Valley at Sunset

The set was setting， spilling gold light on the low western hills of Rathlin Island. A small boy walked jauntily along a hoof-printed path that wriggle between the folds of these hills and opened out into a crater-like valley on the cliff-top. Presently he stopped as if remembering something， then suddenly he left the path and began running up one of the hills. When he reached the top he was out of breath and stood watching streaks of light radiating from golden-edged clouds， the scene reminding him of a picture he had seen of the Transfiguration. A short distance below him was the cow standing at the edge of a reedy lake. Colm ran down to meet her vaving his stick in the air， and the wind rumbling in his ears made him give an exultant whoop which splashed upon the hills in a shower of echoed sound. A flock of gulls lying on the short grass near the lake rose up languidly， drifting like blown snowflakes over the rim of the cliff.

　　The lake faced west and was fed by a stream， the drainings of the semi-circling hills. One side was open to the winds from the sea and in winter a little outlet trickled over the cliffs making a black vein in their gray sides. The boy lifted stones and began throwing them into the lake， weaving web after web on its calm surface. Then he skimmed the water with flat stones， some of them jumping the surface and coming to rest on the other side. He was delighted with himself and after listening to his echoing shouts of delighted he ran to fetch his cow. Gently he tapped her on the side and reluctantly she went towards the brown-mudded path that led out of the valley. The boy was about to throw a final stone into the lake when a bird flew low over his head， its neck astrain， and its orange-colored legs clear in the soft light. It was a wild duck. It circles the lake twice， thrice， coming lower each time and then with a nervous flapping of wing it skidded along the surface， its legs breaking the water into a series of silvery arcs. Its wings closed， it lit silently， gave a slight shiver， and began pecking indifferently at the water. （from The Wild Duck's Nest by Michael McLaverty）

　　jauntily 得意地，高興地，歡快地

　　hoof-printed 有蹄印的

　　wriggle 蜿蜒而行

　　fold 山間褶皺

　　crater-like 象火山口的，中空而廣圓的

　　streak 條紋，色線

　　ready 長滿蘆葦的

　　rumble 呼呼作響

　　exultant 興高採烈的，狂喜的

　　whoop （歡樂的）高喊，高呼

　　languidly 嬾洋洋的，無精打採地

　　rim 邊緣

　　trickle 滴， 淌

　　skim 掠水而過，漂過

　　astrain （作表語）用力伸直的，拉長的

　　flapping 振翼，拍翅

　　are 弧形

　　peck 啄食