Spectacular Fountain

2018/11/15 04:12:43 網誌分類: 生活

15 Nov

         There is a spectacular water fountain in the Hong Kong Botanical and Zoological Gardens. When I lived in Central, I often walked around the fountain on cool and sunny mornings. Never once did I see anyone throw a coin into the fountain. In fact, I have never seen anyone throw a coin into a fountain in Hong Kong. The Landmark shopping mall has a fountain which is sometimes closed for displays. Whenever I pass by the fountain, I wonder to myself if the mall’s staff would tell me off if I threw a coin into it. The most spectacular fountain in the world is Rome's Trevi Fountain.

         When I was in Rome a few weeks ago, I saw policemen keeping an eye on the Trevi Fountain to discourage tourists from putting their feet into the fountain or going into it. But the policemen did not tell anyone off for throwing coins into the fountain. The adjective "spectacular" used this way means very impressive and eye-catching. To tell someone off means to angrily scold a person. To keep an eye on something means to watch it carefully. It is a Western tradition to throw coins into fountains or wells as a gift to the gods or to make a wish. Ancient Romans threw coins into the water to ask the gods of water to give them a safe journey.

         It is a legend that if you stand with your back to the Trevi Fountain and use your right hand to throw a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder, you will return to Rome again. I have done that several times and have returned to Rome four times! A legend is an ancient but not always true story. This legend was made popular in the 1954 Hollywood movie Three Coins in the Fountain. The first coin will make you return to Rome. The second coin will make you fall in love with a Roman. The third coin will make you marry a Roman. Nowadays, tourists throw coins worth about HK$30,000 into the Trevi Fountain every day. The Italian government collects these coins every day to help poor people buy food.

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        　　香港動植物公園有一個壯觀的（spectacular）噴泉。我以前住中環時，在涼爽和晴朗的早上會不時到噴泉那邊走走逛逛。我從未見過有人擲錢幣進那個噴泉裏去。事實上，我在香港也未曾見過有任何人投擲錢幣進噴水池中。置地廣場也有個噴泉，有時會因為有展覽而關閉。每當我經過那噴泉，我都會好奇如果我擲錢幣進去，商場的職員會否斥責我（tell me off）。而世上最壯觀的（spectacular）噴泉，就是羅馬的特雷維噴泉。

        　　我幾星期前在羅馬時，見到有警察看守着（keeping an eye on）特雷維噴泉，阻止遊客把腳放進噴水池又或走進水池內。然而，警察卻沒有斥責任何（tell someone off）投錢幣進噴泉的人。形容詞spectacular 在這裏是指壯觀的、引人注目的。To tell someone off就是憤而斥責某人；to keep an eye on something就是監視、仔細地看守某物。投擲錢幣進噴泉或水井作為給神明的禮物或許願，是個西方的習俗。古羅馬人會投錢幣進水中，祈求水神保佑他們旅程平安。

        　　有一個傳說（legend）是，若你背向特雷維噴泉，用右手越過左肩投擲錢幣進噴水池內，你便會重臨羅馬。我做過幾次，確也重遊羅馬四次！A legend就是古老但不一定為真的傳說。這個傳說（legend）因一九五四年的荷里活電影《羅馬之戀》而更為盛行。第一枚錢幣會令你重回羅馬，第二枚錢幣會令你跟一位羅馬人戀上，第三枚錢幣則會令你跟羅馬人結婚。時至今日，遊客投進特雷維噴泉的錢幣加起來，每天約值三萬港元。意大利政府會每天收集這些錢幣，用以資助窮人買食物。

        中譯：七刻

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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