Footprints in the Snow
寒假结束了，林老师回到学校。
Cold-vacation finish (PERF), Teacher Lin return-arrive school.
Winter break was over, and Teacher Lin returned to school.
她在一所小学教三年级。
She at one (M) elementary-school teach three grade.
She taught third grade at an elementary school.
回到学校的第一天早上，她发现了一件奇怪的事。
Return-arrive school (POSS) first day morning, she discover (PERF) one (M) strange (POSS) matter.
On her first morning back, she noticed something strange.
她的教室外面，雪地上有一些小脚印。
Her (POSS) classroom outside-face, snow-ground top have some small foot-print.
In the snow outside her classroom, there were small footprints.
脚印从学校大门那边过来，一直走到教室的窗户下面。
Foot-print from school big-gate that side come-over, continuously walk arrive classroom (POSS) window under-face.
They came from the front gate and led right up under the classroom window.
脚印很小，像是一个小学生的。
Foot-print very small, resemble is one (M) elementary-student (POSS).
The prints were small, like a child’s.
林老师以为是有学生玩雪。
Teacher Lin think-as is have student play snow.
Teacher Lin assumed some student had been playing in the snow.
可是第二天早上，新的脚印又出现了。
But second day morning, new (POSS) foot-print again appear (PERF).
But the next morning, fresh prints appeared again.
也是一个人，也是走到窗户下。
Also is one (M) person, also is walk arrive window under.
Same single set of prints, leading to the same window.
第三天，又是一样。
Third day, again is same.
On the third day, the same again.
林老师有点担心。
Teacher Lin a-bit worry.
Teacher Lin grew a bit concerned.
“是谁这么早就来？这么冷的天，做什么呢？”
"Is who this-much early just come? This-much cold (POSS) day, do what (PRT)?"
“Who would be here this early? On a day this cold — what for?”
她想了想，决定不告诉别人，自己先弄明白。
She think (PERF) think, decide not tell other-person, self first work-out clear.
She thought about it and decided not to tell anyone yet — she’d figure it out herself first.
那天晚上离开学校以前，她做了一件事。
That day evening leave school before, she do (PERF) one (M) matter.
That evening before leaving school, she did one thing.
她在教室的窗户里放了一个保温瓶。
She at classroom (POSS) window inside place (PERF) one (M) keep-warm-bottle.
She set a thermos on the windowsill inside the classroom.
里面是热的巧克力。
Inside is hot (POSS) chocolate.
Inside was hot chocolate.
她还在旁边放了一张纸条，上面写着：“请喝，外面冷。”
She also at side-side place (PERF) one (M) paper-strip, top-face write (CONT): "Please drink, outside cold."
Next to it, she left a small note: “Please drink — it’s cold outside.”
第二天，她比平时早到了一个小时。
Second day, she compare usual-time early arrive (PERF) one (M) hour.
The next day, she arrived an hour earlier than usual.
她走到教室外面，等着。
She walk arrive classroom outside, wait (CONT).
She stood outside the classroom and waited.
天还很黑，雪还没停。
Sky still very dark, snow still not stop.
The sky was still dark, the snow still falling.
过了一会儿，她看见一个小学生慢慢走过来。
Pass (PERF) a-while, she see one (M) elementary-student slow-slow walk over come.
After a while, she saw a child walking slowly toward the building.
那是她班里的一个学生，叫小华。
That is her class inside (POSS) one (M) student, called Xiaohua.
It was one of her own students, Xiaohua.
小华身上穿得很少，手放在口袋里。
Xiaohua body top wear (DEG) very few, hand place at pocket inside.
He was wearing too little for the weather, hands stuffed in his pockets.
他看见林老师，停了下来，眼睛红了。
He see Teacher Lin, stop (PERF) down come, eye red (PERF).
When he saw Teacher Lin he stopped short, his eyes turning red.
“老师，对不起……我不是要进去玩。”
"Teacher, sorry... I not is want enter-go play."
“Teacher, I’m sorry… I wasn’t trying to sneak in to play.”
“我家里没有热水，也没有大衣。教室外面不太冷，因为有大楼。”
"My home inside not-have hot water, also not-have big-coat. Classroom outside not very cold, because have big-building."
“There’s no hot water at home, and no warm coat. Outside the classroom isn’t too cold because the building blocks the wind.”
林老师心里一下子明白了。
Teacher Lin heart inside in-one-go understand (PERF).
Teacher Lin understood at once.
她让他进教室，给了他那瓶热巧克力。
She let him enter classroom, give (PERF) him that bottle hot chocolate.
She brought him inside and gave him the thermos of hot chocolate.
那天以后，林老师去找了校长。
That day after, Teacher Lin go find (PERF) school-head.
Later that day, Teacher Lin went to see the principal.
学校同意：冬天的早上，需要的学生可以早到，进教室里坐着读书。
School agree: winter (POSS) morning, need (POSS) student can early arrive, enter classroom inside sit (CONT) read book.
The school agreed: on winter mornings, any student who needed it could come early and sit inside the classroom to read.
雪还在下，可是教室里的灯，每天早一点就亮了。
Snow still at fall, but classroom inside (POSS) light, every-day early one-bit just bright (PERF).
The snow kept falling, but every day the classroom lights came on a little earlier.