The River That Remembered
我们的小村旁边有一条河，从我出生起它就一直在那里。
Our (POSS) small-village beside have one (M) river, from I be-born start it just continuously at there.
There is a river beside our small village; it has been there ever since I was born.
村里的老人说，这条河比村子还要古老。
Village inside (POSS) old-person say, this (M) river compare village still more ancient.
The old people in the village say the river is older than the village itself.
那一年的春天，河水开始小声说话。
That one year (POSS) spring, river-water begin small-voice speak.
That spring, the river began to speak in a soft voice.
声音很轻，只有一个人安静地坐在岸边才能听见。
Sound very light, only have one (M) person quietly sit at bank-side then able hear.
The sound was faint; only a person sitting quietly alone at its bank could hear it.
起初我以为是风，或者是自己心里的想法。
At-first I think be wind, or be self heart inside (POSS) thought.
At first I thought it was the wind, or just my own thoughts.
可是有一天下午，我清清楚楚地听见它在讲一个故事。
But have one day afternoon, I clear-clear-clearly hear it (CONT) tell one (M) story.
But one afternoon, I clearly heard it telling a story.
它讲的是一百年前的一个渔夫，在一个有雾的早上掉进了水里。
It tell (POSS) is one hundred year before (POSS) one (M) fisher-man, at one (M) have fog (POSS) morning fall-into (PERF) water inside.
It told of a fisherman a hundred years ago who fell into the water one foggy morning.
“他没有喊，”河水说，“他只是看着天空，慢慢地沉下去。”
"He not have shout," river-water say, "he only is look (CONT) sky, slowly sink-down-go."
“He didn't cry out,” the river said. “He only looked at the sky and slowly sank.”
我吓了一跳，差点站起来跑回家。
I scare (PERF) one jump, almost stand-up run-return-home.
I was startled and nearly stood up to run home.
但我没有动，因为河的声音里有一种奇怪的温柔。
But I not have move, because river (POSS) voice inside have one (M) strange (POSS) gentle.
But I didn't move, because there was a strange gentleness in the river's voice.
从那天起，每天傍晚我都来到岸边坐下。
From that day start, every day dusk I all come-arrive bank-side sit-down.
From that day on, I came to sit by the bank every evening.
我谁也没告诉，连我母亲也没说。
I who also not tell, even my mother also not say.
I told no one, not even my mother.
河流告诉我的事情，一件比一件深。
River-flow tell me (POSS) matter, one (M) compare one (M) deep.
What the river told me grew deeper with each visit.
有一次，它讲了一个姑娘，在它的岸边第一次握住了一个青年的手。
Have one time, it tell (PERF) one (M) young-woman, at it (POSS) bank-side first time hold-firm (PERF) one (M) young-person (POSS) hand.
Once, it told of a young woman who first held a young man's hand by its banks.
“他们以为我没在听，”河说，“可是水什么都记得。”
"They think I not (CONT) listen," river say, "but water what all remember."
“They thought I wasn't listening,” the river said. “But water remembers everything.”
另一次，它讲了一场战争。
Other one time, it tell (PERF) one (M) war.
Another time, it told of a war.
“士兵从来没有走到我们村，”河说，“可是他们的血流进了我里面。”
"Soldier never not have walk-arrive our village," river say, "but their (POSS) blood flow-into (PERF) my inside."
“The soldiers never reached our village,” the river said. “But their blood ran into me all the same.”
夏天慢慢深了，河的声音却一天比一天弱。
Summer slowly deepen (PERF), river (POSS) voice however one day compare one day weak.
As summer deepened, the river's voice grew weaker by the day.
有时候我必须把耳朵几乎放在水面上，才能听清楚。
Some-time I must (BA) ear almost place at water-surface up, then able hear-clearly.
Sometimes I had to bring my ear almost to the surface to make out the words.
我突然明白：它在告诉我它的最后一些记忆。
I suddenly understand: it (CONT) tell me it (POSS) last some memory.
I suddenly understood: it was telling me its last memories.
“你是不是要死了？”我问。
"You be-not-be want die (PERF)?" I ask.
“Are you dying?” I asked.
水面上轻轻动了一下，像点头。
Water-surface on lightly move (PERF) one bit, like nod-head.
The surface trembled lightly, like a nod.
“有人在伤害我，”河说，“在上游。”
"Have person (CONT) hurt me," river say, "at upstream."
“Someone is hurting me,” the river said. “Upstream.”
第二天早上，我背了一点干粮，沿着河往上游走。
Second day morning, I carry-on-back (PERF) a-bit dry-food, along (CONT) river toward upstream walk.
The next morning I packed some food and walked upstream along the river.
走了一整天，路两旁的树越来越少。
Walk (PERF) one whole day, road two-side (POSS) tree more-come-more few.
I walked all day; the trees on either side grew fewer and fewer.
黄昏时分，我看见了远处有一片灰色的房子。
Yellow-dusk time-portion, I see (PERF) far place have one (M) gray (POSS) house.
At dusk, I saw a cluster of gray buildings in the distance.
那是一家旧工厂，早就没人管了。
That be one (M) old factory, early-just no person manage (PERF).
It was an old factory; no one had cared for it in a long time.
可是它身后有一条管子，正慢慢地把黑色的水送进河里。
But it body-back have one (M) pipe, just (CONT) slowly (BA) black (POSS) water send-into river inside.
But behind it ran a pipe, slowly sending black water into the river.
我蹲下来，伸手摸了一下那里的水。
I crouch-down-come, extend-hand touch (PERF) one bit there (POSS) water.
I crouched and dipped my hand into the water there.
水又冷又重，像生了病的血。
Water both cold both heavy, like get (PERF) illness (POSS) blood.
It was cold and heavy, like sick blood.
我没回家。我在工厂边上的小屋里住下了。
I not return-home. I at factory side up (POSS) small-house inside live-down (PERF).
I did not go home. I moved into a small hut beside the factory.
每天早上，我去拿石头和泥土，一点一点堵住那条管子。
Every day morning, I go take stone and mud-soil, a-bit a-bit block that (M) pipe.
Every morning I gathered stones and mud and slowly blocked the pipe.
下午，我用一个旧桶把脏水从河里取出来，倒在远处的土上。
Afternoon, I use one (M) old bucket (BA) dirty water from river inside take-out, pour at far place (POSS) soil up.
In the afternoon I used an old bucket to take dirty water from the river and poured it onto the distant soil.
工作很慢，没人帮我。
Work very slow, no person help me.
The work was slow, and no one helped me.
可是慢慢地，水变得比从前清一点。
But slowly (ADV), water become compare before clear a-bit.
But little by little, the water grew clearer than before.
有一天傍晚，我累得坐在岸边动不了。
Have one day dusk, I tired (DEG) sit at bank-side move-not-able.
One evening I was so tired I sat by the bank unable to move.
我以为河早就安静了，再也不会说话。
I think river early-just quiet (PERF), again also not able speak.
I thought the river had long since fallen silent, that it would never speak again.
可是这时候，水面上响起了一种我从没听过的声音。
But this time, water-surface up rise-up (PERF) one (M) I from-never listen (EXP) (POSS) sound.
But just then, a sound I had never heard before rose from the water.
它不是讲故事，也不是叹气。
It not be tell story, also not be sigh.
It was not a story, nor was it a sigh.
它像是在哼一段没有字的歌。
It like be (CONT) hum one (M) not-have word (POSS) song.
It was like a wordless song.
我听了很久才明白：河在向我表示感谢。
I listen (PERF) very long then understand: river (CONT) toward me express thanks.
I listened a long time before I understood: the river was thanking me.
我哭了一会儿，自己也不太清楚为什么。
I cry (PERF) a little, self also not very clear why.
I cried for a while, not quite knowing why.
秋天来的时候，我才回村里。
Autumn come (POSS) time, I only return village inside.
When autumn came, I finally went back to the village.
母亲没问我去了哪里，只是抱住我，很长时间没放开。
Mother not ask me go (PERF) where, only is hug-firm me, very long time not release-open.
My mother didn't ask where I had been; she only held me and didn't let go for a long time.
冬天里，河上结了一层薄薄的冰。
Winter inside, river top form (PERF) one layer thin-thin (POSS) ice.
In winter, a thin layer of ice formed on the river.
我每天还是去看它，可是听不见任何声音。
I every day still go look it, but listen-not-able any sound.
I still visited it every day, but I could hear nothing.
我开始担心：也许我做得太晚了。
I begin worry: maybe I do (DEG) too late (PERF).
I began to worry that perhaps I had been too late.
可是到了第二年春天，冰化的那一天，我走到岸边坐下。
But arrive (PERF) second year spring, ice melt (POSS) that one day, I walk-arrive bank-side sit-down.
But on the day the ice melted in the second spring, I went to the bank and sat down.
起先什么也没有。
At-first what also not-have.
At first there was nothing.
然后，从水底深处传来一句很轻的话。
Then, from water-bottom deep place pass-come one (M) very light (POSS) word.
Then, from somewhere deep beneath the water, a very faint word rose.
它说：“我又能想起来了。”
It say: "I again able think-up-come (PERF)."
It said, “I can remember again.”
我没有回答。我只是把手放在水上，轻轻地拍了拍。
I not have answer. I only is (BA) hand place at water up, lightly (ADV) pat (PERF) pat.
I didn't answer. I only laid my hand on the water and gave it a small pat.
那一年，村里的人开始注意到河变清了。
That one year, village inside (POSS) person begin notice-arrive river become-clear (PERF).
That year, the villagers began to notice that the river had grown clearer.
他们说是天气，是雨，是运气。
They say be weather, be rain, be luck.
They said it was the weather, the rain, the luck of the year.
我什么也没解释。
I what also not explain.
I explained nothing.
有些事情属于河和我，不需要别人懂。
Have some matter belong-to river and me, not need other person understand.
Some things belonged to the river and to me, and did not need to be understood by anyone else.
到现在，每年春天我都还去坐在岸边。
Until now, every year spring I all still go sit at bank-side.
Even now, every spring, I still go to sit by the bank.
河大多数时间安安静静，像所有的河一样。
River most-many time peace-peace-quiet-quiet, like all (POSS) river same.
Most of the time the river is quiet, like every other river.
可是偶尔，在风停下来的那一刻，它还是会小声告诉我一些事。
But occasionally, at wind stop-down-come (POSS) that one moment, it still able small-voice tell me some matter.
But every so often, in the moment when the wind dies, it still tells me, in a small voice, the things it remembers.