Two nine-year-old girls—rude Luise Palfy and respectful shy Lotte Körner—meet on a summer camp. Apart from their different hair-do, they look alike. They have never seen each other before, but soon find out that they are identical twins. It turns out that their parents divorced, each keeping one of the girls. They decide to trade places at the end of the summer. Lottie curls her hair, Lisa braids hers, and both go off to where they have never been before. The adventure begins.
Maria Thaler, the recently widowed landlady of an inn in the picturesque Weineck in the Wachau region, gives birth to twins. At the same time, kitchen maid Rosina also gives birth to twins in the same house, albeit illegitimate. Mayor Scherzinger exploits the growing rumor that quadruplets were born in the inn to market Weineck as a tourist attraction. With complete success!
Heidi, a young orphan girl living with her aunt in Frankfurt, is forced to move to the Swiss Alps to live with her ornery grandfather. At first, he resents her presence, but, after a short while, Heidi manages to pierce his gruff exterior, and the two become close. She also befriends a young shepherd named Peter. After three years, Heidi's aunt arrives and demands Heidi's return to Frankfurt.
