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July 27 Sleepyhead1） Day

A septet of Rip Van Winkles，the men who came to be known as the Seven Sleepers，had the misfortune of being devout2) Christians in third－century Turkey in the midst of Emperor Decian's anti－Christian persecutions3)．The seven fled their homes with the emperor' s henchmen4) in hot pursuit．They ducked into a cave and launched into prayer，preparing for what seemed their imminent martyrdom4)．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 miracles5) 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 celebrity．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 tossed6) into the drink．

参考译文

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。

词汇解释

NOTE 注释：

1. Sleepyhead [5sli:pIhed] n. <口>贪睡者, 懒鬼

2. devout [di5vaut] adj. 虔敬的, 诚恳的

3. persecution [7pE:si5kju:FEn] n. 迫害, 烦扰

4. henchman [5hentFmEn] n. 侍从, 党羽

5. martyrdom [5mB:tEdEm] n. 牺牲, 殉难, 受苦

6. miracle [5mirEkl] n. 奇迹, 奇事

7. toss [tCs] v. 投, 掷