壹蘋派生活美語　尋找可遇不可求的小小幸運草

　　The belief in the lucky four-leaf clover has been around for centuries, particularly in Ireland. Roughly 2,000 years ago, ancient Irish druids carried four-leaf clovers as charms that offered protection from evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, children believed that this rare plant would give them the ability to see fairies. Over time, it became widely accepted that each leaf of the clover held its own meaning. The first three leaves represented faith, hope, and love, while the fourth leaf stood for luck.

　　四葉幸運草的信仰已存在數百年，尤其是在愛爾蘭。大約在兩千年前，古代愛爾蘭的德魯伊教祭司隨身攜帶四葉草，當作能保護他們免受邪靈侵害的護身符。在中世紀，孩子們相信這種罕見的植物能讓他們看見精靈。隨著時間的推移，人們普遍相信幸運草的每片葉子都有其含義。前三片葉子代表信念、希望和愛，而第四片葉子則象徵幸運。

生活必備字詞：

charm　n. 護身符

protection　n. 保護

fairy　n. 精靈，仙子

faith　n. 信念；信仰

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本文節錄自《常春藤生活英語》雜誌，完整內容請見三月號。