一个传说从地上冒出来(A legend sprung from the ground)

纵观历史，人类一直在编造传说来解释我们无法理解的自然现象。一个典型的例子是北爱尔兰的巨人堤，那里大约有40000根玄武岩柱从海边的地面上冒出来。这些柱子是由火山裂缝形成的，火山裂缝爆发后冷却，留下了这些棱柱状结构。盖尔语传奇人物告诉巨人菲昂·麦克·卡梅尔（Fionn-mac Cumhaill）的故事，他经常被英语化为芬恩·麦科尔（Finn McCool），他在北海峡建造了一座大桥，与苏格兰巨人贝南多纳（Benandonner）作战。这座桥的遗迹只有一侧的巨人堤和苏格兰的芬格尔洞穴，芬格尔洞穴也是由玄武岩柱形成的。尽管我们现在已经了解了巨人堤的地质，但想象巨人大步穿过大海仍然令人兴奋。
原文：
Throughout history, humans have crafted legends to explain natural phenomena that defy our understanding. A prime example is Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland where some 40,000 basalt columns appear to spring from the ground at the seaside. The columns formed from a volcanic fissure that erupted and then cooled, leaving behind these prismatic structures. Gaelic legend tells of the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill, often anglicised as Finn McCool, who built a bridge across the North Channel to fight his Scottish giant counterpart, Benandonner. All that remains of the bridge is Giant’s Causeway on one side, and Fingal’s Cave in Scotland, also formed by basalt columns. Though we understand the geology of Giant’s Causeway now, it’s still exciting to imagine giants striding across the sea.
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