Halloween1)
All Saints’ Day,which falls on 1st November,is regarded in the West as a festival.It was formerly a religious day and has been observed since the 4th century.31st October,the night before All Saints’ Day called Halloween,was originally New Year’ s Eve celebrated by the Celts.The Celtic authoritative2) druids3) believed that demons and spirits of the dead roam the earth on their New Year’ s Day.In order to protect themselves from any potential tricks and harms done to them,they wore frightful masks and disguised themselves so that the spirits would think the druids belonged to their own evil company.And tasty eatables were offered to curry favour with them and bonfires w ere lit to drive them away.Later on,those practices were gradually changed into a custom of commemorating on 31st October the return of dead souls to their homeland.People on that day also commemorated all the dead saints either well-known or not well-known.Because dead soul s are observed on All Saints’ Day,some people tend to call it Ghost Day.This day has been now developed into a non-religious ordinary festival.Wearing exotic4) masks,putting on gorgeous and weird clothes and holding candlelit pumpkin lanterns5) carved into grotesque6) heads,people gather cheerfully on streets in the evening to sing and dance to their hearts’ content.Spectacular fancy dress balls are held in some places.This festival appeals especially to the lovely kids.They dress up in costumes and go from door to door to extend good wishes for asking for confectionaries7) or some small gifts.Halloween is really a joyful festival in the West.
萬 圣 節(jié) 前 夜
11月1日萬圣節(jié)是西方社會的一個(gè)節(jié)日。它本來是個(gè)宗教節(jié)日,始于公元4世紀(jì)。10月31日萬圣節(jié)前夜原是克爾特人的除夕夜。當(dāng)時(shí)克爾特人中一些有權(quán)威的祭司們認(rèn)為妖魔鬼怪會在新年之際降臨人間,為了驅(qū)邪避害,他們佩戴可怕的面具來偽裝自己使鬼怪把他們當(dāng)成一伙的。一方面供奉美食款待它們,另一方面又點(diǎn)燃篝火驅(qū)趕它們。后來,這種做法逐漸改變?yōu)椋保霸拢常比占o(jì)念亡靈返回家園的習(xí)俗。人們在那天還紀(jì)念所有出名和不出名的亡故圣者。有些人把萬圣節(jié)稱為鬼節(jié)就是因?yàn)槲鞣缴鐣谶@天紀(jì)念亡靈。今天萬圣節(jié)已演變成非宗教的民俗節(jié)日。在萬圣節(jié)前夜,人們頭戴怪異的面具,身穿艷麗而奇特的服裝,手提雕刻成怪誕臉形并點(diǎn)燃蠟燭的南瓜燈籠,歡聚在大街小巷載歌載舞,有些地方還舉行盛大的化裝舞會。這一節(jié)日尤其吸引天真可愛的孩子們。他們化了裝串門走戶地祝福,索取糖果或其他禮物。萬圣節(jié)前夜不失為西方人洋溢著歡樂氣氛的一個(gè)節(jié)日。
NOTE 注釋:
1. Halloween [5hAlEu5i:n] n. 萬圣節(jié)前夕, 諸圣日前夕
2. authoritative [C:5WCritEtiv] adj. 權(quán)威的, 有權(quán)威的, 命令的
3. druid [5dru:Id] n. 德魯伊特教祭司
4. exotic [i^5zCtik] adj. 奇特的
5. lantern [5lAntEn] n. 燈籠, 提燈
6. grotesque [^rEu5tesk] adj. 奇形怪狀的, 奇異
7. confectionary [kEn5fekFEnEri] n. 糖食,糖果