Big Ben - На английском! Perhaps even small children know what a Big Ben is. Firstly, it’s the symbol of Great Britain and one of the most beautiful sights of London. Secondly, it’s the largest and the most famous clock in the world. Originally, Big Ben is a tower. It’s one of the highest towers of Westminster Palace. Officially, the clock has started its work on 31 May 1859. According to one of the theories the clock has been named Big Ben after Sir Benjamin Hall, who directed work on the casting of the bell. Another theory claims that it has been named after Benjamin Caunt, who was one of the well-known heavyweight boxers of the 19th century. Surprisingly, the tower of Big Ben used to be a prison where over riotous parliamentarians were kept. Big Ben has become a popular souvenir for tourists. Almost all visitors of London buy a small souvenir in the shape of the world-famous clock. Also Big Ben can be often seen in famous films and ads. Official name of the tower is the “Westminster Palace Clock Tower” or “St. Stephen's Tower”. Big Ben is only the name of the clock itself along with the bell. The history of Big Ben dates back to 1288, when it was built for the first time on Ralph De Hengham’s money. He was the chairman of the Supreme Court of Queen's Bench. However, the contemporary tower of Big Ben was built according to Charles Barry’s project in the 19th century, as the old building was destroyed due to the fire of 1834. Although Big Ben is very popular with spectators, no one is allowed inside of the tower. All the Londoners who live close to Big Ben can hear how the bell strikes thirteen at New Year’s Night. Возможно, даже маленькие дети знают, что такое Биг Бен. Во-первых, это символ Великобритании и один из самых красивых достопримечательностей Лондона. Во-вторых, это самые большие и самые известные в мире часы. Изначально, Биг Бен является башней. Это одна из самых высоких башен Вестминстерского дворца. Официально часы начали свою работу 31 мая 1859 года. Согласно одной из теорий, часы были назван Биг Бен в честь сэра Бенджамина Холла, который руководил работой по отливке колокола. Другая теория утверждает, что он был назван в честь Бенджамина Каунта, который был одним из известных боксеров тяжеловесов 19-го века. Удивительно, но башня Биг Бен когда-то была тюрьмой, где содержались буйные парламентарии. Биг-Бен стал популярным сувениром для туристов. Почти все посетители Лондона хотят купить небольшой сувенир в виде всемирно известных часов. Кроме того, Биг Бен часто можно увидеть в известных фильмах и рекламах. Официальное название башни « Часовая башня Вестминстерского дворца» или «Башня Св. Стефана». Биг Бен является только название самих часов вместе с колоколом. История Биг Бена восходит к 1288 году, когда он был построен впервые на деньги Ральфа де Хенгема. Он был председателем Верховного Суда королевской скамьи. Тем не менее, современная башня Биг-Бен была построена по проекту Чарльза Бэрри в 19 веке, так как старое здание было уничтожено из-за пожара в 1834 году. Несмотря на то, что Биг Бен является очень популярным среди зрителей, никто не имеет права заходить внутрь башни. Все лондонцы, которые живут рядом с Биг-Бен, могут слышать, как колокол бьет тринадцать раз в ночь Нового Года.
Mermaids, rutting pit, vodenica, locothe and others, in Slavic mythology creatures, usually malicious, which in turn girls died, mostly drowned women, unbaptized children (cf Mavka) . Are presented in the form of beautiful girls with long flowing green hair (cf fork South Slavic, Western European Ondine) , rarely in the form of ugly hairy women (Russian North) . In mermaid week next to the Trinity, out of the water, running through fields, swinging on the trees, can tickle counter to death or to carry away the water. Especially dangerous Thursday - rusalkin great day. Therefore, in mermaid week it was impossible to swim, and leaving the village, they took with them the wormwood, which supposedly scared of mermaids. At the request of the mermaids to give them the woman's clothes were hung on trees yarn, towels, thread, girls wreaths. All Whitsun, sang mermaid songs, on Sunday (mermaid eve) were cast out, "watched" mermaids (or spring) . The mermaid is usually portrayed a girl who did my hair, wore a wreath and accompanied with songs in rye. Pushing her in the rye, shouting ran, and chased the mermaid. Mermaids are often portrayed in the form of effigies (sometimes dressed rye sheaf) , carried it into the box and there was left in the hedge or tore and scattered across the field. Known cases of drowning of the effigy, accompanied by the imitation of a Church funeral. In this embodiment, the rite wires mermaids have experienced obvious influence of "the funeral of Kostroma". In the southern Russian and Volga regions known ritual "driving of a mermaid". The image of a mermaid is associated simultaneously with water and vegetation, combines characteristics of the water spirits (mermaids sometimes represented in the Suite of water) and carnival characters, embodying fertility, type of Kostroma, yarily, etc., whose death guaranteed the harvest. Likely from here and the link of mermaids to the world of the dead: apparently, under the influence of Christianity mermaids only became identified with malware "hostages" by dead people who died an unnatural death. Perhaps the title of the mermaids dates back to ancient pagan revels of the mermaids, known for Church-accusatory literature. According to a hypothesis of F. Miklosich the name of the mermaids borrowed by the Slavs in the Balkans, where the ancient funeral rites was called Rosalia. The popular image of a mermaid in the literature (A. S. Pushkin, N. V. Gogol, T. G. Shevchenko) and painting
