



Produced by E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, David Garcia,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading
Team










MONI THE GOAT-BOY

BY JOHANNA SPYRI

Author Of "Heidi"

TRANSLATED BY HELEN B. DOLE

ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR BY CHARLES COPELAND




[Illustration: "_In the midst of the flock came the goat-boy_."]




CONTENTS

    CHAPTER

      I. ALL IS WELL WITH MONI
     II. MONI'S LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS
    III. A VISIT
     IV. MONI CAN NO LONGER SING
      V. MONI SINGS AGAIN



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

    "In the midst of the flock came the goat-boy" _frontispiece_

    "Moni climbed with his goats for an hour longer"

    "Joergli had opened his hand. In it lay a cross set with a large
     number of stones"





CHAPTER I

ALL IS WELL WITH MONI


It is a long, steep climb up to the Bath House at Fideris, after leaving
the road leading up through the long valley of Praettigau. The horses
pant so hard on their way up the mountain that you prefer to dismount
and clamber up on foot to the green summit.

After a long ascent, you come first to the village of Fideris, which
lies on the pleasant green height, and from there you go on farther
into the mountains, until the lonely buildings connected with the
Baths appear, surrounded on all sides by rocky mountains. The only
trees that grow up there are firs, covering the peaks and rocks, and
it would all look very gloomy if the delicate mountain flowers with
their brilliant coloring were not peeping forth everywhere through the
low pasture grass.

One clear summer evening two ladies stepped out of the Bath House and
went along the narrow footpath, which begins to mount not far from the
house and soon becomes very steep as it ascends to the high, towering
crags. At the first projection they stood still and looked around, for
this was the very first time they had come to the Baths.

"It is not very lively up here, Aunt," said the younger, as she let her
eyes wander around. "Nothing but rocks and fir woods, and then another
mountain and more fir trees on it. If we are to stay here six weeks, I
should like occasionally to see something more amusing."

"It would not be very amusing, at all events, if you should lose your
diamond cross up here, Paula," replied the aunt, as she tied together
the red velvet ribbon from which hung the sparkling cross. "This is the
third time I have fastened the ribbon since we arrived; I don't know
whether it is your fault or the ribbon's, but I do know that you would
be very sorry if it were lost."

"No, no," exclaimed Paula, decidedly, "the cross must not be lost, on
any account. It came from my grandmother and is my greatest treasure."

Paula herself seized the ribbon, and tied two or three knots one after
the other, to make it hold fast. Suddenly she pricked up her ears:
"Listen, listen, Aunt, now something really lively is coming."

A merry song sounded from far above them; then came a long, shrill
yodel; then there was singing again.

The ladies looked upwards, but could see no living thing. The footpath
was very crooked, often passing between tall bushes and then between
projecting <DW72>s, so that from below one could see up only a very short
distance. But now there suddenly appeared something alive on the <DW72>s
above, in every place where the narrow path could be seen, and louder
and nearer sounded the singing.

"See, see, Aunt, there! Here! See there! See there!" exclaimed Paula
with great delight, and before the aunt was aware of it, three, four
goats came bounding down, and more and more of them, each wearing around
the neck a little bell so that the sound came from every direction. In
the midst of the flock came the goat-boy leaping along, and singing his
song to the very end:

  "And in winter I am happy,
  For weeping is in vain,
  And, besides, the glad springtime
  Will soon come again."


Then he sounded a frightful yodel and immediately with his flock stood
right before the ladies, for with his bare feet he leaped as nimbly and
lightly as his little goats.

"I wish you good evening!" he said as he looked gayly at the two ladies,
and would have continued on his way. But the goat-boy with the merry
eyes pleased the ladies.

"Wait a minute," said Paula. "Are you the goat-boy of Fideris? Do the
goats belong to the village below?"

"Yes, to be sure!" was the reply.

"Do you go up there with them every day?"

"Yes, surely."

"Is that so? and what is your name