Italian folklore celebrates the Giorni della Merla amid hopes for a phenomenal spring.
Considered one of Italy’s finest recognized folktales in winter revolves round a hen and the final three days in January, a convention often known as i giorni della merla, or the Days of the Blackbird.
In keeping with custom, if the times of 29, 30 and 31 January are notably chilly, the incoming spring must be heat and sunny and arrive early. If the opposite, spring might be late and wet.
Legend has it that these closing days of January are historically the coldest within the yr, despite the fact that this isn’t supported by any scientific proof.
So the place did this outdated Italian adage originate?
There are numerous variations of the traditional story, all of which contain the blackbird, la merla, and the final days of January.
The preferred model tells the story way back of a white blackbird plagued by a spiteful January, which on the time had 28 days whereas February had 31.
Each time the poor blackbird left her nest to hunt meals, the mischievous January pounced on her with snow, freezing temperatures and an icy breeze.
The next January the blackbird stocked up on meals and stayed in her nest for 28 days earlier than rising triumphant to sing and tease January.
In revenge, the resentful month borrowed three days from February and unleashed a fierce snow storm, inflicting the blackbird to enter hiding as soon as once more.
The hen took shelter in a chimney pot, the place she stayed for 3 days, and when she emerged on 1 February her white feathers have been perpetually black with soot.
