[Illustration: Ye Prophet]
“Bob White’s Grandfather says that we’re going to have six weeks
more good hard winter,” said the boy named Billy on one bright
Candlemas day, “because it’s been so sunshiny all day that the
old ground-hog couldn’t help seeing his shadow when he came out.”
“Well, I certainly hope he proves to be a false prophet this
time,” said Big Sister. “I’ve had all the winter I want right
now.”
“Oh, Sis, what do you mean you’ve had enough winter!” exclaimed
the boy named Billy, reproachfully, “winter’s the jolliest time
there is--with all the coasting and the tobogganning and skating.
I’m hoping it will stay cold so we can have another carnival.
Wasn’t the last one a peach! Bob White’s father said he had never
seen better fancy skating or more exciting races. He told us
to be a fancy skater you have to have good balance, a sense of
rhythm, and no little athletic ability. I’m going to practice
so I can do stunts at the carnival next year. Say, Somebody, is
there anything to that ground-hog story?”
“Probably not,” said Somebody, “Mr. and Mrs. Arctomis Monax, more
familiarly known as Brother and Sister Woodchuck, are pretty wise
little people, and are more than likely sleeping the sleep of
the just at this time; yet I have heard of them being lured from
their dens by unusually bright weather long before the vegetation
upon which they feed had started and that they paid for their
foolishness with their lives, which is too bad, because they are
really nice little folk.”
“Why do they hibernate?” asked the boy named Billy.
“They belong to the family who do such things,” said Somebody.
“They, and the bears, and some other animals, find it more
convenient to store up fats in their little round bodies in the
summer time, and to curl up and sleep through the winter months,
when there is nothing to eat that they really like. Saves a lot
of trouble.”
“Where did that old yarn come from about them coming out on this
day?” asked the boy named Billy.
“The myth is very likely of Indian origin,” said Somebody, “but
there is also an old Scottish rhyme to the effect that ‘if
Candlemas day be fine and clear there’ll be twa winters in the
year.’”
“Do you know why the 2nd of February is called Candlemas day?”
asked the boy named Billy.
“It is another of those old made over Pagan Festivals,” said
Somebody. “The early Romans always used to burn candles on that
day to the goddess Februa, who was the Mother of Mars, making a
very beautiful and impressive occasion of it.
“Pope Sergius, after the way of those old priests, wished to do
away with all the old pagan rites but did not dare to openly
raise the question, so he gave orders for candles to be burned on
that day to the Mother of Christ hoping that in the new festival
the old one would be lost sight of, which proved to be true. The
occasion is still celebrated in some churches, and consecrated
candles are supposed to be burned for protection from all evil
influences for the balance of the year.”
“But there are so many of those old saints days that are so
entirely forgotten,” said Big Sister, “I wonder why Candlemas is
so universally remembered?”
“I think our friends, the Woodchucks, are responsible for that,”
said Somebody, with a smile.