The Washboard Tap and the Striped Nest Egg - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

By late morning, the brown hen stepped into a straw nest in the henhouse.

The straw rasped under her feet and left small lines that closed again.

Cool air from the pond moved through the mesh and carried a wet, leafy smell.

Emory stood nearby with a low tub and a metal water pan.

He scrubbed the pan against a small washboard, and water tapped in a steady beat.

Other hens scratched nearby, and a light dust cloud rose and hung in the light.

She turned in a slow circle and pushed straw with her beak and feet.

Then she eased down, feathers settling, and the nest shaped itself under her weight.

After a still moment, she rose, and a warm egg took her place.

Emory leaned the washboard on the lower rung of a short wooden stool.

A thin film of water ran along it and made the board slide a little.

It slipped and tapped the nest box wall; straw dust fell across the new shell.

The hen lifted her head and shook once; a loose feather drifted onto straw.

Emory steadied the washboard with one hand and kept scrubbing with the other.

Water splashed softly on the metal and left tiny dots along the tub rim.

Iris held a basket near the boxes and moved slowly along the row.

The fresh egg still felt warm in her palms, and the pale stripe stayed clear.

An aloe plant in a clay pot stood by the door with thick, cool leaves.

Hens dipped their beaks at the trough, and small rings crossed the water.

接近中午時，一隻棕色母雞走進雞舍裡的稻草巢。

稻草在牠腳下摩擦，留下細細的痕，再慢慢合上。

來自池塘的涼空氣穿過鐵網，帶著潮濕、草葉的氣味。

Emory 站在一旁，拿著一個淺盆和一個金屬水盤。

他把水盤在一塊小搓衣板上來回刷洗，水聲規律地敲打。

旁邊的母雞抓地，淡淡的塵霧升起，在光裡停著。

牠慢慢繞一圈，用喙和腳把稻草推開。

接著牠緩緩坐下，羽毛貼攏，巢在牠重量下成了形。

安靜了一會兒，牠起身，一顆溫熱的蛋留在原位。

Emory 把搓衣板斜靠在一張矮木凳的下層橫檔上。

一層薄薄的水膜沿著板面滑過，讓板子慢慢移動。

它滑下輕碰巢箱的木壁；稻草粉落下，劃過新蛋的表面。

母雞抬起頭輕抖一下；一片鬆鬆的小羽毛落在稻草上。

Emory 用一隻手扶住搓衣板，另一隻手繼續刷洗。

水花輕輕打在金屬上，在盆緣留下細小的點點。

Iris 提著籃子在巢箱前，慢慢沿著一列走過。

新鮮的蛋在她掌心仍帶著溫度，淡淡的條紋清楚可見。

門邊一盆蘆薈放在陶盆裡，厚葉摸起來涼涼的。

母雞把喙點進水槽裡，細小的圈圈在水面上推開。