Turtle on the Plank at Dawn- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Early light rested over the valley, yet a grey mist still drifted. Kai walked along the field path, mindful of wet grass around his shoes. It has rained all night, so puddles glittered between stones. He had planned to reach a low pear tree and choose one shining fruit. A shallow trench that crossed the track blocked his way to the orchard. Only a narrow wooden plank lay across the gap, recently placed by farmers. The surface looked smooth; it has been sanded by passing boots.

Kai placed one foot on the plank, but a small turtle crawled up ahead. Its shell scraped wood, and the board trembled under their combined weight. He paused; the mist shifted and revealed another hidden break beside the plank. One more step in his hurry would have sent him into that opening. He let out a long breath, backed up, searched the trench, and found several steady stones. He built a simple crossing, then waited while the turtle reached cool water below. When his boots touched the orchard side, the pear tree stood within easy reach. A single golden pear dropped into his pocket, and the scene settled around them.

清晨的微光覆蓋山谷，但灰霧仍飄在空中。凱沿著田間小路前行，小心翼翼避免鞋子沾溼。整夜的雨留下水窪，在石縫間閃閃發亮。他原本打算走到一棵矮梨樹下，挑一顆閃亮的果子。穿越小路的是一道淺溝，擋住他通往果園的路。只有一條窄木板橫在缺口上，那是農人最近放置的。木板表面看來平滑，經過行人長時間磨砂。

凱剛把一隻腳踏上木板，一隻小烏龜就從前方草叢爬上來。牠的甲殼刮著木面，木板在兩者的重量下微微顫動。他停住腳步，霧氣移動，顯露出木板一旁另一道隱藏的裂口。若再匆忙踏一步，他就會掉進去。他深深吐了一口氣，退回原處，檢視溝渠，撿起幾塊穩固的石頭。他簡單鋪出一條石路，接著等烏龜爬向下方涼涼的水邊。當他的靴子踩上果園那側時，梨樹已近在咫尺。一顆金黃梨子滑進他口袋，周圍景色漸漸安靜。