÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š÷š Topic N4 "Customs and Traditions"
There are many customs and traditions in÷š England.÷š And÷š I÷š would
like to tell you some of them. First tradition is÷š called÷š "Wrong
side of the bed" When people are bad tempered we÷š say÷š that÷š they
must have got out of bed on the wrong side.÷š Originally,÷š it÷š was
meant quiet literally. People belive that the way÷š they÷š rose÷š in
the morning affected their behaivor throughout the day. The wrong
side of the bed was the left side. The left÷š always÷š having÷š been
linked with evil.÷š Second÷š custom÷š is÷š called÷š "Blowing÷š out÷š the
candles" The custom of having candles on birthday cakes goes back
to the ancient Greeks. Worshippers of Artemis, godess of the moon
and hunting, used to place honey÷š cakes÷š on÷š the÷š altars÷š of÷š her
temples on her birthday. The cakes were round like the full÷š moon
and lit with tapers. This custom was next recorded in the÷š middle
ages when German peasants÷š lit÷š tapers÷š on÷š birthday÷š cakes,÷š the
number lit indicating the person's age,÷š plus÷š an÷š extra÷š one÷š to
represent the light of life. From earliest÷š days÷š burning÷š tapers
had been endoued with mystical significance and÷š it÷š was÷š belived
that when blown out they had the power to grant a secret wish and
ensure a happy year ahead. And the last tradition I would like to
tell you is called "The 5th of November" On the 5th÷š of÷š November
in almost every otwn and village in England÷š you÷š will÷š see÷š fire
burning, fireworks, cracking and lighting up the÷š sky.÷š You÷š will
see too small groups of children pulling round÷š in÷š a÷š home÷š made
cart, a figure that looks something like a man but consists of an
old suit of clothes, stuffed with straw. The children will sing:"
Remember, remember the 5th of November; Gun powder,÷š treason÷š and
plot". And they will ask passers-by for "a penny for the Guy" But
the children with "the Guy" are not likely to know÷š who÷š or÷š what
day they are celebrating. They have done this more or less÷š every
5th of November since 1605. At that time James the First÷š was÷š on
the throne. He was hated with many÷š people÷š especialy÷š the÷š Roman
catholics against whom many sever laws had been passed. A÷š number
of catholics chief of whom was Robert Catesby determined to÷š kill
the King and his ministers by blowing up the house of÷š Parliament
with gunpowder. To help them in÷š this÷š they÷š got÷š Guy÷š Fawker,÷š a
soldier of fortune, who would do the actual work. The÷š day÷š fixed
for attempt was the÷š 5th÷š of÷š November,÷š the÷š day÷š on÷š which÷š the
Parliament was to open. But one of the consperators÷š had÷š several
friends in the parliament and he didn't want them to die.÷š So÷š he
wrote a letter to Lord Monteagle begging him to make some÷š excuse
to be÷š absent÷š from÷š parliament÷š if÷š he÷š valued÷š his÷š life.÷š Lord
Monteagle took the letter hurrily to the King. Guards÷š were÷š sent
at once to examine the cellars of the house÷š of÷š Parliament.÷š And
there they found Guy Fawker about to fire a trail÷š of÷š gunpowder.
He was tortured and hanged, Catesby was killed, resisting÷š arrest
in his own house. In÷š memory÷š of÷š that÷š day÷š bonfires÷š are÷š still
lighted, fireworks shoot across the November sky and÷š figures÷š of
Guy Fawker are burnt in the streets.
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