在北美,每年2月2日,人們都要慶祝“土撥鼠日”。在這一天,一只土撥鼠會(huì)告訴人們春天什么時(shí)候到來。雖然這個(gè)節(jié)日的具體來源已經(jīng)無(wú)法查明,但人們相信它是由凱爾特節(jié)日“圣布里吉德節(jié)”和基督教節(jié)日“圣燭節(jié)”演變而來的。1887年,在賓夕法尼亞州的彭格蘇塔維尼市,美國(guó)人第一次慶祝了這個(gè)節(jié)日。此后,彭格蘇塔維尼的慶?;顒?dòng)成為了最有名的土撥鼠日,“彭格蘇塔維尼菲爾”也順理成章地當(dāng)上了全世界最有名的土撥鼠。
在預(yù)測(cè)完天氣后,菲爾會(huì)和土撥鼠俱樂部的主席竊竊私語(yǔ)(說了什么只有在任主席才能聽懂),其預(yù)測(cè)會(huì)由主席翻譯到全世界。按照菲爾粉絲的說法,這世上由始至終只有一只菲爾,他是獨(dú)一無(wú)二的,其他土撥鼠都是冒牌貨。但土撥鼠的壽命一般只有6到8年,菲爾是靠什么活到現(xiàn)在的呢?原來,每年夏天,菲爾都要喝一種具有神奇效力的潘趣酒,每喝一次,就能多活7年,神奇吧?(不過這只是傳說而已啦。)
關(guān)于土撥鼠日還有什么有趣的故事,馬上為你送上——
On this day, we trust a rodent to predict the weather. And today well be learning more about Groundhog Day.
Groundhog Day is celebrated annually on February 2nd. On this day, people use a groundhog to determine the length of the current winter season and the possible early onset of spring. This weather prediction is dependent on the days conditions. Six more weeks of winter are on the way if sunshine causes the groundhog to see its shadow and go back into hibernation—
(soundbite of the movie Groundhog Day)
Member of Inner Circle: Sorry folks. Six more weeks of winter.
—While clouds and gray skies prevent the appearance of the groundhogs shadow and result in springs speedy arrival.
The period between the winter solstice and spring equinox has been important throughout history. For instance, the Celts注1 anticipated spring by celebrating the pagan festival of“Imbolc注2.” Some people believe Imbolc then evolved into the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which celebrates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple and falls on the second of February. It was during the Middle Ages that Europeans began to rely on the shadows of hibernating animals as an indication of incoming weather. During the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, German immigrants brought this belief to the United States and selected the groundhog as the chosen animal in Pennsylvania.
這一天,我們指望一只嚙齒動(dòng)物來預(yù)測(cè)天氣?,F(xiàn)在,我們將進(jìn)一步了解“土撥鼠日”。
每年2月2日,人們都會(huì)慶祝土撥鼠日。在這一天,人們以一只土撥鼠來決定當(dāng)年冬季的長(zhǎng)短,并預(yù)測(cè)可能早到的春天。這種天氣預(yù)測(cè)根據(jù)當(dāng)天的情況決定。如果太陽(yáng)令土撥鼠看到自己的影子、回去繼續(xù)冬眠,就意味著冬天還有六個(gè)星期才結(jié)束——
(電影《土撥鼠之日》聲音片段)“小圈子”成員:不好意思,各位,冬天還有六個(gè)星期。
——如果那天多云陰天,土撥鼠看不到自己的影子,就代表春天很快就要到來。
冬至和春分之間的時(shí)期在歷史上一直很重要。例如,凱爾特人通過慶祝異教節(jié)日“圣布里吉德節(jié)”期盼春天的到來。有人相信圣布里吉德節(jié)隨后演變成基督教節(jié)日“圣燭節(jié)”。圣燭節(jié)是紀(jì)念(圣母瑪麗亞)在圣殿中把耶穌獻(xiàn)給主的節(jié)日,日子落在2月的第二天。中世紀(jì)起,歐洲人開始依賴冬眠動(dòng)物的影子預(yù)測(cè)不久之后的天氣狀況。十八、十九世紀(jì)期間,德國(guó)移民把這種信仰帶到了美國(guó),并在賓夕法尼亞州選擇了土撥鼠作為指定動(dòng)物。
注1:凱爾特人為公元前2000年活動(dòng)在中歐的一些有著共同的文化和語(yǔ)言特質(zhì)的、有親緣關(guān)系的民族的統(tǒng)稱。
注2:Imbolc又叫圣布里吉德節(jié)(Saint Brighids Day),是一個(gè)凱爾特節(jié)日,以慶祝春天的到來。
The first official celebration of Groundhog Day occurred in that states city of Punxsutawney in the late 1880s, when several businessmen and groundhog hunters of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club watched the groundhog observing his shadow. Though this holiday has since spread across North America, the biggest annual Groundhog Day celebrations remain in its place of origin, where a groundhog dubbed Punxsutawney Phil predicts the weather. Tens of thousands of people and countless media outlets visit the city during early February to participate in festivities that include music and food.
For the actual ceremony, Phil is relocated to Gobblers Knob by his handlers made up of a group of top hat and tuxedo-wearing individuals called “The Inner Circle.” Though the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club maintains that Phil is right up to 90% of the time, studies have shown the number is actually closer to less than 40%. This has done nothing to quell peoples interest and fascination with the groundhogs forecasts. In fact, the holiday was given an even bigger 26)boost following the successful 1993 comedy, Groundhog Day.
(soundbite of the movie Groundhog Day)
Phil Connors: This one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.
Set in Punxsutawney, the film also led to “Groundhog Day” being used as an expression for experiencing situations over and over again.
(soundbite of the movie Groundhog Day)
Connors: Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster?
第一次正式的土撥鼠日慶祝儀式發(fā)生在19世紀(jì)80年代后期,地點(diǎn)是賓夕法尼亞州的彭格蘇塔維尼市。當(dāng)時(shí),一些商人和彭格蘇塔維尼土撥鼠俱樂部的土撥鼠獵人目睹了土撥鼠觀察自己影子的一幕。盡管這個(gè)節(jié)日后來傳播到北美各地,但最大型的年度土撥鼠日慶?;顒?dòng)依然屬于其起源地——一只名叫“彭格蘇塔維尼菲爾”的土撥鼠會(huì)在此預(yù)測(cè)天氣。成千上萬(wàn)的觀眾和無(wú)數(shù)媒體會(huì)在2月初造訪該市,參加有音樂和食物的各種慶祝活動(dòng)。
到了真正的儀式,菲爾會(huì)被負(fù)責(zé)照料他的訓(xùn)導(dǎo)員——一群戴著高帽、穿著燕尾服、人稱“小圈子”的人——安置到火雞丘。雖然彭格蘇塔維尼土撥鼠俱樂部堅(jiān)稱菲爾的準(zhǔn)確率高達(dá)90%,但研究顯示,這個(gè)數(shù)字其實(shí)還不到40%。然而,這絲毫阻擋不了人們對(duì)土撥鼠預(yù)報(bào)的興趣和熱情。事實(shí)上,自1993年喜劇《土撥鼠之日》大獲成功后,這個(gè)節(jié)日的名氣就更上一層樓了。
(電影《土撥鼠之日》聲音片段)菲爾·康納斯:這一次,電視確實(shí)無(wú)法捕捉到由一只大松鼠預(yù)測(cè)天氣所帶來的真實(shí)興奮感。
這部背景設(shè)在彭格蘇塔維尼的電影還讓“土撥鼠日”這個(gè)詞衍生出“一遍又一遍地經(jīng)歷同一場(chǎng)景”的意思。
(電影《土撥鼠之日》聲音片段)康納斯:蘭開斯特太太,你有過déjà vu(記憶錯(cuò)覺)嗎?
Mrs. Lancaster: I dont think so, but I could check with the kitchen.
For movies and TV shows to childrens toys, Phil and Groundhog Day have appeared in pop culture on numerous occasions. Though Groundhog Day is mostly observed in North America, other countries practice similar traditions. Some American states use other animals instead of the groundhog. Meanwhile, the Canadian city of Wiarton in Ontario, is home to a popular festival based around a groundhog named Wiarton Willie.
蘭開斯特太太:我想沒有,但我可以問問廚房。
從電影、電視節(jié)目到小孩子的玩具,菲爾和土撥鼠日在無(wú)數(shù)場(chǎng)合的流行文化中出現(xiàn)。盡管土撥鼠日主要在北美慶祝,其他國(guó)家也有類似的傳統(tǒng)。美國(guó)一些州會(huì)用其他動(dòng)物代替土撥鼠。另一邊,加拿大安大略省的懷爾頓市也有一個(gè)很受歡迎的節(jié)日,主角是一只叫“懷爾頓威利”的土撥鼠。
電影《土撥鼠之日》
男主角菲爾(比爾·默瑞飾)是尖酸刻薄的匹茲堡電視臺(tái)氣象報(bào)告員,工作態(tài)度馬虎。不料他在采訪土撥鼠日時(shí)意外陷入了不斷重復(fù)某一天的時(shí)光隧道,每天過著同樣的生活,從早上起床就會(huì)遇到同樣的人,做同樣的事,令他煩惱得要尋死,但怎么樣也死不成。于是他反過來修身養(yǎng)性,改善人際關(guān)系,竟然變成了一個(gè)廣受歡迎的好人,跟電視節(jié)目制作人(安迪·麥克道威爾飾)之間的愛情也修成正果。