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.
