I Giorni della Merla (Days of the Blackbird)

blackbird

The weather over the last few weeks had been miserable – cold, grey, wet and even some snow. Unfortunately the forecast for the next week is little better  as it will remain cold for at least the next week. This, of course, is no surprise for locals who say that the last three days of January are the coldest of the year and they are called “I giorni della merla” or “days of the blackbird”.

Legend has it that the blackbird was originally white with an orange beak. During the coldest days of the year he would sit on top of the chimney. However, one day his efforts at keeping warm ended in disaster and he fell down the chimney and ended up black but still with his orange beak. And so he has remained.

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