Easter Eggs

Most English holidays have a religious origin．Easter is originally the day to commemorate1） the Resurrection2） of Jesus Christ．But now for most people，Easter is a secular spring holiday，when everyone hopes to enjoy fine weather，when the days are lengthening fast，when trees are already in bud and leaf，and spring flowers appear，the most welcome of the year――violets，daffodils3） and narcissi4）．For children，Easter means more than anything else，Easter eggs or chocolate eggs．

Real，natural eggs，do not belong of course to a single season of the year．They are eaten all the year round（Duck eggs are a rarity5） in England，and the eggs of smaller birds are rarer still，a luxury for the very rich and privileged）．Eggs are everyday food――inexpensive，nutritious6），and especially good for breakfast．Their association with spring，when hens begin to lay after the winter，is older than the manufacture of chocolate eggs．In some places，real eggs are used in an Easter game called"egg－rolling"．They are first hardboiled and then given to competitors to roll down a slope．The winner is the person whose egg gets to the bottom first．In some families，the breakfast eggs on Easter Sunday morning are boiled in different pans，each containing a different vegetable dye，so that when they are served the shells are no longer white or pale brown in colour，but yellow or pink，blue or green．The dyes do not penetrate the shell of course．

Most British children would be very disappointed if these were the only eggs they had at Easter．Chocolate Easter eggs are displayed in confectioners' shops as soon as Christmas is over．The smallest and simplest are inexpensive enough for children to buy with pocket money．These are of two sorts．Very small ones，perhaps a little longer than an inch in length，are coated thinly with chocolate on the outside and filled with a sweet，soft paste，called fondant．They are wrapped in coloured foil in a variety of patterns．Slightly larger eggs，a little bigger，as a rule，than a duck's egg，are hollow．There is nothing in side at all――just a wrapped chocolate shell．You break the shell and eat the jagged，irregular pieces．

As Easter approaches，more elaborate eggs than these fill the sweet－shop windows．They are designed to be given as presents，and the larger ones are expensive．Manufacturers compete in producing pretty and unusual designs．Chocolate Eggs are often sold in chin a egg－cups or mugs，or baskets，so that here is something to enjoy when the chocolate is eaten and forgotten．They are accompanied by all sorts of small presents designed to appeal to children．They are often decorated with small fluffy7） chickens，made of wool，and with feet and beaks in card．And in addition to eggs，there are chickens or rabbits molded in chocolate．Lucky children may receive several of these as presents from friends or relations．

Special cardboard boxes are on sale at Easter，made in the shape of eggs，but not made of chocolate and certainly not intended to be eaten．They are just as pretty as any chocolate egg．They are patterned，and are often finished with lace or ribbon and artificial flowers．They are meant to contain any present that the giver thinks the receiver would like．As a rule it is quite a small present――handkerchiefs，perhaps，or a scarf，or a tie．Sometimes a small piece of jewelry will be boxed and wrapped and put inside．

Easter eggs are meant to give enjoyment――and they do．They are pretty and decorative，they signal good wishes and shared happiness in the changing sea sons．Manufacturers seem able to find new variations of colour and pattern every year．To my mind though，no springtime pleasure is equal to that of watching a hen hatch her brood of eggs．Weeks pass，when she must be left undisturbed．Then the time comes．Just one egg will crack．Then another．Then there is a faint cheeping as first one and then another of the chicks break the shell from the inside and struggle free of it．The damp feathers that give the newly hatched chicks such a bedraggled appearance soon dry，and within a few minutes，they are stepping out on their delicate red legs，bright－eyed，exquisitely fluffy，and pale yellow．Because of modern methods of egg production this is one pleasure of the early part of the year that is now a rarity，and altogether remote from the experience of most English children．

□by Anna Whitington

复 活 节 彩 蛋

英国大部分节日都起源于宗教。复活节原是纪念耶稣复活的日子。而现在对大多数人来说，复活节只是一个人们享受美好春光的世俗节日。从这一天起，白昼很快变长，树上长满新芽嫩叶，一年中最受欢迎的鲜花---紫罗兰、樱草花、水仙花等竞相开放。而对孩子们来说，没有比复活节彩蛋或巧克力蛋更重要的了。

真正的自然的鸡蛋当然不属于某一个特定季节，而是一年到头都有（在英国，鸭蛋很少见，小鸟蛋更是罕见，纯粹是有钱有势人家的奢侈品）。鸡蛋是人们的日常食品，价格便宜，营养丰富，尤其适合于早餐。因为母鸡在冬天过后开始下蛋，人们便把它们与春天联系在一起，这种联系比巧克力蛋的生产史要久远。英国有的地方在复活节玩一种真鸡蛋的"滚蛋"游戏。鸡蛋先煮熟了，然后发给参赛者，把鸡蛋沿一个斜坡滚下去，谁的蛋最先滚到底下谁就赢。复活节早上，有的家里把早餐用的蛋分放在几个盛有不同颜色的植物染料的锅里煮，这样端上来的蛋不再是白色或浅棕色的，而是黄色或粉红色，蓝色的或绿色的。当然，染料不会渗透到蛋壳里去。

如果复活节光有这些彩蛋，大多数英国孩子就会非常失望。圣诞节一过，复活节巧克力蛋便在糖果店里摆出来了。那些最小和花样最简单的很便宜，孩子们用自己的零花钱就可以买下来。这段时期上市的彩蛋有两种。小的一种叫方旦糖，长一英寸多一点，外面是一层薄薄的巧克力，里面是又甜又软的面团，然后再用彩色的锡箔纸包装成各种形状。另外一种是空蛋，稍微大一点，一般比鸭蛋还大一点。里面什么也没有，只是包着一个巧克力外壳。只需打碎外壳，吃巧克力片。

复活节临近时，糖果店的橱窗里会摆满比这些更精美的彩蛋。它们是作为礼物制作的，大的很贵。各厂家竞相推出漂亮的和别出心裁的彩蛋。巧克力蛋常常是装在瓷杯或篮子里出售，这样在巧克力被吃完遣忘后人们仍可以保留一些可爱的纪念品。同时还有各种各样的用来吸引孩子们的小礼物出售。上面装饰有毛绒绒的羊毛做的小鸡，小鸡的嘴和脚都粘在卡片上。除巧克力蛋外，还有巧克力制作的小鸡和小兔。幸运的孩子可能从亲友那儿得到好几种这样的礼物。

复活节期间，市面上有一种鸡蛋形状的硬纸盒，不是巧克力做的，所以不能吃。但它们和巧克力蛋一样漂亮。上面有装饰图案，并常系有花边、彩带或人造花。它们常被用来装盛送礼人认为受礼人会喜欢的物品。一般都是小礼品，如手绢、围巾或领带等。有时可能会是一件包装好的小首饰。

复活节彩蛋的目的是给人们带来快乐---确实如此。精美漂亮且富有装饰性，它们代表着人们美好的心愿和季节变换的共同喜悦。制造商似乎每年都能想出不同的颜色和图案。但对我来说，春天里没有任何快乐可与观看母鸡孵蛋相比。一个又一个星期过去了，母鸡静静地蹲着。然后你会发现有一个蛋破壳了。接着又有一个。然后你会听到一只只小鸡啄破蛋壳，挣扎着要出来时发出的微弱的唧唧声。刚孵出来的小鸡全身的毛湿漉漉粘糊糊的，但过不了多久，它们的毛就干了；再过几分钟，它们就跨出了蛋壳，纤弱细红的双脚，亮晶晶的眼睛，淡黄色的绒毛，优美极了。由于现代化的产蛋方法，这种初春的快乐现在很少有人去体会，离大多数的英国孩子的生活更是遥远。

NOTE 注释：

1. commemorate vt. 纪念

2. resurrection n. 复苏，复活

3. daffodil n. 水仙花

4. narcissi narcissus的复数 n. 水仙，水仙花

5. rarity n. 稀有

6. nutritious adj. 有营养成分的, 营养的

7. fluffy adj. 绒毛似的, 披着绒毛的
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