The Festival of Small Gods
我去那个小镇的时候，本来只是想躲开城市几天。
I go that (M) small-town (POSS) time, originally only is want hide-away city several day.
When I went to that small town, I only meant to escape the city for a few days.
我是一个不太相信神的人。
I be one (M) not very believe god (POSS) person.
I am someone who does not much believe in gods.
我相信工作，相信努力，相信下雨之前要带伞。
I believe work, believe effort, believe down-rain before need bring umbrella.
I believe in work, in effort, in carrying an umbrella before the rain.
可是到了那个小镇，我发现自己来错了时间——也或许是对的时间。
But arrive (PERF) that (M) small-town, I discover self come-wrong (PERF) time — also perhaps be correct (POSS) time.
But once in the town, I realized I had come at the wrong time — or perhaps the right one.
整个小镇正在准备一年一度的“小神节”。
Whole small-town just (CONT) prepare one year one degree (POSS) "small-god festival".
The whole town was preparing for its yearly Festival of Small Gods.
开旅馆的女主人热情地跟我介绍。
Open hotel (POSS) female host enthusiastic (ADV) with me introduce.
The woman who ran the inn warmly explained it to me.
“我们不拜那种大神，”她说，“我们拜小神。”
"We not worship that kind big god," she say, "we worship small god."
“We don't worship the big gods,” she said. “We worship the small ones.”
我以为她在开玩笑。我笑着问：“小神？”
I think she (CONT) tell joke. I smile (CONT) ask: "Small god?"
I thought she was joking. I smiled and asked, “Small gods?”
她严肃地点头。
She serious (ADV) nod-head.
She nodded seriously.
“丢钥匙的神，”她数着自己的手指，“想说一句话却说错时机的神，没整理的床的神，忘记纪念日的神，没回的短信的神……”
"Lose key (POSS) god," she count (CONT) self (POSS) finger, "want say one (M) word but say-wrong time-moment (POSS) god, not tidy (POSS) bed (POSS) god, forget anniversary-day (POSS) god, not return (POSS) short-letter (POSS) god…"
“The god of lost keys,” she counted on her fingers, “the god of the right word at the wrong moment, the god of unmade beds, the god of forgotten anniversaries, the god of unanswered messages…”
“每一个都有一个小庙，”她说，“一共大概有四十个。”
"Every one (M) all have one (M) small temple," she say, "in-total about have forty (M)."
“Each has its own little shrine,” she said. “About forty in all.”
“我们一年只拜他们一次，每个人都得选一个，给他一份小礼物，说一句道歉。”
"We one year only worship them one time, every (M) person all must choose one (M), give him one (M) small gift, say one (M) sentence apology."
“Once a year we make our offering — each person picks one god, leaves a small gift, and says an apology.”
我心里觉得好笑，可是嘴上没说。
I heart inside feel amusing, but mouth on not say.
I found it amusing inside, but said nothing.
毕竟这是别人的家乡，他们怎么过节是他们的事。
After-all this be other person (POSS) hometown, they how spend festival be their (POSS) matter.
After all, this was their home and their festival.
傍晚，小镇里点起了灯。
Dusk, small-town inside light-up (PERF) lamp.
At dusk the town lit its lamps.
灯不是大灯，是无数个小小的、像星星一样的灯。
Lamp not be big lamp, be uncountable (M) small-small (POSS), like star same (POSS) lamp.
Not large lamps, but countless tiny ones, like stars.
街道两边都摆着小庙，每个小庙前都有人静静地站着。
Street two-side all set-out (CONT) small temple, every (M) small temple front all have person quietly stand (CONT).
On both sides of the street stood little shrines, and people stood quietly before them.
有的人放下一把钥匙，有的人放下一张写着字的纸。
Some person put-down one (M) key, some person put-down one (M) write (CONT) word (POSS) paper.
Some left a key. Some left a folded slip of paper with words on it.
有的人只是低头小声说几句，然后离开。
Some person only is low-head small-voice say several (M), then leave.
Some only bowed their heads, whispered a few words, and walked away.
整个镇子里没有人说大话，没有人笑。
Whole town inside not have person say big-word, not have person laugh.
No one in the entire town spoke loudly; no one laughed.
我从来没见过一个这样安静的节日。
I from-never not see (EXP) one (M) this kind quiet (POSS) festival.
I had never seen so quiet a festival.
我一个人慢慢地走着，从一座小庙走到下一座。
I one person slowly (ADV) walk (CONT), from one (M) small temple walk-arrive next one (M).
I walked slowly, alone, from one shrine to the next.
在街道最后的一个角落，我看见了一座最小的庙。
At street last (POSS) one (M) corner-spot, I see (PERF) one (M) most small (POSS) temple.
At the last corner of the street, I came upon the smallest shrine of all.
庙前面没有人。庙上面写着六个字：没回的短信之神。
Temple front not have person. Temple above write (CONT) six (M) word: not return (POSS) short-letter (POSS) god.
No one was there. On its face were written six characters: The God of Unanswered Messages.
我站在那里看了很久。
I stand at there look (PERF) very long.
I stood there a long time.
心里突然想起了一个人——一个我多年前写过信的朋友，我从来没收到过回信。
Heart inside suddenly think-up (PERF) one (M) person — one (M) I many year before write (EXP) letter (POSS) friend, I from-never not receive (EXP) return-letter.
I suddenly thought of someone — a friend I had written to years before, who had never written back.
那时候我以为她生我的气。后来我以为她早就忘了我。
That time I think she be-angry-with me (POSS) air. Later I think she early-just forget (PERF) me.
At the time I thought she was angry with me. Later I thought she had long since forgotten me.
再后来我自己也忘了想她。
Again later I self also forget (PERF) think her.
And in time, I too forgot to think of her.
我从包里拿出一张小纸条，用笔在上面写：“对不起。”
I from bag inside take-out one (M) small paper-strip, use pen at above write: "Sorry."
I took a small strip of paper from my bag, and with a pen wrote: “I'm sorry.”
我又写了一行：“我应该多写一次。”
I again write (PERF) one line: "I should more write one time."
Then another line: “I should have written one more time.”
我轻轻地把纸放在小庙前面，又站了几秒钟。
I lightly (ADV) (BA) paper place at small temple front, again stand (PERF) several second-clock.
I gently placed the slip before the shrine, and stood there a few more seconds.
我心里有点不好意思——一个不信神的人，居然在一个石头小庙前留下一张纸条。
I heart inside have-bit not-good meaning — one (M) not believe god (POSS) person, unexpectedly at one (M) stone small temple front leave-down one (M) paper-strip.
I felt a little embarrassed — a non-believer leaving a slip of paper before a small stone shrine.
可是我也没把纸拿回来。
But I also not (BA) paper take-return-come.
But I did not take it back either.
那天晚上，我睡得很安稳。
That day evening, I sleep (DEG) very steady.
That night I slept soundly.
第二天早上，我手机响了。
Second day morning, my phone ring (PERF).
The next morning my phone rang.
是一条短信。来自那位多年没联系的朋友。
Be one (M) short-letter. Come-from that (M) many year not contact (POSS) friend.
It was a message — from the friend I had not heard from in years.
她说：“我不知道你为什么突然出现在我梦里，可是我醒了以后觉得应该写信给你。你过得好吗？”
She say: "I not know you why suddenly appear at my dream inside, but I wake (PERF) after feel should write letter give you. You spend (DEG) good (Q)?"
She wrote, “I don't know why you suddenly appeared in my dream, but when I woke up I felt I should write. How have you been?”
我看着手机，看了很久很久。
I look (CONT) phone, look (PERF) very long very long.
I stared at the phone for a long, long time.
外面的小镇正在收起昨天晚上的灯。
Outside (POSS) small-town just (CONT) collect-up yesterday evening (POSS) lamp.
Outside, the town was taking down the lamps from the night before.
我没有马上回信。我穿好衣服，下楼走到那条街上。
I not have immediately return-letter. I wear-on clothes, down-floor walk-arrive that (M) street up.
I didn't reply right away. I dressed, went downstairs, and walked into that street.
小庙们都还在。
Small temple (PL) all still at.
The shrines were still there.
我走到那座最小的庙前。
I walk-arrive that (M) most small (POSS) temple front.
I went to the smallest one.
我昨晚的纸条还在原来的位置，没有人动过。
My yesterday-night (POSS) paper-strip still at original (POSS) position, not have person move (EXP).
My slip from the night before was still in place, untouched.
我在庙前蹲下来，对着那张纸条想了很久。
I at temple front crouch-down-come, toward that (M) paper-strip think (PERF) very long.
I crouched before it and thought for a long while.
我没办法说这就是“小神”的事。
I not have-way say this just be "small god" (POSS) matter.
I couldn't say this was the work of the “small god.”
也许是巧合。也许她真的做了一个梦。
Maybe be coincidence. Maybe she really do (PERF) one (M) dream.
Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe she really did dream.
也许她早就想给我写信，只差一个理由。
Maybe she early-just want give me write letter, only short one (M) reason.
Maybe she had long meant to write me and only lacked a reason.
可是这一切，正好在那个夜晚——那张纸条放下去之后。
But this all, just-good at that (M) night — that (M) paper-strip place-down after.
But all of it had happened just that night — just after the slip had been laid down.
我没有再试一次。
I not have again try one time.
I did not try again.
我没有给其他小神放纸条。
I not have give other small god place paper-strip.
I did not leave notes for any of the other gods.
我心里清楚：那种事经不起测试。
I heart inside clear: that kind matter cannot-bear test.
I knew in my heart: such things cannot bear testing.
可是当晚回家以前，我又走过那座最小的庙。
But that-evening return-home before, I again walk-pass that (M) most small (POSS) temple.
But that evening, before heading home, I walked past the smallest shrine once more.
我没说话。我只是停下，对着那块石头点了点头。
I not speak. I only is stop-down, toward that (M) stone nod (PERF) nod-head.
I said nothing. I only stopped and nodded toward the small stone.
回到城市以后，我和那位朋友又开始联系。
Return-arrive city after, I and that (M) friend again begin contact.
Back in the city, my friend and I began to write to each other again.
我们不谈那条短信为什么会出现。
We not discuss that (M) short-letter why able appear.
We did not speak of why that message had come.
我也没告诉她，那一年的“小神节”，我在哪里。
I also not tell her, that one year (POSS) "small-god festival," I at where.
I never told her where I had been during that year's festival.
我不再说自己完全不信。
I not again say self completely not believe.
I no longer say I do not believe at all.
我只是说：有些事我不太懂。
I only is say: have some matter I not very understand.
I only say: there are some things I do not fully understand.
对于小神来说，我想，这就是他们想要的全部。
Toward small god speak, I think, this just is they want (POSS) all-portion.
For the small gods, I think, that is all they ever wanted.