When the Walnuts Escaped- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Morning light filled the small patio.

A young squirrel stopped near the garden wall. A tall table stood before him, cut from rough wood. On the tabletop rested a clay pot of herb. Beside the pot lay bread covered by thick tomato sauce. The squirrel moved toward that soft crust on sight.

He jumped onto a wicker chair between wall and table. The chair rocked and scraped, shaking loose dry leaves. A leaf slid under his paw, making each step slow. He sprang again and landed on the herb pot rim. The rim cracked; the pot tipped toward the sauce plate. Sauce splashed downward, spreading across the bright wood surface. The falling pot struck a tin and popped its lid. Three walnuts rolled free and bounced off the plate. Success of the jump shone in those moving nuts. Dark growth rings circled each shell like tiny waves. The squirrel gripped one walnut and raced to the wall. Finally, the chair settled and stayed.

晨光灑滿小露台。

一隻小松鼠停在花園牆邊。牆前有張高桌，桌面是粗木切成的。桌上放著一盆香草。香草旁邊是一塊抹著濃番茄醬的麵包。松鼠一看就往那軟麵包撲去。

牠跳上牆與桌之間的藤椅。椅子搖晃刮地，乾葉紛落。有片葉子滑到爪下，每一步都變得緩慢。牠再跳，落在香草盆邊緣。邊緣裂開，花盆向醬汁盤傾斜。醬汁濺落，流過明亮的木面。掉落的花盆撞到一只小鐵盒並掀開蓋子。三顆核桃滾出，撞離盤子。那一躍帶來的成功在滾動的核桃間閃現。深色的年輪環繞每顆堅硬外殼，如微小浪紋。松鼠夾起一顆核桃，衝向牆邊。最後，椅子停止搖晃並安靜下來。