英语沙龙：7月27日贪睡人的节日

July 27 Sleepyhead Day

A septet of Rip Van Winkles，the men who came to be known as the Seven Sleepers¹，had the misfortune of being devout² Christians³ in third－century Turkey in the midst of Emperor Decian's anti－Christian persecutions．The seven fled their homes with the emperor' s henchmen in hot pursuit．They ducked into a cave and launched into prayer，preparing for what seemed their imminent⁴ martyrdom．They shared what they believed would be their last meal．Then they all lay down to sleep，believing that Decian's men would discover them at any moment．But as miracles will have it，they slept undisturbed for 208 years．By the time they awoke and emerged from t he cave，Decian had not only stopped looking for them，he was long since deceased．The current emperor，a Christian，hailed the Seven Sleepers as saints and kissed them，at which point they all lay down and died．

Sleepyhead Day marks the Seven Sleepers' collective feast day in Naantali，southwestern Finland．Soon after dawn，howling revelers fill the streets，headed for the home of the current year' s“sleepyhead”：some unsuspecting local celebrity⁵．A waking－up party is let into the house；the Sleepyhead is roused rudely，hauled out of bed，marched down to the town's harbor，and tossed into the drink．

7月27日贪睡人的节日

在3世纪的土耳其，有7位里普·范温克尔式的人物，称为7位贪睡人，很不幸，是虔诚的基督徒。他们遭到了当时反基督教的皇帝迪赛安的迫害。皇帝的侍从对他们穷追不舍，他们7人只得逃离了家园。

他们躲进一个山洞之后便开始祷告，为可能即将来临的殉难作准备。在分享了自认为最后的晚餐之后，他们就躺下睡觉了，相信迪赛安的手下随时都会找到他们。然而真是奇迹，他们竟安稳地沉睡了208年。等到他们一觉醒来走出山洞时，迪赛安不仅早已不再追杀他们，而且早已死去了。而此时的皇帝本人就是基督徒。他赞扬他们为圣徒，并亲吻了他们。然而他们却随即倒下，死了。

在芬兰西南部的楠塔利镇，贪睡人的节日是纪念７位贪睡人的集体节日。天一亮，满街就都是高声喊叫的狂欢者。他们涌进该年的“贪睡人”———当地对此事毫无觉察的某个名人———的家中。这一大帮唤醒者被带进屋子；粗鲁地将贪睡人弄醒，将他从床上拖起来带到该镇的港口并把他扔到海里去。

1 sleepers   

n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环

参考例句：

• He trod quietly so as not to disturb the sleepers. 他轻移脚步，以免吵醒睡着的人。 来自辞典例句
• The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. 保姆出去了，只剩下我们两个瞌睡虫。 来自辞典例句

2 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

3 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

4 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

5 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。