【英文原文】

Touching Wood

The English touch wood for luck; Americans prefer to knock wood for the purpose. Some people believe this superstition reflects the early Christian worship for the wooden cross on which Jesus was put to death. Touching or knocking wood is a sign of connecting with the cross. Others give a different explanation. They say during the Middle Ages when a person who ran away from something could find protection in a church, touching the wooden doors of the church would mean that he or she was safe. Still another explanation is that people used to believe that the god who lived in oak trees would punish boasters, and so knocking on wood is a way of apologizing to him after one has boasted.

【中文译文】

摸木头

英国人摸木头图吉利，美国人敲木头图吉利。有人认为这一迷信反映了古代基督徒对耶稣受难十字架的膜拜。不管是摸还是敲，总之都算是碰了十字架。另一种解释是，在中世纪时，逃犯可到教堂避难，连法律都暂时奈何他不得。触摸到教堂的木门就算得到了避难权。还有一种说法认为，栎树里的精灵专门惩罚爱吹牛皮的人，所以人吹过牛皮之后，敲敲木头向精灵道歉，免得挨罚。