Oats Sliding Through the Feed Bin Gap - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Quinn carried the broom along the stable aisle and swept loose hay into rows.

The known weight sat in his hands, and the handle rubbed a smooth mark.

Warm dust hung in the air, and soft hoof steps moved behind the rails.

Loose hay sifted from the loft boards and fell in slow arcs.

Eamon leaned on the fence by the yard, one boot resting on the lower rail.

Quinn reached the feed bin beside the donkey's stall and set the broom head down.

The donkey's nose bumped the board, and the metal latch swung and clicked once.

A halter strap on a peg gave a small sway at the knock.

Then a thin line of oats began to creep through a new gap near a knot.

Grains slid down the wood, picked up speed, and ticked against Quinn's boot.

He turned his hips a little and pushed, letting the bristles catch the stream.

The broom scraped the floor, and friction pulled each roll into the sweep.

Cool air rose from the cellar doors by the house and met the warm yard.

A covered pot of chowder sat on the step, its lid clouded from earlier steam.

On the shelf by the saddles, last week's polish left the bridle strap shining.

The oats kept coming in a slow bead, and Quinn kept the broom moving.

After several passes, a neat cone of grain stood under the gap, pale and dry.

Dust clung to Quinn's palms, and one grain rested in the tread of his boot.

Inside the stall, the donkey chewed, and a fresh grain ticked and slid.

Quinn 拿著掃帚走過馬廄走道，把鬆散的乾草掃成一列列。

他熟悉的重量落在手裡，柄在掌心磨出一條平滑的印子。

空氣裡浮著溫熱的灰塵，欄杆後傳來輕柔的蹄步聲。

樓上的木板縫裡篩下些許乾草，慢慢劃出弧線落下。

Eamon 倚在院邊的圍欄上，一隻靴子搭在下層橫桿。

Quinn 走到驢欄旁的飼料箱，把掃帚頭放下。

驢子的鼻子頂了頂木板，金屬插銷一晃，清脆地碰了一下。

釘子上的籠頭帶也輕輕晃了一下。

接著，一道細細的燕麥線從木節旁邊新出的縫隙慢慢滲出。

顆粒沿著木面滑下，加快了些，輕輕碰到 Quinn 的靴子。

他微微轉了腰一推，讓刷毛把這條細流接住。

掃帚在地上刮過，摩擦把每一次滾動都拉進掃過的路線裡。

房子旁地窖門口冒出涼意，和院子裡的暖氣相遇。

台階上放著一鍋蓋好的巧達湯，鍋蓋還留著先前蒸汽的雲霧。

馬鞍旁的架子上，前陣子的保養油讓馬勒帶閃著亮光。

燕麥仍慢慢連成小串落下，Quinn 也持續讓掃帚來回。

掃了幾次後，縫隙下方立著一個小小的顆粒圓錐，淺色而乾爽。

灰塵黏在 Quinn 的手心，鞋底紋裡還卡著一粒。

欄裡的驢子繼續咀嚼，又有一粒新落下，輕碰一下就滑走。