Ground-Hog Day is an American tradition that supposedly predicts when spring

will arrive. According legend, the ground hog, also called the woodchuck,

awakens its winter sleep February 2 and emerges its

burrow. If the sun is shining that day and the ground hog sees its own shadow, it will be scared back its den, and there will be six more weeks

winter. But if it is cloudy and the ground hog does not see its shadow, it will come

out, and spring will arrive soon.

For hundreds years, European farmers had similar traditions that involved

bears, badgers, and other animals. Germans who settled Pennsylvania

brought the custom America. The ground hog, which is plentiful

the Eastern and Midwestern United States, became linked the custom.

Today, Ground-Hog Day is treated largely as a joke. But the custom is partly based

ancient and traditional weather signs. People have long looked

the awakening hibernating animals as one of the first signs

spring.
​

viktoriyayudin    1   08.05.2020 14:16    22