The Walking Song
王老师退休以后，每天早上都走同一条路。
Wang-teacher retire after, every day morning all walk same one (M) road.
After Teacher Wang retired, she walked the same road every morning.
从她家出来，过两条街，到公园，再走一圈，然后回家。
From her home come-out, cross two (M) street, arrive park, then walk one round, then return-home.
Out from her house, across two streets, into the park, one loop, and back home.
她教了三十多年的小学，现在七十岁了。
She teach (PERF) thirty-more year (POSS) primary-school, now seventy year-old (PERF).
She had taught primary school for over thirty years, and was seventy now.
她最喜欢这段路，因为安静，路上常常有别人家的孩子。
She most like this section road, because quiet, road on often have other people home (POSS) child.
She liked this walk because it was quiet, and there were always other people's children on the way.
一个秋天的早上，她在公园门口听见了一个小孩在唱歌。
One (M) autumn (POSS) morning, she at park door-mouth hear-see (PERF) one (M) small-child at sing-song.
One autumn morning, she heard a child singing at the park gate.
她停下脚，仔细听。
She stop foot, careful listen.
She stopped and listened carefully.
那个调子，她认识。
That (M) tune, she recognize.
She knew that tune.
那是她年轻的时候自己写的一首歌，教给她的学生。
That is she young (POSS) time self write (POSS) one (M) song, teach-to her (POSS) student.
It was a song she had written when she was young and taught to her students.
她从来没教过别人，也没在任何地方发表过。
She from-come not teach (EXP) other-person, also not at any place publish (EXP).
She had never taught it to anyone else, and never published it anywhere.
那只是她在课上为了好玩教的一个小调子。
That only is she at class on for fun teach (POSS) one (M) small tune.
It had just been a little tune she used in class to make things fun.
几十年都过去了。她以为早就没人记得了。
Several-ten year all pass (PERF). She think early then no person remember (PERF).
Decades had passed. She had assumed no one remembered it anymore.
可是这个小孩，他不可能是她的学生。
But this (M) small-child, he not possible is her (POSS) student.
But this child — he couldn't possibly have been her student.
他看起来只有六七岁。
He look up-come only have six-seven year-old.
He looked only six or seven.
王老师没说话，只是慢慢走过他身边。
Wang-teacher not speak, only is slowly walk-pass him body-side.
Teacher Wang said nothing, just walked slowly past him.
心里像有一片云，慢慢飘起来。
Heart inside like have one (M) cloud, slowly float-up come.
Inside her, something rose like a slow cloud.
第二天她又来了。她故意走慢一点。
Second day she again come (PERF). She on-purpose walk slow a-bit.
She came back the next day. She walked a little more slowly this time.
公园门口没有那个小孩，可是她听见同样的调子，从别的地方飘过来。
Park door-mouth not have that (M) small-child, but she hear-see same (POSS) tune, from other (POSS) place float-over come.
The child wasn't at the gate, but she heard the same tune drifting in from somewhere else.
是两个小女孩，坐在草地上玩。
Is two (M) small-girl, sit at grass-ground on play.
Two little girls, sitting on the grass, playing.
再过几天，她又听见——是一个骑车的小男孩。
Again pass few day, she again hear-see — is one (M) ride-vehicle (POSS) small-boy.
A few days later, she heard it again — a little boy on a bike.
都是不同的孩子，都唱同一个调子。
All is different (POSS) child, all sing same one (M) tune.
Different children, all singing the same tune.
她终于明白了。
She finally understand (PERF).
She finally understood.
她以前的学生里，有一个一定记得这首歌。
She previously (POSS) student inside, have one (M) certainly remember this (M) song.
Somewhere among her old students, one of them remembered this song.
那个学生长大了，可能当了爸爸或者妈妈。
That (M) student grow-up (PERF), perhaps become (PERF) dad or mom.
That student had grown up — maybe a father now, maybe a mother.
他把这首歌教给了自己的孩子。
He (BA) this (M) song teach-to (PERF) self (POSS) child.
He taught the song to his own child.
孩子又教给了同学，同学又教给了别的孩子。
Child again teach-to (PERF) classmate, classmate again teach-to (PERF) other (POSS) child.
The child taught classmates, the classmates taught other children.
这样一代一代，没有人知道这首歌是从哪儿来的。
This-way one generation one generation, not have person know this (M) song is from where come (POSS).
Generation after generation, and no one knew where the song had come from.
王老师在公园里坐下，看着远处的孩子们。
Wang-teacher at park inside sit-down, look (CONT) far-place (POSS) child (PL).
Teacher Wang sat down in the park, watching the children in the distance.
她不会再去找那个学生了。
She not will again go seek that (M) student (PERF).
She wouldn't go looking for the student who had remembered.
找到了，又能说什么呢？
Seek-arrive (PERF), again can say what (Q)?
What would she even say?
她想起年轻时上的第一节课。
She think-up young time attend (POSS) first (M) class.
She remembered her first class as a young teacher.
那时她担心自己教不好，担心学生很快就忘了她说的话。
That time she worry self teach not good, worry student very fast then forget (PERF) her say (POSS) word.
Back then, she had worried she wasn't a good teacher, worried her students would forget her words.
原来教书就像把种子放进土里。
Originally teach-book just like (BA) seed put-into earth inside.
It turned out teaching was like putting seeds in the soil.
你看不见它们长出什么。
You look not see them grow-out what.
You don't see what grows.
你可能这辈子都不会再见到它们。
You perhaps this life-time all not will again see-arrive them.
You might never see them again in this life.
可是它们一直在长。
But them all-along at grow.
But they keep growing.
她慢慢站起来，开始往家走。
She slowly stand-up come, begin toward home walk.
She stood up slowly and began the walk home.
走着走着，她自己也小声地唱了起来。
Walk (CONT) walk (CONT), she self also small-voice (ADV) sing (PERF) up-come.
As she walked, she found herself singing it too, very softly.
几十年了，她还记得每一个字。
Several-ten year (PERF), she still remember every one (M) word.
After all those decades, she still remembered every word.