maypole 的詞源

也作May-pole，「為五一節慶祝者舞蹈而設的高高的花環彩帶裝飾的條紋柱」，從1550年代證實存在，但肯定更古老，因為它的首次提及是在一項禁止它們的條例中，並且從14世紀中期的威爾士詩中有對此類裝置的參考，雖然不是以這個名字。參見May Day。

It was usually cut and set up afresh on May-day morning, drawn by a long procession of oxen, decorated, as were also the pole itself and the wagon, with flowers and ribbons; but in some cases a pole once set up was left from year to year, as notably the famous pole of the parish of St. Andrew Undershaft in London, which was cut down in in reign of Edward VI. [Century Dictionary]

它通常在五一節早晨被砍下並重新豎立，由一長隊牛隻拉動，裝飾著花朵和彩帶，柱子本身和貨車也是如此裝飾；但在某些情況下，一旦豎立的柱子會年復一年地保留著，尤其是倫敦聖安德烈・安德肖特教區著名的柱子，該柱子在愛德華六世統治時期被砍下。[世紀詞典]