愚人節(jié)與四月魚

師維

April Fools Day， sometimes referred to as （被稱為） All Fools Day， is celebrated on April 1st every year. April 1st is not a national holiday， but is widely recognized and celebrated in many countries. April 1st has long been a day when people play practical jokes， gags （玩笑） and pranks （惡作劇） on each other.

每年的4月1日，人們都會慶祝愚人節(jié)，有時候也被稱為萬愚節(jié)。盡管愚人節(jié)并非是一個法定的國家節(jié)日，許多國家的人們卻都已熟知并喜歡在4月1日慶祝這個節(jié)日。在愚人節(jié)當天，大家會彼此說笑話，開玩笑和做惡作劇。

The origin of April Fools Day is uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons， while others believe it stems from （起源于） the adoption （采用） of a new calendar. In fact， many people think April Fools Day originated （起源于） in France. The theory about the origin of April Fools Day involves （涉及） the French calendar reform （改革） in the sixteenth century. This is the most widely accepted explanation.

愚人節(jié)的起源如今已經(jīng)無法確定。有人認為愚人節(jié)是為了慶祝季節(jié)的變換，而還有一些人則相信它是源于新年歷的啟用。事實上，許多人都相信愚人節(jié)起源于法國。他們認為，愚人節(jié)是來源于十六世紀法國的年歷變更。而這一解釋已被大家所熟知和接受。

Ancient cultures celebrated New Years Day on or around April 1st. It closely follows the vernal equinox （春分） （March 20th or March 21st）. In medieval times （中世紀）， many European countries celebrated March 25th as the beginning of the New Year. In some areas of France， New Year was a week-long holiday ending on April 1st.

在古代，人們在4月1日左右慶祝新年。新年開始于春分（3月20日或者3月21日）之后。在中世紀，許多歐洲國家將3月25日作為新年的開始。在法國的部分地區(qū)，新年的假期持續(xù)一周之久，截止到4月1日。

In 1582， Pope （教皇） Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar （the Gregorian Calendar） to replace the old Julian Calendar （羅馬儒略歷）. The new calendar called for New Years Day to be celebrated on January 1st. That year， France adopted the reformed calendar and shifted New Years Day to January 1st.

1582年，教皇格列高利十三世決定修改年歷，頒布施行格里歷（即目前通用的陽歷）來取代儒略歷，以1月1日作為一年之始。同一年，法國采用新年歷，并將新年移至1月1日。

This calendar reform caused much confusion， and years passed before the new calendar system completely took hold （占據(jù)；扎根）. People who failed to note the switch （改變） was branded an April fool， because they were still likely to celebrate the old New Years Day on April 1st. For years， there were a small group of people who still mistakenly celebrated the old New Years Day on April 1st. Of course， those who celebrated on January 1st made fun of those who celebrated on other dates. Jokes were played on them by sending them on fools errands （差事） or tricking them into believing ridiculous things.

這次年歷改革造成了很多困擾，而且直到很多年后人們才漸漸地熟悉新年歷。許多人由于沒有注意到這次年歷變更而被貼上愚人的標簽，因為他們依舊在4月1日慶祝新年。多年后，依然有一小群人在4月1日慶祝新年。當然，主張新年歷的人大加嘲弄了這些守舊者。他們愚弄這些守舊者，差遣他們做傻事，或者愚弄他們，讓他們相信一些荒謬的事。

The French call the people who are fooled in April Fools Day the April Fish in their local language. To catch the fish in April was very easy since they were so young and naive （天真的；幼稚的）. Since it was just as easy to catch April fish as it was to prank naive people， fools were called April fish.

法國人稱呼愚人節(jié)里受騙的人為四月魚。小魚在四月剛剛出生，糊里糊涂容易上鉤。由于戲弄那些容易上當受騙的人就像捉住四月的魚一樣容易，那些容易上當受騙的人就被人們叫做四月魚。

The idea of the All Fools Day spread rapidly throughout Europe. Todays French children may stick a paper fish to the back of another and tease （戲弄） them. When it is noticed， they cry “the April Fish”. Polish citizens avoid anything serious on that day and prepare various jokes and pranks. In Portugal， people usually throw flour at their friends. In the U.K， Australia， New Zealand and Zimbabwe， pranks and jokes must be done by noon on the April Fools Day， or the prankster （做惡作劇的人） will have bad luck.

愚人節(jié)很快的在歐洲流行起來。今天，法國的小孩子會在彼此的背后貼上一條紙做的魚以愚弄對方。當對方發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的惡作劇時，孩子們就齊聲高喊“四月的魚”。波蘭市民會在愚人節(jié)當天避免任何嚴肅的行為并準備很多的笑話和惡作劇。在葡萄牙，人們會往好朋友身上扔面粉。在英國、澳大利亞、新西蘭和津巴布韋，人們只能在正午12點之前開玩笑和做惡作劇，他們認為過了中午以后繼續(xù)戲弄人會招致霉運。

April 1st has been a day when people try to fool and are fooled by others. And do remember： April Fools practical jokes should be done in good fun and do not mean to harm anyone. The best jokes are the clever ones where everyone laughs， especially the person who had the joke played on them.

4月1日已經(jīng)成為人們相互開玩笑和惡作劇的節(jié)日。當然，要記?。河奕斯?jié)的惡作劇一定為了讓所有人開心而非傷害他人。那些讓所有人都歡笑，尤其是讓被戲弄的人歡笑的惡作劇才永遠是最好的。