1   
and the driver took firm hold of him1   
lifted him up and set him down on the   
street4 ,sami looked around him4 ,they  

had stopped in front of an inn1 above   
which a big brown bear stood for a sign 
and which was surrounded by all kinds of
 vehicles4 ,but he couldn't look around 
any longer1 for the driver had already  
seized him again and lifted him together
 with his bundle into another team and  
then went away4 ,soon he came back with 
a large piece of bread and said3        
8,there1 eat2 you still have far to go40
  8,are we yet in ,chteau d'ux80 asked  
,sami4  8,yes1 to be sure1 but you are  
going farther10 was the reply2 then the 
driver disappeared4  ,sami was now      
sitting in a small country wagon to     
which an enormous horse was harnessed4  
,no one was as yet up in the high seat1 
but ,sami was seated with his bundle    
back in the empty space on the floor4   
,then two big1 stout men climbed up on  
the high seat1 and they started away4   
,after a short time ,sami's eyes closed 
involuntarily1 he slipped off on the    
floor of the wagon1 his head fell over  
on his bundle1 and he sank into a deep  

sleep4 ,when he woke again1 he was still
 in the wagon on the floor1 but         
everything was quiet around him2 he did 
not hear the horse trotting2 the wagon  
was no longer moving forward4 ,it looked
 very strange all around him4 ,he       
looked1 and looked again1 until he      
realized what had happened4 ,the wagon  
was standing without horse or driver in 
a shed2 they had forgotten ,sami and    
left him lying there4  8,where can ,i   
be80 ,sami asked himself4 ,the door of  
the shed stood open1 and outside there  
was bright sunshine4 ,sami climbed down 
from his sleeping-place1 stepped outside
 and went a little way farther around   
the house1 which stood directly in front
 of the shed4 ,then he knew everything  
about it--there stood the house with the
 garden1 where he had taken the         
beautiful coach2 right before him was   
the railway station--he was in ,aigle   
again4 ,only a little way farther in the
 train and he would be at home6  ,then  
it came to ,sami that here he could no  

longer talk with the people1 for now he 
was among the ,french4 ,but he knew what
 to do4 ,he still had the little bag    
with his grandmother's money4 ,he ran to
 the place where the people were getting
 their tickets1 laid a piece of money in
 front of the little window1 and said3  
8,la ,tour60  ,immediately he had his   
ticket2 he sprang into the train1 which 
was already standing outside1 and       
crouched down quickly in his corner1 the
 very same corner where he had sat      
before with ,herr ,malon4 ,he knew all  
the names which were called out at the  
stations2 nearer and nearer he          
came--now--8,la ,tour60 ,he jumped down 
and ran to the right across the fields1 
then to the left up the hill4 ,he knew  
every tree along the way4 ,now--there   
stood the wall1 there stood the         
ash-trees and their tops were waving to 
and fro4 ,underneath1 the clear brook   
was murmuring1 and above1 on the        
hillside1 the bright sun was shining on 
the big golden primroses and the red    

anemones4 ,it was all exactly as it had 
been before6 ,moreover1 above--oh1 that 
was the most beautiful of all6--up in   
the ash-trees the birds were piping and 
singing as loudly and as merrily as ever
 and1 to be sure1 there was the chief   
singer1 the finch4 8,trust6 ,trust6     
,trust6 ,trust60 sounded his clear song1
 and all the birds joined in with their 
warbling and rejoiced loudly3  8,only   
trust the dear ,lord60  ,sami was so    
overcome because everything was still   
exactly the same as he had known it     
before1 that he stood speechless for a  
long time and listened1 looking around  
him and listening again4 ,it seemed so  
good to him and he had never felt such  
happiness in his heart since that       
evening when he had sat there with his  
grandmother4 ,now his grandmother rose  
so vividly before him1 that he suddenly 
threw himself down on the wall and wept4
 ,she was no longer there1 and would    
come back to him no more4 ,but all the  
good words she had spoken to him here   

that evening rose vividly in his heart1 
and it seemed as if he distinctly heard 
her talking again1 and as if she must   
really be quite near and see him4  ,sami
 straightened himself up again1 sat a   
while longer listening1 and then began  
to think what he should do4 ,at first he
 wanted to go to ,malon and ask him if  
he could work for him1 perhaps get out  
the weeds in his vineyard4 ,but he could
 not explain to him why he was there    
again2 they would not understand each   
other and ,malon might think he had done
 something wrong and had been sent away 
for it by his cousin4 ,but perhaps the  
woman who always gave mending to his    
grandmother would set him to work in her
 garden4 ,she lived down below1 near the
 ,lake4 ,he jumped down from the wall4  
,once more he looked at the hillside1   
and up into the tree1 but he could come 
here again2 he was here and could stay  
here4  ,on the way he thought how he    
could explain to the woman what he      
wanted to do for her4 ,he would bend    

down and show her how he could pull up  
the weeds2 then he would show her by a  
gesture that he knew how to hoe4  ,there
 stood already the old castle of ,la    
,tour before him1 with its two high1    
weather-beaten towers1 which he had     
looked at so many times4 ,all around and
 high up thick ivy covered the old      
walls1 and above them multitudes of     
merry birds were chirping4 ,sami had to 
stop and listen to their happy singing  
for a while1 then he went along by the  
high old wall around the courtyard1 for 
he wanted to see if it was still the    
same as before down below in the lonely 
place where the water kept falling on   
the old stones and singing a gentle     
song4 ,he had once stood there a long   
time with his grandmother4 ,there lay   
the place before him1 but it was not    
lonely4 ,a big wagon was standing there1
 with a grey cover stretched over it4   
,no horse stood in front of it1 but a   
thin nag was nibbling the hedge1 and    
this evidently belonged to the wagon4   

,near the old castle tower a fire was   
blazing merrily2 a man was sitting by   
it1 hammering with all his might4 ,close
 by him four little children were       
crawling around on the ground4 ,sami    
stood still at this unexpected sight1   
then came slowly a little nearer4 ,then 
he heard the man warning the children   
not to come so near the fire4 ,this he  
was doing in ,sami's own language1      
exactly as all the people in ,zweisimmen
 had spoken4 ,this gave courage to      
,sami2 he came along quite near1 and    
watched the man mend a hole in an old   
pan4  8,does it please you80 asked the  
man1 after ,sami had looked on          
attentively for some time4 ,the boy     
answered by nodding his head4  8,are you
 ,french1 that you can't talk80 asked   
the man again4  ,sami then said he could
 talk1 but not at all in ,french1 but he
 was glad that the tinker spoke ,german1
 because otherwise he would not be able 
to understand anyone there4  8,whom do  
you belong to80 asked the man again4    

8,nobody10 answered ,sami4  ,then the   
man wanted to know where he had come    
from and why he had come among the      
,french4 ,sami told him his history1 and
 how he had only come there again that  
morning4  8,and now don't you know at   
all what you are going to do1 and where 
you are going80 asked the man4  ,sami   
said he did not4  8,if ,i knew that you 
would do something1 and not just stand  
around and look in the air1 ,i would    
give you work10 continued the man1 8but 
such stray waifs as you are not willing 
to do anything40  ,meanwhile a woman had
 come from the wagon4 ,she had heard her
 husband's last words4  8,take him10 she
 said4 8,what work is there for him8 ,he
 might run errands2 all boys can do     
that4 ,i never get through with the     
running about and the four bawlers1 and 
the cooking besides2 take him60  8,well1
 stay here10 said the man2 8you can     
carry the pan back2 it is very good that
 you know the way40  ,sami had suddenly 
found a place2 he did not himself know  

how1 but he was very glad about it4     
,quite content1 he started out with his 
pan and did exactly as the tinker had   
told him4 ,he wandered through the long 
street of ,la ,tour1 went into every    
house and showed his mended pan4 ,he    
made significant gestures1 to make the  
people understand that he would like to 
get more articles to mend4 ,this he did 
so eagerly and earnestly that most of   
the people burst out laughing1 and this 
put them in such good humor that they   
always found a pan or a kettle with a   
hole in it which they handed him to be  
repaired4  ,thus in a short time ,sami  
had collected as much old stuff as he   
was able to carry1 and could now take   
his pan to the house pointed out to him1
 where it belonged4 ,then he turned     
back4  ,illustration3 8,such stray waifs
 as you are not willing ta do anything40
  ,the tinker was very much pleased with
 ,sami's harvest and his wife said very 
kindly1 if he kept on doing like that1  
he would get along all right1 but he    

must sit down at once and have some     
supper4 ,the four little children were  
no longer there4 ,sami guessed that they
 were lying out in the wagon asleep4 ,on
 the fire a pot was now standing4 ,it   
was bubbling merrily inside and from    
under the cover came forth a very       
inviting odor4 ,sami had never been so  
hungry in his life before1 for he had   
had nothing the whole day but the rest  
of the piece of bread which the driver  
had given him the day before in ,chteau 
d'ux4  ,the woman took the cover off the
 pot and filled three dishes with the   
good-smelling soup4 ,each of the three  
now placed his dish before him on the   
ground1 and the meal began4  ,nothing   
had ever tasted so good to ,sami in all 
his life as this soup4 ,it was not a    
thin soup1 it was as thick as pulp1 of  
cooked peas and potatoes1 and with this 
quite large lumps of meat came into his 
spoon4  ,when he had finished1 the woman
 said3  8,you can go to sleep whenever  
you want to4 ,in the back of the wagon  

there is room1 and your bundle will make
 a good pillow40  ,this seemed a little 
strange to ,sami1 and he said3  8,must  
,i sleep in my clothes80  ,the woman    
thought he would find that he would not 
be too warm in the night4 ,he would be  
ready all the sooner in the morning4    
,then he could wash his face quickly    
down in the lake and be all in order    
again for the next day4  ,sami was      
tired4 ,he went immediately to the wagon
 and climbed up from the back1 and was  
able to slip in under the big cover4    
,there was a little room where he could 
lie down1 and next him came the four    
little children1 one after another4     
,sami sat down and said his evening     
prayer4 ,then he thought of his         
grandmother for a while1 and what she   
would say if she could see him thus in  
the wagon1 and know that he would have  
to sleep all the time in his clothes1   
and if only she could see how it looked 
in the wagon1 so dirty and in disorder4 
,she had been so neat and orderly about 

everything and had kept him so clean    
from a baby up4 ,but she had never      
spoken to him about this1 as about other
 things which he must avoid1 and perhaps
 the people were quite ,god-fearing2    
then he ought to stay with them4 ,that  
would be as his grandmother wished4     
,then he placed his bundle under his    
head1 and went peacefully to sleep4     
,,chapter ,,sixth  ,,sami ,,sings ,,too 
,sami had now been working five days for
 the tinker1 and had passed his nights  
in the wagon4 ,he was well treated1 for 
the man and his wife were pleased with  
him4 ,every day ,sami dragged along such
 a pile of old pans1 pots and kettles1  
that they both wondered where he found  
them4 ,his grandmother had not charged  
him in vain to do everything he had to  
do as well as he possibly could1 because
 the dear ,lord always saw what he was  
doing4  ,he never loitered on the way1  
and if a woman was going to send him    
away quickly and would not listen to    
him1 then he looked at her so           

beseechingly that she would find an old 
pan somewhere and bring it out4 ,from   
morning till night he ran with the      
greatest zeal1 in order to get as much  
work as possible for his master1 and the
 praise he won every evening he enjoyed 
as much as the savoury soup which       
followed4  ,nevertheless ,sami was not  
very well contented4 ,every evening as  
he sat in the wagon1 he had to think    
what his grandmother would say to all   
the dirt around him1 and things pleased 
him less and less4 ,the woman did not do
 for the little children as his         
grandmother had done for him4 ,all four 
crawled around in the dirt and looked so
 that ,sami didn't care to have anything
 to do with them4 ,if they cried they   
were knocked this way and that1 and at  
night the woman took up one after       
another from the ground1 put it in the  
wagon1 pulled the dirty grey blanket    
over them and went away again4  ,the    
largest boy could talk quite well4 ,he  
could have learned a little prayer long 

before this1 but the woman never taught 
him any4  ,such a homesickness for his  
grandmother now arose in ,sami's heart  
every evening that he had to bury his   
head deep in his bundle1 so that no one 
would hear him sob4  ,often on his      
expeditions he would come near the wall1
 under the ash-trees1 but he never went 
over to it1 for he had to work and did  
not dare sit idle and listen to the     
birds4 ,but every time he had looked    
longingly there and sent a whistle from 
a distance as greeting to the birds4    
,from the old house on the hillside1    
from which one could look down at the   
ash-trees and the wall1 he had brought a
 little kettle to the tinker1 and was   
delighted at the thought of taking it   
back again1 for then he could look down 
there for a moment and perhaps hear the 
birds4  ,two days had passed1 and ,sami 
hoped that on the following day the     
little kettle would be ready4 ,when he  
returned that evening to the fire with  
his last collection1 the tinker was     

sitting thoughtfully there1 turning the 
little kettle round and round in his    
hands4 ,his wife was looking over his   
shoulders and both were scrutinizing the
 old kettle as if it were something     
unusual4  8,it is as like the other as  
if it were its brother10 said the wife4 
8,you know how the man said you must not
 spoil the pictures scratched on it1 and
 on that account he gave you so much    
more for it4 ,here are exactly the same 
figures on this1 and the nose in front  
has just the same curve as the other1   
which he would not have mended for fear 
it would be spoiled40  8,i see it all1  
surely10 said the man1 8but ,i don't    
know what can be done about it4 ,with   
the other one ,i could say1 it couldn't 
be mended any more1 for it looked much  
worse than this1 and the people didn't  
know that the old stuff was worth       
anything1 and ,i wouldn't have believed 
it was myself40  8,they won't know      
either4 ,the boy brought the kettle from
 the old house up there4 ,they only know

 the ground they hoe1 but not such a    
thing as this4 ,just say it can't be    
mended any more1 it is not good for     
anything1 and give them something for   
the copper4 ,they will be satisfied     
enough4 ,if we go back to ,bern we will 
take it to the man1 who will give eighty
 francs for it40  8,that is true4 ,we   
can do that10 said the man1 delighted2  
8perhaps they won't want anything for   
the kettle when they know they can't use
 it any more4 ,come1 ,sami10 he called  
to the boy1 who stood staring at them on
 the other side of the fire1 and had    
heard and understood everything--8come  
here1 ,i want to tell you something40   
,sami obeyed4  8,run quickly up to the  
old house1 where you brought the little 
kettle from1 and say it isn't good for  
anything1 that it can't be mended any   
more40  ,sami1 filled with horror1      
stared at the man4 8,now hurry up and go
 along10  said his wife1 who was still  
standing there2 8you understand well    
enough what you have to do40  ,sami     

continued looking at the man without    
moving1 as if he really had not         
understood his words4  8,what is the    
matter with you8 ,why don't you hurry   
along80 snarled the man to him4  8,i    
can't do that4 ,you are not ,god-fearing
 if you do such a thing as that10 said  
,sami4  8,what is it to you1 what ,i do8
 ,be quick and go along60 commanded the 
tinker1 and his wife screamed angrily3  
8,do you think a little beggar like you 
is going to tell us what is             
,god-fearing8 ,we ought to know much    
better than you6 ,will you do at once   
what you are told1 or not80  ,sami did  
not stir4  8,will you go and do what ,i 
told you1 or--0  ,the man raised his    
hand high up4 ,sami was pale with       
fright4 ,suddenly he turned around1 ran 
to the wagon1 took his bundle out1 and  
ran with all his might up the road1     
turned to the right between the high    
walls and rushed on into the open field4
 ,not a moment did he stop running1     
until he had reached the ash-trees4 ,the

 spot was like a place of refuge to him4
 ,breathless1 he sat down on the wall4  
,the twilight was already coming on and 
it was perfectly still all around4 ,no  
one had run after him as he feared4 ,he 
was quite alone4  ,now he began to      
think4 ,it was all done so quickly that 
he had only now come to his senses4     
,yes1 it was right that he had run away1
 for what he had to do was something    
wrong1 and he had to come away because  
they were not ,god-fearing4 ,it surely  
would seem right to his grandmother that
 he had done this4 ,but where should he 
go now8 ,the people had all gone home   
from the fields1 perhaps were already   
asleep4 ,up in the ash-trees not one    
little bird made a single sound4 ,they  
were surely all in their nests and fast 
asleep4 ,if the dear ,lord kept them up 
there in the trees safe from all harm1  
so that they could sleep so well1 ,he   
would surely protect him too under the  
trees4 ,in this spot he always had the  
feeling that his grandmother was nearer 

to him than anywhere else1 and this gave
 him confidence4 ,so he laid himself    
down under the tree quite trustfully and
 immediately after he had ended his     
evening prayer1 his eyes closed1 for the
 brook was murmuring such a beautiful   
slumber song under the ash-trees there4 
,golden sunshine was streaming in       
,sami's eyes when he awoke4 ,above him  
all the birds were warbling their       
morning song up into the blue sky4 ,it  
sounded like pure thanksgiving and      
delight4 ,it awakened in ,sami's heart  
the same tones1 and he had to sing      
praise and thanksgiving1 for the dear   
,lord had protected him too so well     
through the night and let ,his golden   
sun shine on him again4 ,with a clear   
voice ,sami joined in the glad chorus   
and sang a hymn of praise and           
thanksgiving1 the only one he knew3     
8,last night ,summer breezes blew3--    
,all the flowers awake anew10  ,and when
 he had come to the end1 he sang like   
the merry finch with all his might3     

8,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6   ,only
 trust the dear ,lord60  ,the song had  
awakened in ,sami new assurance that he 
would find a piece of bread and some    
worthy work4 ,this he wanted to look for
 now1 for his grandmother had not       
impressed it upon him in vain from his  
earliest days1 that in the morning after
 praying one should immediately go to   
work4 ,so ,sami started off4  ,he did   
not go down to the ,lake this day1 lest 
he should come near the tinker4 ,with   
his bundle under his arm he wandered up 
the gradually rising field road4 ,where 
this crossed the narrow street1 leading 
over to ,clarens1 ,sami met a child's   
carriage which a girl was pushing in    
front of her4 ,she wore a spotless white
 cap and a white apron4 ,over the       
carriage1 too1 was spread a snow-white  
cover1 and out from under it peeped a   
little head with bright golden hair and 
a little white hat on it4  ,this unusual
 neatness and the smart appearance of   
the carriage attracted ,sami very much  

and he followed along the same way4 ,on 
the white carriage robe was worked a    
wreath of blue silk1 but not of flowers4
 ,it was of strange figures4 ,the       
shining blue silk on the white cloth    
looked so beautiful that ,sami could not
 keep his eyes away from it4 ,suddenly  
it became plain to him that the strange 
figures were letters1 but he had never  
seen any like them in his life4 ,their  
appearance captivated him more and more4
 ,then he began to try to see if he     
couldn't spell them out and perhaps read
 the words4 ,he tried as hard as he     
could1 but it was difficult4 ,sami kept 
beginning over again from the first4    
,finally he made out all the words4 ,it 
was a proverb which read thus3    8,so  
let the little angels sing3   ,this     
child is safe beneath our wing40  ,this 
proverb reminded him so much of his     
grandmother2 he didn't know why1 but it 
seemed to him as if she had prayed      
exactly like this over his bed4 ,the    
tears came to his eyes1 and yet it      

seemed so good1 just as if he had found 
his home again4 ,the girl now turned    
suddenly to the left from the road1 and 
went through the high iron gate which   
stood open1 and led into a wide         
courtyard4 ,great1 ancient plane-trees  
stood inside and cast their broad shade 
over the sunny courtyard4 ,a large      
flower garden surrounded the high stone 
house1 which looked forth from behind   
the trees4  ,sami followed the carriage 
into the courtyard4 ,it stopped under   
the trees4  8,what do you want here8    
,that is the way out10 said the girl    
impatiently to ,sami1 pointing so       
plainly to the gate that ,sami would    
have understood the meaning of her words
 even if her language had been foreign4 
,but it was surely ,german1 and he had  
understood it all very well1 although he
 could not speak like that himself4 ,his
 grandmother had told him that there    
were people who spoke just like the     
reading in the books4  ,sami did not    
reply1 and the girl did not wait for    

him4 ,she snatched the child quickly out
 of the carriage1 took the beautiful    
robe over her arm1 and went into the    
house4  ,meanwhile a little girl had    
come out of the house and was standing  
at some distance gazing at ,sami with   
two big eyes4 ,now she came quickly     
forward1 jumped nimbly into the empty   
carriage1 and said3  8,come1 give me a  
ride60  8,where80 asked ,sami4  8,out   
there along the road1 and far1 far      
away60  ,sami obeyed immediately4 ,for a
 long while he trotted along without    
stopping4 ,the little girl seemed to    
enjoy the ride4 ,she looked so eagerly  
around with her bright eyes on every    
side1 as if she couldn't see enough4    
,then they came to a meadow thick with  
flowers4  8,hold still6 ,hold still60   
cried the little one suddenly1 and      
sprang with a big jump out of the low   
carriage4  8,now we must have all the   
flowers1 every single one6 ,come60  ,and
 the little girl was already in the     
midst of the grass1 stamping bravely    

forward4 ,but ,sami said quite          
prudently3  8,you mustn't go so into the
 grass4 ,it is forbidden4 ,but see1 if  
we go around outside and take all the   
flowers you can reach1 there will be a  
big bunch40  ,the little one came out1  
for she knew that she ought not to do   
what was forbidden4 ,then the flowers   
were gathered according to ,sami's      
advice1 but the little companion soon   
had enough of such exertion1 seated     
herself on the ground and said3  8,come1
 sit down by me4 ,but you must not speak
 ,french to me4 ,i have to learn that   
with ,madame ,laurent1 but ,i would     
rather speak ,german1 and you must do so
 too40  8,i don't speak ,french1 ,i     
don't know how10 replied ,sami2 8but ,i 
can't speak like you either40  8,where  
do you come from then1 if you don't     
speak ,german and don't speak ,french80 
the little one wanted to know4  ,sami   
thought for a moment1 then he said3     
8,first ,i came from ,chailly and then  
from ,zweisimmen40  8,no1 no10          

interrupted the little one warmly4      
8,people are never from two places1 only
 from one4 ,i am from ,berlin1 in       
,germany1 you see4 ,then ,papa bought an
 estate and now we are living on ,lake  
,geneva4 ,what is your name80  ,sami    
told her4  8,and my name is ,betti4 ,why
 did you come into the courtyard when   
,tina wanted to send you out80  ,sami   
had to think for a while1 then he said3 
8,because those words were on the robe1 
,i knew they were ,god-fearing people   
where it belonged1 and my grandmother   
told me ,i must stay with such people   
and never go away1 for ,i should learn  
nothing but good from them40  8,must you
 stay with us now1 and never go away    
again80 asked little ,betti eagerly4    
8,yes1 ,i think so10 answered ,sami4    
8,perhaps ,i can weed the garden40      
8,that is right10 said ,betti1          
delighted4 8,you see1 ,tina will not    
take me in the carriage2 she says ,i am 
too big4 ,will you take me every day in 
the carriage to the meadow for ever so  

many hours80  8,yes1 indeed1 ,i will do 
that gladly10 promised ,sami1 8and you  
shall have all the flowers4 ,then ,i    
will take you besides to the trees where
 all the birds sing #8,only trust the   
dear ,lord6' and where the finch cries  
so loud above them all3 #8,trust6       
,trust6 ,trust6 ,trust6' ,have you heard
 him too80  ,at this description little 
,betti's eyes grew bigger and brighter  
with expectation4  8,come now1 let's go 
right away to the birds10 she exclaimed1
 jumped up and ran in haste to the      
carriage4  ,sami followed4  ,at this    
moment ,tina1 with a very red face1 came
 running up from below4 ,her looks did  
not portend anything good4  8,so ,i have
 found you at last10 she cried angrily  
from a distance4 8,everybody is running 
around looking for you--your three      
brothers1 the servants1 the             
coachman--everybody6 ,i have run myself 
half dead for you4 ,sit down in the     
carriage1 you naughty little thing4 ,the
 little tramp can go where he likes4    

,no1 he must come back again2 his bundle
 is lying in the courtyard4 ,so he can  
pull the carriage if he has to come with
 us40  ,little ,betti did not seem very 
much frightened by this lively speech4  
,she climbed quickly into the carriage  
and said gaily3 8,go ahead1 ,sami60  ,he
 obeyed quite crushed1 for now he could 
only return for his bundle2 then he     
would have to go away again1 and he had 
so firmly believed this was the place   
where he was to stay according to his   
grandmother's advice1 and it had pleased
 him so much4 ,he had started out in the
 morning full of trust from the song of 
the birds1 and now he was returning very
 down-hearted the same way4  ,when the  
three on their way home came to the     
courtyard1 a tall man was standing      
there1 looking out up and down the road2
 a lady was coming out of the house and 
going in again very restlessly1 and     
three young boys were running first one 
way and then another1 screaming at the  
top of their voices3  8,she is nowhere  

to be seen6 ,she is nowhere to be seen60
  ,but there she was1 drawn by ,sami1   
just coming into the courtyard4 ,before 
any question1 reproach or accusation    
could be heard in regard to the unlawful
 expedition1 ,betti had run straight to 
her ,papa1 and in his delight that she  
was safely there again1 he had taken her
 in his arms1 and with the greatest     
eagerness she said3  8,he will take me  
every day in the carriage1 ,papa1 the   
whole day long1 if ,i like1 and bring   
all the flowers to me1 because ,i must  
not go in the high grass4 ,and he must  
always stay with us1 because his        
grandmother knew about it1 and1 ,papa1  
think1 he knows birds that sing a whole 
song1 and the finch sings above them    
all3 #8,trust6 ,trust6' ,we were going  
right to see them when ,tina came and we
 had to come home4 ,but now we can go1  
can't we1 ,papa1 right away8 ,sami will 
take me there again2 he isn't tired yet4
 ,only say yes1 ,papa40  8,your story is
 wonderful10 said her ,papa1 laughing4  

8,where is the little coachman whom you 
have engaged and who1 according to his  
grandmother's advice1 must stay with    
us80  ,meanwhile the three brothers had 
come running along and1 together with   
their mother1 stood near their father   
under the gateway1 so that ,sami1 who   
with his bundle on his arm was trying to
 go out1 could not pass through1 and had
 betaken himself very quietly to a      
corner of the courtyard4 ,the master of 
the house now placed his daughter on the
 ground and looked towards the boy4 ,but
 he was already surrounded1 for during  
their little sister's story the three   
brothers had made their examination and 
calculation and then had turned to the  
boy4 ,nine-year-old ,edward had decided 
with satisfaction that ,sami was the one
 he had for a long time needed1 for     
since the donkey1 which had been given  
to him at ,christmas1 had overturned him
 and his little cart three times        
running1 his father had forbidden him to
 drive out again without the coachman1  

,johann4 ,but when ,edward wanted to go 
out driving ,johann was always occupied 
some other way1 and when ,johann        
announced that he could go it didn't    
suit ,edward at all4 ,now ,sami was     
found1 an attendant whom he could call  
whenever he wanted him4                 
,eleven-year-old ,karl was an           
enthusiastic archer1 but to have to be  
always running after his arrows after   
they were shot and to hunt for them was 
very irksome to him4 ,suddenly someone  
was found whom he could make use of to  
hunt for his arrows4  ,fourteen-year-old
 ,arthur had permission to sail in his  
boat on the lake1 but he needed some one
 to steer for him4 ,now here was a      
satisfactory boy1 on the spot1 whom he  
could teach1 and have to steer for him4 
,so it happened that there was a great  
uproar when their ,papa drew near the   
group in the corner of the courtyard4   
8,keep him1 ,papa1 ,i have enough work  
for him to do60 cried ,arthur1 while    
,karl's voice was heard above his       

screaming3  8,let him stay here1 ,papa1 
please1 ,i need him so much60  ,but     
,edward's piercing voice was heard above
 the other two3  8,papa1 he can drive   
the donkey1 he must stay with us1 then  
,johann won't need to come with me any  
longer60  ,and in the midst of all      
sounded ,betti's high little voice1     
untiringly3  8,can we go to see the     
birds now1 ,papa8 ,can we go now to the 
birds80  ,then ,papa turned away from   
the noisy group and said1 laughing3     
8,my dear wife1 what do you say to this 
whole story80  ,the lady addressed had  
until now listened silently and watched 
,sami1 whose eyes grew brighter and     
brighter the louder the children begged 
for him to stay4 ,she looked at him     
kindly and said first of all she would  
like to know from him where he came     
from1 and what the story which ,betti   
told about his grandmother meant2 he    
ought to tell where he had been living  
hitherto1 who his parents were and who  
his grandmother was4  ,the kind lady had

 inspired ,sami with great confidence   
and he now told from the beginning all  
that he knew about his life up to the   
present moment1 and also how he had come
 into the courtyard1 on account of the  
proverb1 which led him to believe that  
here lived the people with whom he      
should stay4  ,when ,sami came to an    
end1 the lady turned to her husband and 
said3  8,it is the dear ,lord who has   
led him here4 ,we cannot send him away60
  ,the children all shouted together for
 joy4  8,can we go to the birds now1    
,papa8 ,right away80 repeated ,betti    
with irrepressible eagerness4  8,by and 
by1 by and by10 said her father1        
soothingly4 8,sami is going with me     
first up to ,chailly1 to show me where  
,herr ,malon lives4 ,i want to talk with
 him4 ,when we come back1 we will see   
what to do first40  ,the mother         
understood that her husband wanted to   
have ,herr ,malon's assurance that      
everything ,sami had told was true1 and 
held back the children1 who all four    

were anxious to explain immediately to  
,sami what they desired of him4  8,but  
bring him back again1 ,papa60 cried     
,betti following after them as they     
started away4  ,herr ,malon was very    
much surprised to see ,sami again1 and  
moreover in such company1 for he        
recognized the master of the plane-tree 
estate at once4 ,after the first        
greeting ,sami was sent out doors for a 
little1 and this delighted him very     
much1 for now he could look at the      
garden again and the crooked maple-tree1
 under which he had so often sat with   
his grandmother4  ,herr ,malon assured  
his guest that all ,sami's words were   
correct and besides gave a description  
of ,old ,mary ,ann1 her fidelity and    
conscientiousness1 so that the gentleman
 was very glad to have such good news to
 carry to his wife4  ,a loud shout of   
delight welcomed them on their return1  
and still louder was the applause1 when 
their father announced that ,sami was   
henceforth to remain in the house and be

 the children's playmate4  ,sami did not
 know what to make of it4 ,since his    
grandmother's death1 no one had shown   
the slightest pleasure in his presence2 
on the contrary everywhere he had felt  
as if he were tolerated only out of     
pity1 and now he was received with loud 
rejoicing by the children of a house to 
which he had been more attracted than   
anywhere else before1 and where his     
grandmother would be glad to see him2 of
 that he was sure4 ,his heart was so    
overflowing with joy that he wanted to  
sing aloud and give praise and          
thanksgiving evermore like the finch3   
8,trust6 ,trust6 ,only trust the dear   
,lord60         99       99       99    
99       99  ,it is now ten years since 
,sami entered the plane-tree estate4    
,whoever passes by there on a beautiful 
,spring day will surely stand still at  
the high iron gateway and listen for a  
little1 for there is seldom heard such a
 merry song as sounds from the thick    
branches of the planetrees4 ,up in the  

tree sits the young gardener pruning the
 branches4 ,at the same time he sings   
continually1 like the merriest finch1   
and carols loudest the end of his song1 
accompanied by all the birds3  8,only   
trust the dear ,lord60  ,the young      
gardener is ,sami4 ,at first he received
 a good knowledge of reading1 writing   
and arithmetic with the children of the 
house2 later1 according to his great    
wish1 he was trained as a gardener of   
the estate4 ,but he is now not only     
gardener1 he has much more to oversee   
about the estate than any one would     
imagine4 ,arthur1 who has just finished 
his studies1 is still an ardent sailor4 
,without ,sami1 no trip is possible1 and
 ,arthur is apt to say3  8,without      
,god's help and ,sami's assistance ,i   
should have been drowned twenty times40 
,when ,karl comes from the university in
 his vacation1 his first question is1   
8,where is ,sami80 and this he asks     
numberless times every day1 for without 
him he can never get ready4 ,he alone   

knows where to find everything ,karl    
needs in vacation-time for his          
amusements1 from his old bow and quiver 
up to his riding whip and gun4  ,edward 
has now given up his donkey cart and    
instead is interested in strange        
animals1 which have their dwelling-place
 in the back of the courtyard and often 
make a great spectacle there4 ,he owns  
two marmots1 two parrots and a monkey4  
,no one could manage these and keep them
 in order but ,sami1 and he does it so  
well and so successfully that ,edward   
often exclaims3  8,without ,sami        
everything we have would go to ruin1    
animals and people1 the animals for want
 of proper care and the people from     
anger over it40  ,but ,betti still      
remains ,sami's greatest friend4 ,she   
can call him at any hour of the day she 
pleases1 ,sami is immediately on the    
spot1 and ,betti knows he is more       
devoted than any one else and besides   
can keep secrets like a stone4 ,no one  
knows how many little notes he has to   

carry every week to the neighbouring    
estates4 ,sami will not tell1 for her   
brothers would laugh at their sister    
,betti's endless correspondence which   
she has with numerous girl friends      
around on all the estates4 ,sami is her 
most devoted friend1 for he would run   
through fire and water for her without  
hesitation4 ,he never forgets what      
persuasive words in his behalf ,betti   
used with her father1 when1             
broken-hearted1 he was going to fetch   
his bundle and go away again4  ,the     
youngest1 ,ella1 with golden curls1 who 
has taken over the donkey and cart from 
her brother ,edward1 is entrusted to    
,sami's especial care when she desires  
to go for a drive4 ,whenever she brings 
out her white robe to spread over her   
knees1 ,sami's eyes sparkle with delight
 and thankfulness as he remembers how   
the proverb led him to his good fortune1
 and still more at the memory of his    
grandmother1 who brought about all this 
good1 and whom he never forgets4  ,when1

 recently1 a lady1 owning one of the    
neighbouring estates1 proposed to ,herr 
von ,k4 to transfer his merry gardener  
to her1 merely because the servants in  
her house had sullen faces1 he replied3 
8,you can have him1 just as much as you 
can have one of my own children1 if you 
should try to entice one away4 ,sami is 
the most faithful1 trustworthy1         
conscientious person who has ever come  
in my way4 ,i can leave my whole house  
and go wherever ,i will1 ,i know that   
everything will be taken care of1 as if 
,i stood by4 ,this is so because ,sami  
has another ,master besides me1 before  
whose eyes he performs all his work4    
,the dear ,lord himself sent my         
glad-hearted ,sami to me1 and ,i esteem 
him4 ,he belongs to my house1 and it    
shall remain his home60