Drip Makes a Slick Patch on Stone Path - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Neve stood at the planted bed with her uncle.

A sweet wet-earth smell rose from the soft dark soil.

The small wooden watering can rested on the soil edge. His chest moved with slow early-morning breaths beside her. "It is a quiet morning today," he said.

Neve held the small wooden watering can and poured slowly. Cool water fell through the small rose-head spout onto the soil. Her nose twitched at the clean smell from the wooden bucket. The wooden tap stand and the small wooden bucket rested nearby. A tiny skipper flicked above the hedge and turned away.

A slow drip slipped past the soil edge and fell. It hit the smooth stone path and made a slick patch. The patch spread into a slight gap between two stones. A scrap of dry leaf slid on the wet edge and stuck. A neighbor started a lawnmower beyond the hedge. The sound buzzed, then steadied by the garden hedge.

Neve tilted her head at a tiny tap on stone. Her hand moved the spout in toward the soft dark soil. The slow stream now landed clear of the smooth stone path. "I can watch," the uncle said in a low voice. Dew on the smooth stone path kept drying in the sun. A thin damp ring formed around a bean sprout. At last, the thin damp ring sank.

Neve 和她的叔叔站在小種植床旁。

一股潮濕泥土的甜味從柔軟的黑土升起。

小木製澆水壺放在土邊上。叔叔的胸口隨著清晨的呼吸慢慢起伏。他說：「今天的早晨很安靜。」

Neve 握著小木製澆水壺，慢慢倒水。涼水從小小的玫瑰形噴頭落到泥土上。她的鼻子聞到木桶傳來的清新味道。木製水龍頭架和小木桶就在旁邊。一隻小弄蝶掠過籬笆上方，然後飛走。

一滴慢慢落下的水越過土邊，掉了下去。它打在光滑的石徑上，留下一圈濕滑的水跡。那圈水跡延展進兩塊石頭之間的小縫。一小片乾葉的碎片在濕邊上滑動，然後黏住。籬笆那頭的鄰居發動了割草機。聲音嗡嗡作響，接著變得平穩。

Neve 聽到石頭上的細小滴答聲，側了側頭。她把噴頭往柔軟的黑土裡面移近。緩慢的水流現在落在柔軟的黑土上。叔叔低聲說：「我可以看著。」石徑上的露珠在陽光裡繼續變乾。一圈薄薄的濕痕圍住一株小豆苗。最後，那圈濕痕慢慢下沉。