Wind and the Baseball in the Shallow Pool - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

"It floats near the blue ring."

Birch dropped to his knees by the patio. An inflatable pool sat below the low window. A baseball bobbed in the shallow water, turning slowly. Wind came in bursts and pushed small waves across. Then the air stayed still, and the water calmed. Birch reached once, and the ball slid just beyond. He pulled back and watched the next cycle start. A cool draft brushed his forearms.

Leaves lifted, the chime tapped the rail, then quiet. Birch waited through one more burst of moving air. On the calm, he leaned in and cupped the ball. His elbow pressed the soft ring and sent water over. A thin sheet ran across the tiles toward a book. The book held a short story with bright frogs. Water soaked the corner, and the paper curled upward. Birch lifted the book and shook three drops free. Wind lifted again; the pool rippled under the sill. He set the baseball on the warm step.

「它靠近藍色的圈子飄著。」

柏奇跪在露台邊。充氣泳池在低矮的窗下。棒球在淺淺的水裡上下起伏，慢慢旋轉。風一陣一陣吹來，推著小小的波紋前進。接著空氣靜下來，水面也安定。柏奇伸手一次，球又滑得有點遠。他收回手，觀察下一次循環開始。一股涼涼的氣流拂過他的前臂。

樹葉抬起，風鈴叩著欄杆，然後安靜。柏奇再等一陣移動的空氣過去。平靜來到時，他俯身，用手掌托住球。他的手肘壓到柔軟的圈邊，水就溢出來。一層薄水沿著磁磚流向一本書。那本書裡有一篇關於鮮豔青蛙的故事。水浸到書角，紙張便往上捲。柏奇趕緊把書拿起來，甩掉三滴水。風又抬起來；泳池在窗台下起了波紋。他把棒球放在溫暖的台階上。