英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

2024/07/26 05:30

◎張沛元

Horses scrambling up a steep slope emerged none the worse on May 4 after changes were made to a shrine festival in response to accusations of animal cruelty last year.

在去年被控虐待動物而對神社祭典做修改後，（今年）5月4日馬匹平安地爭搶上陡坡。

Traditionally, horseback riders in the Ageuma Shinji (Horse jumping festival) at Tado Taisha shrine get their animals to leap over an earthen wall about 2 meters high after reaching the top of the slope.

傳統上，在多度大社的上馬神事（跳馬節）中，馬背上的騎士會在馬匹奔抵陡坡頂端時，使牠跳過高約2公尺的土牆。

The Shinto ritual, said to date back about 700 years, is held to divine crop harvests based on whether the horses ridden by young residents in feudal attire can clear the final obstacle.

舉行這項據說可追溯到約700年前的神道教儀式，目的在於根據身著封建時代服飾的年輕居民騎乘的馬匹，能否通過最終障礙，來預測作物收成。

However, the festival came under fire after a horse broke a front leg and was put down last year.

然而，去年有1匹馬摔斷前腿而被安樂死，該祭典因此遭到批評。

After consulting with veterinarians, organizers decided to do away with the earthen wall, modify the slope to make it less steep and prohibit riders from inflicting violence on the horses to make them run.

經與獸醫諮商，主辦單位決定撤掉土牆、調整陡坡，使其較不陡峭，並禁止騎士對馬施暴以迫其奔跑。

新聞辭典

without a hitch：片語，順利地，平順地。例句：To everyone’s relief, the launch of the spacecraft went off without a hitch.（令所有人鬆了一口氣的是，太空船順利發射。）

be none the worse：片語，並不更差，依然，仍然，仍舊，照樣；（經某遭遇）未受傷害；沒受到不良影響。

come under fire：慣用語，遭受批評。例句：The presidential candidate came under fire for joking comments he made in an interview several years ago.（這名總統候選人因數年前受訪時的玩笑話而遭到批評。）

英倫翻譯轉自https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1658481