p.59-62 - 'Nota' - английский для учителей и учеников

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Halloween History

Halloween began more than 2,000 years ago among the Celtic people of Britain and France. As the days became shorter and cooler every autumn, the Celts made up a story to explain why winter came and all the crops and flowers died.

The Celts believed in a sun god who made the crops grow. But each year the sun god was attacked and held prisoner for six months by an evil power called Samhain, who was also known as the “Lord of the Dead” and the “Prince of Darkness”. He brought the cold and darkness of winter days.

On October 31, Celtic priests (called Druids) held a new year’s ceremony to mark the weakening of the sun god and the triumph of Samhain. Bonfires were lit on hilltops. Sometimes the druids would hurl animals or prisoners into the fire to please the cruel Samhain. The fire was hot and strong like the sun, and Druids felt sure that evil spirits would fear the fire.

The Celtic people thought that those spirits were everywhere, and they started fires in their homes to keep the evil spirits from coming inside. They believed that Samhain called dread people together and turned them into other forms, especially cats.

To keep Samhain happy and to keep the evil spirits away, the Celts would put on frightening costumes made of animal skins and had a kind of festival which sometimes lasted three days.

When the Romans conquered Britain and France, the Catholic Church contributed the name “Halloween” to all the traditions. The first of November is the Catholic holiday of “All Saints’ Day,” which honors all saints who died for their faith. The night before this day - the 31-st of October - was called “All Hallow Eve.” Eventually this name became shortened to “Halloween.”

Ex.1. The Following Statements Are Either True Or False.

1. Halloween dates back more than 2,000 years.

2. “All Saints’ Day” honors all Romans.

3. Halloween began with the Celtic people.

4. Halloween started in the countries now called France and Britain.

5. Long long ago the Celts worshipped a sun god.

6. The Celts had more than one god.

7. The Celts loved winter.

8. They made up a story to explain why winter came.

9. The reason for Samhain Festival was the change of seasons.

10. This Festival would last a week.

11. The Celts were afraid of the cold and dark.

12. According to the Druids, Samhain ruled winter.

13. The Celts lit huge bonfires on the hilltops to warm themselves.

14. All those Celtic traditions were named “Halloween” by the Romans.

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HALLOWEEN CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS

Did you ever wonder how certain customs and superstitions got started? Here are the roots of some Halloween beliefs and activities.

COSTUMES. A long time ago, people feared evil spirits - especially on Halloween. By putting on costumes and masks, they hoped the evil spirits would leave them alone. Sometimes, in fact, a person was chosen to dress up and - like the Pied Piper - lead the ghosts and spirits out of town.

JACK-O-LANTERNS. An old Irish legend tells of a stingy man named Jack who was ordered to wander the Earth after he died, searching for a resting peace. Because of all his bad deeds, Jack was forbidden to enter heaven.

When the devil gave Jack a piece of burning coal, Jack stuffed it into a turnip, making a lantern to help light his way. Irish children used to carve smiling faces on turnips.

When Irish people moved to the USA, they brought their beliefs with them. But instead of turnips, Irish children in America carved pumpkins. When they put a candle inside, they remembered the story of bad old Jack and the lantern. The carved pumpkin became a jack-o-lantern.

SUPERSTITIONS. Many Halloween superstitions started because people wanted to know what would happen to them in the future.

• Girls would throw a nut into the fire to find out if their boyfriends still loved them. If the nut burned, their boyfriends still loved them. But if the nut burst, the boyfriends didn’t care any more.

• If a cat sat next to you on Halloween, you would have good fortune. If the cat jumped on your lap, you would enjoy fantastic luck.

• You could make a wish come true by eating a crust of bread before going to bed on Halloween night.

• A person would throw a stone into a fire to find out whether he could expect to live much longer. If the stone rolled away from the fire, the person would soon die.

• The Irish would cook up a dish in which they placed a ring, a thimble, a tiny doll, and a coin. If you got the ring, you would be married within a year. If you got the thimble, you would never marry. If you found the doll in your serving, you would have children. And if you received the coin, great wealth would soon come to you.

Ex.1. In the left column there are some words and phrases from the text. In the right one there are their definitions. Can you match the left and the right columns?

1. to search

2. stingy

3. to wander

4. to dress up

5. lantern

6. thimble

a) to move about without a destination or purpose

b) to make a careful examination of something in order to find a missing person or thing; to examine carefully

c) unwilling to give or spend money

d) a small cup usually of metal or plastic worn to protect the finger that pushes the needle in sewing

e) to wear formal or fancy clothes; to wear another person’s clothes for fun

f) a portable case or container that protects a light from the weather

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HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

Today, Halloween is celebrated in the United States more than in Europe. But long before American children started trick-or-treating, people in Scotland, England, and France looked upon October 31 as a day of ghosts and goblins.

In Scotland, people paraded through fields and villages with burning torches on October 31. They thought the fire would protect them from witches and ghosts. Bonfires blazed on hilltops to scare away evil spirits, and families tried to outdo one another with the largest and brightest bonfires. When the fire burned out and the last spark disappeared, these early Scots would run away yelling that the devil would catch the slowest one.

The English marched through streets carrying lighted candles to drive away witches. The English dreaded witches. If the candles burned until midnight, people felt they were safe.

In France, a man would walk through the streets on October 31, ringing a bell and warning that spirits were coming. Lanterns placed in tall stone buildings were supposed to frighten evil spirits. But sometimes, these early French people would set a plate of hot, steaming pancakes and a cup of cider on the grave to welcome the dead.

When the people from Europe came to settle in the New World, they brought their Halloween beliefs with them. To many American colonists witches and devils seemed very real, and Halloween was not a night of fun.

As pioneers moved west, they celebrated Halloween with corn-popping parties and hay rides.* Farmers called these celebrations Nut Crack or Snap Apple Night. Families huddled in front of fires to roast nuts, tell ghost stories, and play games. Sometimes Halloween was celebrated as a harvest festival, with people gathering together to have parties.

When the Irish came to the United States, Halloween became very popular in this country. Children started playing pranks on October 31, blaming the pranks on evil goblins. Ever since, Halloween in the United States has been a night filled with creepy sounds and spooky creatures.

* hay rides - A ride taken for pleasure in a wagon partly filled with hay.

Ex.1.These words and expressions may be new for you. Can you translate them from English into Russian and use them in your own sentences?

A torch, a bonfire, to blaze, to scare away, a spirit, to outdo, a spark, to yell, to dread, to warn, cider, a grave, hay, to huddle, to roast, a prank, to blame, creepy, a spook, to play pranks on somebody.

b)...the 31 of October was the day of ghosts and goblins for the Scots, English and French.

4. Sometimes early French people would set a plate of hot pancakes and a cup of cider.

Ex.3. Choose the answers that could best replace the underlined words and phrases in the text without changing the meaning of the sentence.

dreaded witches - a) thought of witches with fear; b) told stories bout witches; c) talked about witches;

pranks - a) harmless jokes; b) tricks; c) tricks that make someone look foolish

This fun Halloween quiz is about the holiday that sends shivers up your spine. To see how well you did, check the answers at the bottom of the page.

2. Americans began to celebrate Halloween in the 1840 when immigrants brought the custom over with them. What country were they from?

8. Halloween is also a harvest celebration. Name the fruit that best symbolizes the season?

9. Which of the following costumes does not rank as one of the top 10 favorites for Halloween?