Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Hromnice

February 2nd is Hromnice. Basically the same thing as Groundhog Day in the U.S. The weather on Hromnice indicates how long winter will last. Here are some of the many Czech Hromnice sayings.

Svítí-li slunce na Hromnice, bude zimy o šest neděl více.
If the sun is shining on Hromnice, there will be six more weeks of winter.

Hromnice-li jasné, čisté, potrvá déle zima jistě. Pakli sněží nebo hřímá, jaro jistě v blízku dlívá.
If Hromnice is bright and clear, winter is sure to linger. If there is snow or thunder, spring must be near.

Vyjde-li jezevec o Hromnicích z díry, za čtyři neděle zpátky zas pílí.
If the badger comes out of his hole on Hromnice, he'll be rushing back four weeks later.

Jest-li o Hromnicích teplo, staví medvěd boudu; pakli o Hromnicích zima, bourá medvěd boudu.
If Hromnice is warm, the bear builds himself a shed. If Hromnice is cold, the bear tears down his shed.

Na Hromnice husa po vodě - na velikonoce po ledě.
If the goose swims on water on Hromnice, it will walk on ice at Easter.

Pošmourné Hromnice sedláku milé jsou velice.
Cloudy Hromnice makes the farmer happy.

Kdyby o Hromnicích napadlo jen tolik sněhu, co je na černé krávě znát, bude úrodný rok.
If as little snow falls on Hromnice as can be noticed on a black cow, the year will be fertile.

Na Hromnice kalužky, budou jabka i hrušky.
If there are puddles of water on Hromnice, there will be apples and pears.

Jestli na Hromnice mrzne a sněží, úrodný rok na to běží.
If Hromnice is freezing and snowy, a fertile year will follow.

Na Hromnice má sedlák raději vlka ve chlévě i ženu na marách než slunce.
On Hromnice, a farmer would rather have a wolf in his barn or a wife dead than the sun in the sky.

Well it snowed again today in Brno. And then later it cleared up. So who knows when winter will end here?

1 comment: