A Peach Rolls Along the Lighthouse Path - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Dry sand hissed against the lighthouse's stone step when a breeze skimmed the ground. A gull chick tottered from the tower's shadow toward a wooden crate resting on the path. The crate carried round peaches that had arrived from a distant orchard early that morning. One peach lay outside the box, its velvety skin dusted with salt. Beside the tower door, a group of children paused during a field visit. Their teacher lifted a hand and said with an easy laugh, “The glass lens above still shines at noon.” The chick ignored the voices, pressing its pale beak against the lone peach. Grains slipped between its tiny claws, piling against the fruit. Behind the cottage, a calm wetland gleamed. A scent of fresh clover drifted from a patch near the wall.

The chick pushed again. Sand trickled away from the peach, yet shell bits formed a ridge and stopped it. The bird pecked, shifted, and then hopped to the other side. Pebbles clicked as it tugged. The peach at last rolled, sending a small avalanche of gritty kernels toward the crate. One child gasped in delight. Another whispered, “It moved the peach all by itself.” The fruit bumped against the crate and broke through the sandy ridge. It settled on a green mat where clover leaves spread among smooth stones. The plant bent under the soft weight. Pale pollen dust scattered across the damp surface and drifted toward the steps. The teacher’s group moved on, their footsteps fading round the curve of the tower. A faint trail marked the sand where the peach had rolled. The chick stood beside it, one foot sunk half way into the shifted grains.

一陣微風掠過地面時，乾燥的沙子在燈塔石階上發出沙沙聲。燈塔的影子裡，一隻海鷗雛鳥搖搖晃晃地走向通道上放著的木箱。那木箱裝著一早從遠方果園送來的圓潤水蜜桃。一顆桃子滾到箱外，絨毛般的外皮上沾著鹽霜。燈塔門邊，一群孩子在戶外參觀時停下腳步。帶隊的老師抬手輕笑道：「上面的玻璃透鏡正午也還在發光。」雛鳥不理會聲音，把淡色的喙抵在那顆單獨的桃子上。細沙溜進牠微小的爪縫，堆在果實周圍。小屋後方，一片平靜的濕地泛著光，牆邊的酢漿草散出清新的氣味。

雛鳥再次用力。沙粒從桃子邊沿細細滑落，碎貝殼卻堆成脊牆擋住去路。牠啄了幾下，又跳到另一側。小鵝卵石咔嗒作響，桃子終於滾動，帶起一陣粗礫滑向木箱。一名孩子驚喜吸氣，另一個悄聲說：「牠自己把桃子推動了。」果實撞在木箱上，衝破沙脊後停在鋪著酢漿草葉的綠墊上，光滑石頭散落其間。植株在柔軟重量下彎曲，淡色花粉塵飄過濕潤表面朝石階漂去。老師和孩子們繞過塔身，腳步聲漸漸走遠。沙面上留下桃子滾過的淡淡痕跡。雛鳥站在旁邊，一隻腳半埋在被移動過的沙粒中。