We're experiencing cold weather these days—and that's a good thing, given the lack of rain and snow that's plagued us for months. These are also days of weather warnings for some regions, especially due to strong winds. In this article, we'll try to explain the classics. days of the blackbird, still very suggestive in folklore today.
The Days of the Blackbird: Between Legends and Mythology
For "days of the blackbird" traditionally means the last three days of January, 29-30-31 of the month. From a meteorological point of view, however, there does not seem to be any correlation between these days and temperatures. colderThe traditional days of the blackbird would originate from a myth: that of Demeter e Persephone. According to popular belief, the blackbird would be able to to foretell the arrival of spring, which would be early or late depending on whether the three designated days at the end of January are actually very cold or mild.
The heart of the myth
According to mythology, the blackbird è messenger of Persephone, minor goddess of the underworld and wife of Hades. According to mythology, the goddess spent the autumn and winter seasons in the realm of the dead, while in spring and summer she returned to earth to her mother Demeter, restoring the fields with flowers and adorning them with the season's beauty. It is the blackbird that heralds Persephone's return to earth. If the days of the blackbird's passage were very cold, then Persephone (and therefore spring) would not be long in coming. Some areas, such as the Cremona area, are animated by folk songs during the last three days of January to relive ancient atmospheres of the arrival of spring. Farmers in some Italian regions also base their weather forecasts for the following months on the shape of the blackbird's days.
The blackbird
The blackbird is a monogamous bird which lives in isolated pairs and travels mostly at night. The adult female is 20–22 cm long and has a brownish colorJuveniles and females have brown beaks, rather than yellow or orange. The legs of both sexes are dark brown. In the wild, blackbirds live for about three years, but in captivity they can live for over twenty years. Among its characteristics, the blackbird is able to dig up to seven centimeters deep into the snow.
