After having some rough weather all over the country, even Hungarians wish to have a cloudy day on 2 February: according to the American folklore, the groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and if the weather is sunny, seeing his shadow, he will surely retreat to his cosy den, forecasting six more weeks of winter weather. Let’s hope that it will be cloudy, and the groundhog can deliver the promise of an early spring!
The Hungarian version differs a bit from the American one: instead of the groundhog, we trust the instincts of bears, who will not return to their sleep in bad weather, either, but seeing their shadow, they will surely scamper back to the warmth of their cave.
In religious terms, the same date refers to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, described in the Gospel of Luke. In Western Christianity, the second day of February is traditionally called Candlemas.
