With Groundhog Day here, "Punxsatawney Phil" the groundhog has predicted an early spring.
ABC News reportd that the groundhog from Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania emerged from his Gobblers Knob dwelling on Saturday morning and didn't see his shadow. One of the groundhog's handlers, Bob Roberts, said according to ABC News.
"And so ye faithful, there is no shadow to see, an early Spring for you and me."
Folkore and tradition say that if the groundhog comes out of his home on groundhog day and sees its shadow then there are six more weeks of winter .On the other hand, if the furry friend does not see his shadow then it means that spring will come early.
According to folklore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and see its shadow, then six more weeks of winter weather is on the way.
"Ever since the tradition began in 1887, Phil (and his ancestors) saw their shadows 99 times, while predicting an early spring only 16 times. There was no record for nine of the years," reported ABC News.
Other groundhogs across the country including Staten Island Zoo's groundhog, "Chuck" didn't see his shadow either, agreeing that spring was coming early this year.
While Punxsatawney's event has been a tradition for 127 years, Staten Islands has gone on for 32.
"The tradition goes back to medieval times when there was a superstition that all hibernating animals emerged from their caves and dens to check the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March. If the animals saw their shadows, winter would go on for another six weeks, and they could go back to sleep, according to the tradition," reported CNN.
Groundhog.org exemplifies 2013's groundhog day with the following poem:
"On this February 2nd, 2013,
the One Hundred and Twenty Seventh Annual Trek of the
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club at Gobbler's Knob....
Punxsutawney Phil, the King of the Groundhogs,
Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators,
Weather Prophet without Peer,
was awakened from his borrow at 7:28 am
with a tap of the President's cane.
Phil and President Deeley conversed in Groundhogese
and Phil directed him to the chosen Prognostication scroll.
The President tapped the chosen scroll and
directed Phil's Prediction be proclaimed:
My new Knob entrance is a sight to behold
Like my faithful followers, strong and bold
And so ye faithful,
there is no shadow to see
An early Spring for you and me."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
