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Pancake Day is a favorite of children in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It is on thisday they get to eat as many pancakes as they want – all smothered with syrup, or lemon and sugar, or strawberry sauce. It is also called Shrove Tuesday. This is a religious holiday on the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. During the 40 days of Lent, people used to fast and eat only the simplest of food. Things like eggs, milk and sugar had to be thrown away. Instead of wasting food, people traditionally used these ingredients to make pancakes. It became a mini celebration and people topped their pancakes with delicious things they could not eat for another 40 days. Few people nowadays fast for 40 days.
薄餅節深受英國、愛爾蘭、澳大利亞、新西蘭以及加拿大兒童的歡迎。這天，他們想吃多少薄餅就能吃多少薄餅，所有的薄餅上面都抹上了糖漿、檸檬、糖或是草莓醬。這天也被叫作懺悔星期二。這也是復活節前第七個星期三之前（大齋節的開始）要慶祝的宗教節日。在大齋日的40天中，人們將會受齋，只能食用簡單的食物。像雞蛋、牛奶和糖等食物都要丟掉。從傳統來講，人們會用這些食物來制作薄餅，這樣以免浪費。這一天成為了小型慶祝活動，人們將會在薄餅上抹上一些他們在40天中無法食用的食物。如今，很少有人會受齋40天。
Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day are not so well known in the United States. Americans are more familiar with Mardi Gras, which is also on the day before Ash Wednesday and is a very similar celebration. Different countries hold different events for Pancake Day. In England, some towns have pancake races. People must runa race with a frying pan and toss the pancakes as they run. The winner is the first person to cross the finishing line with a pancake that is still intact. Children like to have a go at tossing the hot pancakes out of the frying pan in their kitchens. In Newfoundland, Canada, the cook puts a ring or a coin in the pancakes. The person who finds the coin will be rich and the person who finds the ring will be the next to get married.
懺悔星期二和薄餅節在美國并不是很流行。美國人對狂歡節更加熟悉，這天是復活節前第七個星期三的前一天，慶祝活動與薄餅節相似。不同國家對舉辦薄餅節的活動也有所不同。在英格蘭，許多城鎮會舉行薄餅大賽。參賽選手必須一邊跑一邊用煎鍋翻滾薄餅。獲勝者必須拿著完好無損的薄餅沖過終點線。孩子們喜歡在廚房里拿著煎鍋翻滾薄餅。在紐芬蘭和加拿大，廚師會在薄餅中放一枚戒指或是硬幣。發現硬幣的人會變得富有，發現戒指的人將會成為下一個結婚的人。
譯文屬可可英語原創，未經允許，不得轉載。
