英语沙龙：盖伊·福克斯之夜-１１月５日（在线收听）

Guy Fawkes Night ――5th November

Guy Fawkes Night--5th November, is s till observed in England――but fifty years ago it was celebrated with much more enthusiasm than is common today.It is different from other festivals in several ways. Although it occurs in the Autumn, it is not a seasonal festival：it is a political one. It started as an assertion of religious and patriotic loyalty.

All children know the rhyme associated with ５th November――and years ago, they would parade the streets, chanting it. These are the words：

Please remember the Fifth of November

Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot

I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot!

The rhyme reminded everyone of the origins of the festival. In the year １６０５, an attempt was made to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The King at this time was James I. The plotters, who were Roman Catholics, hoped that he would be one of many casualties. Great barrels of gunpowder were placed in the cellars underneath the building and one of the plotters then was found, crouched in the darkness, ready to light the fuses. It was an act of terrorism. It never had any chance of success. The discovery of Guy Fawkes was not an accident. News of the plot had been leaked. Once the conspiracy had been uncovered, and the plotters put to death, Parliament decreed that bonfires should be lit every year, to celebration event that was seen as a marvellous deliverance.

As the darkness falls earlier and weather gets worse-everyone is cheered by a bonfire. However, building a fire that will blaze satisfactorily can’t be done quickly or easily. For weeks before, broken furniture, wood waste-anything not wanted that would burn, was added to a growing（and very untidy）heap. Most householders were very glad to get rid of their rubbish. The top of the pile was flattened ready for an effigy of Guy Fawkes.

These effigies were the work of children-usually with some adult help. They had first to get hold of an outworn, unwanted jacket and trousers. The wrists and ankles were tightly tied, and the buttons fastened, and then the whole was stuffed with straw so as to make the shape of a man. The trouser ends were stuck in an old pair of boots, and the wrists into gloves. Making the head was the hardest part. You got a strong paper bag of the right size, stuffed it with straw, put a strong stick in the neck, and found an old hat for it to wear. Then you pushed the end of the stick well down into the body, and on the front of the head, you tied a mask. Suitable masks could be bought in the shops for a penny or two. That completed your effigy of Guy Fawkes. He was ugly, shabby and grotesque――but then he was meant to be.Before he was shoved on the bonfire, he was put into something which had wheels-an old child’s perambulator or a wheelbarrow, and t he rhyme was chanted and the children begged for pennies as a reward for their hard work.

In the early darkness and in chilly, and often foggy November weather, often with a threat of rain of frost, the bonfire burned, and its straw-filled Guy, and the fireworks added colour and explosive noise to the scene. There was food too if the children were lucky――roasted potato and toffee apple with a crisp and sweet coating. All this――as you can imagine, gave children fun and excitement.

□by Anna Whitington

盖伊·福克斯之夜-１１月５日

在英格兰, 人们仍于每年１１月５日庆祝盖伊·福克斯之夜。然而５０年前, 庆祝活动远比现在热闹。盖伊·福克斯之夜与其他节日相比有几点不同。尽管节日是在秋季, 它却不是季节性节日, 而是政治性节日。最初庆祝这一节日是为了维护对宗教和国家的忠诚。

孩子们都知道与１１月５日有关的一首歌谣-若在许多年前, 他们会唱着这首歌在街上游行。歌词如下：

请记住１１月５日,

炸药、背叛、阴谋

炸药叛国罪

不能遗忘这首歌谣使人们想起盖伊·福克斯之夜的起源。１６０５年, 有人企图炸毁议会大厦。当时的国王是詹姆士一世。罗马天主教徒策划了这次阴谋。他们企图炸死国王及其他议会成员。他们在议会大厦的地窑中藏了大桶大桶的炸药。他们的同伙, 盖伊·福克斯留了下来, 躲在阴暗处, 准备点燃导火线。但是这次恐怖行动不可能得逞, 盖伊·福克斯被发现也绝非偶然, 因为这次阴谋早已走漏风声。阴谋被发现后, 所有的参与者均被处死。议会下令每年１１月５日燃起篝火, 庆贺国王与议会虎口脱险。

白天越来越短, 天气逐渐变冷。篝火会给人们带来温暖和欢乐。不过生起一个熊熊燃烧的火堆可不是件容易的事。准备工作要花好几周的时间。人们把破损的家具、废木头等可以燃烧的废物堆集在一起。这个废物堆越堆越大（非常杂乱）。家家都很高兴能有此机会清除垃圾。垃圾堆的顶部被平整, 用以摆放盖伊·福克斯的模拟像。

模拟像由孩子们制作-一般会有大人帮忙。孩子们首先搜集破旧上衣和裤子。扎紧袖口和裤角, 扣好纽扣, 然后在里面塞满稻草, 做成一个人形, 然后再将裤角塞进靴子, 袖口塞入手套。头部最不好做。你得有一个大小合适的结实纸袋, 里面填上稻草, 领口里插一根粗木棍, 还要找一顶旧帽子给它戴上。然后, 把木棍一端插入身体, 整理好, 并在头上绑一幅面具。花一两个便士就可以在商店里买到合适的面具。这样盖伊·福克斯模拟像才算做好了, 其丑无比, 怪异破烂不堪-不过他就该是这样。把盖伊·福克斯扔入火堆之前, 孩子们先把他放入旧的童车或手推车, 然后唱起歌谣, 向人们讨要零钱, 作为他们辛勤劳动的报酬。

１１月里, 天黑得越来越早, 已是有寒意料峭, 雾气迷漫, 而且时常有可能下雨或降霜。熊熊篝火, 填满稻草的盖伊·福克斯, 五彩的烟火, 以及爆竹声声, 所有这些都给人们带来了欢乐。运气好的时候, 孩子们还会有东西吃-烤土豆和裹着一层脆脆的太妃糖衣的苹果。你可以想像, 所有这一切会给孩子们带来多大的欢乐。