193 Steinhenge
193 斯坦亨格
On the Strawberry Plain in Kringland, stand the ruins of an ancient culture, which are called Steinhenge. The people of this culture, the Welts, had a priestly class called the Kruids. The rubble that stands there today is the site of an ancient astronomical observatory. It is the place where rites and rituals were performed.
克林兰的斯特劳贝里平原上矗立着一个古文化遗迹——斯坦亨格。这个文化的人民，威尔兹人，有着一个僧侣般的等级制度，通常被称为克鲁兹制度。今天我们仍能看到的瓦砾堆就是一个古天文台的遗址，古时人们经常在这个地方举行仪式和典礼。
The structure is formed of large rough stone slabs that were hewn from a nearby quarry and rolled over rugged terrain to the site. They were roughly fit together and cemented with a rubbery substance to form vertical and horizontal structures in a circular arrangement that was aligned to the rudimentary rotations of the heavenly bodies.
整个建筑由很多巨大粗糙的石板构成，这些石板都是从附近的采石场开采出来的，经过崎岖的地形滚到工地。石板被大致组合起来，并用一种橡胶似的物质粘牢，形成一些垂直和水平的建筑。这些建筑再以环形排列，初步构成类似天体的旋转结构。
The Welts knew that petty rivalry between members of the ruling class could ruin their society. So they designed a ritual to dispel such rivalry. First, the two rivals were forced to memorize by rote the lines involved in the two roles of the rivalry ritual. Next, a rooster was to be procured. Either a roaming rooster or a roosting rooster would do. Then the two rivals were to enter the Steinhenge structure carrying rods and rotate around the center slab where the live rooster had been placed. After that, they were to let out a robust roar and beat the rooster to death. Finally, if the two rivals at this point in the routine had expelled their contentions, they could roast the rooster and enjoy it as compatriots. Otherwise, they were to stay there and rotate around the rooster until it was rotten and then eat it. This could sometimes take days.
威尔兹人知道即使统治阶级之间最小的敌对竞争都能毁灭他们的社会，所以他们设计了一个宗教仪式来消除这种敌对状态。首先，两个竞争者必须死记硬背一些句子，这些句子是两人在仪式中担任各自角色时必须说的话。接着，他们必须去找一只公鸡。可以找正漫步行走的公鸡，也可以找正栖息的公鸡。然后这两个竞争者必须扛着一根棒子进到斯坦亨格天文台里，把那只活公鸡放在中心大石板上，绕着这块石板旋转。转了几圈之后，两人都必须粗野地大吼一声，用棒子把公鸡打死。最后，接常规这两个竞争者此时已尽释前嫌，他们可以烤了那只公鸡，像同胞一样坐在一起共同享用。否则的话，他们就不得不留在那儿，继续围着公坞旋转，一直到公鸡腐烂了他们才能把它吃掉。像这样进行的话有时甚至要持续好几天。
As in most ancient civilizations, rituals were often used to solve disputes. Steinhenge played an important role in this in the Weltic culture.
在很多古代文明中，人们都用宗教仪式来解决争端。斯坦亨格天文台在威尔兹文化中起了相当大的作用。
Words:
rite n.仪式
ritual n.典礼,宗教仪式adj.典礼的,宗教仪式的
rival vt. 比得上,与…相匹敌adj.竞争的n.竞争者,对手
rivalry n.竞争,敌对状态
roam vi.漫游,漫步
roar n.吼声,轰鸣
roast vt.烤,烘
robust adj.强壮的,健壮的,粗野的
rod n.杆,枝,棒,棍
role n.角色,任务
roll v. 滚动n.卷
roost n.栖息处,鸟巢,鸡棚v.栖息
rooster n.公鸡
rotate v.循环,轮流,(使)旋转
rotation n.旋转
rote n.死记硬背,生搬硬套
rotten adj.腐烂的
rough adj.粗糙的,不平的
roughly adv.概略地,大致地
routine n.常规,惯例adj.常规的
rubbery adj.橡胶似的,有弹力的
rubble n.(一堆)碎石,瓦砾
rudimentary adj.基本的,初步的,发展未完全的
rugged adj.高低不平的,崎岖的
ruin v.破坏,毁灭
ruins n废墟,遗迹