The Rolling Bead- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Cool morning light touched the small backyard.

Sam carried a green hose toward the tomato beds. He aimed to give every seedling a gentle drink. A thick coil of ivy covered the old metal tap. The tap's valve refused to move under his first pull. Sam crouched and traced the vine with quick fingers. He unwound the ivy, dropping each strand onto damp earth. Free of vines, the valve still felt rough and tight.

He wiped grit away, pressed harder, and the handle turned. Water burst through the hose and slapped a wooden shelf. The sudden jet pushed a clay pot off its narrow board. The pot hit the ground, cracked, and spilled dark soil. From the soil, a round onyx bead rolled toward him. A robin fluttered down, landed near the bead, and tilted. Sam watched as the bird pecked once then hopped away. Water pooled around the forgotten trowel beside the bead.

涼爽的晨光灑在小後院。

Sam提著綠色水管走向番茄苗。他想讓每株幼苗喝到柔和的水。粗大的常春藤纏住舊金屬水龍頭。水龍頭的閥門第一次拉動時並不轉動。Sam蹲下，用靈巧的手指摸索藤蔓。他把常春藤一圈圈拆下，放在濕土上。藤蔓清走後，閥門仍舊粗糙而緊。

他擦去砂粒，用更大力氣一扭，手柄終於轉動。水流衝出水管，猛力拍在木架上。突如其來的水柱把一個陶盆推下窄板。陶盆落地破裂，深色泥土瀉出。泥土中，一顆黑亮的小珠子滾向他。一隻知更鳥飛下，停在珠旁，側頭觀察。Sam注視著小鳥啄了一下後跳開。水在珠子旁那把被遺忘的鏟子周圍集成水窪。