Once a rusty tin case was plowed out by a farmer working in the field, found in which was an ancient book. It was so old that the papers were rotten and most of them became broken as turned. He read it over and again carefully and later, he discovered that it was a book on magic, stating that on the Black Sea shores existed a pebble that could turn anything into gold. This pebble, unlike all the others, was warm to touch. Suddenly a strong desire struck deep roots in his mind that he would go to hunt the shores for the pebble and so he did.
From dawn to dusk he would pick up pebbles and feel them. To ensure he did not pick the same pebble twice or three times he would throw every picked pebble far out into the sea.
Searches lasted days, weeks and then months. A year passed and then another, every pebble he picked was as cold as ice and he cast them away as fast as he picked them. Now he had become so experienced at it that he could pick up a pebble and cast it with one smooth action.
At last he was bored with such endless searches and nearly disappointed, doubting whether there was really such a pebble.
One evening as he was lazy dragging his worn-out legs, leaving the beach after a whole day's aimless search, he saw a common pebble in front of him. “This will be the last one!” said the man hopelessly. With a sigh he bowed and picked it up. Not until he gathered all his strength and threw it farther into the sea did he realize that it was warm and even a little hot, but it was too late.
从前，有个农夫在地里干活的时候刨出了一个生锈的马口铁箱子，箱子里有一本古书。那书旧到里面的纸都酥了，大部分一翻就烂。他仔细读了一遍又一遍，后来，他发现这是一本关于魔法的书，书里说黑海之滨有一种卵石，这种石头可以把任何东西都变成金子。和别的石头不一样的是，这种卵石摸上去是温热的。突然一种强烈的欲望在他脑海里深深扎下根来，就算是找遍整个海岸也要找到这石头。于是，他去了。
他没日没夜地捡石头、摸石头。为确保不会把同一块卵石捡起来两三次，他会把每块捡过的石头扔得远远的，扔进海里去。
他每天都找石头，先是几个星期过去了，后来几个月过去了。他找了一年又一年，每拾起一块儿，都是冰凉冰凉的，后来他捡得有多快，扔得就有多快。现在他有经验了，捡起来和扔出去的动作能够很连贯流畅地一次完成。
最后，他厌倦了这没完没了的寻找，几乎失望透顶，甚至怀疑究竟是不是真有这样的卵石。
一天晚上，当一整天漫无目的的找寻画上句号，他懒洋洋地拖着疲惫的双腿要离开沙滩的时候，他看到面前有一颗平淡无奇的卵石。“我再捡最后一块！”他已经不抱任何希望了。 他叹了口气弯下腰去把石头捡了起来。他使出全身力气把它往更远的海里扔去，这时他才意识到那块石头不凉，甚至还有点热，可惜一切都太晚了。
-plow [plaʊ] v. 耕
-pebble [ˈpebl] n. 卵石
最遗憾莫过于在离成功只有一步之遥时，却下定了转身放弃的决心。