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Poles chase away winter by burning and drowning dolls

March 21, 2013 15:45
Clutching a gaudy homemade doll in flames, students gathered Thursday on a frosty footbridge in central Poland to toss it into the river -- an ancient rite repeated across the country every March 21. Chanting "Evil winter begone!", the students joined winter-weary Poles nationwide in the centuries-old tradition of burning "Marzanna" dolls to cast away the cold, illness and all other misery. "The initial plan was to drown one of the girls from class, but our teacher said no," joked Piotr Soldanski, 14, drawing laughs from his classmates in the town of Sierpc.

Poles chase away winter by burning and drowning dolls

March 21, 2013 15:31
Clutching a gaudy homemade doll in flames, students gathered Thursday on a frosty footbridge in central Poland to toss it into the river -- an ancient rite repeated across the country every March 21. Chanting "Evil winter begone!", the students joined winter-weary Poles nationwide in the centuries-old tradition of burning "Marzanna" dolls to cast away the cold, illness and all other misery. "The initial plan was to drown one of the girls from class, but our teacher said no," joked Piotr Soldanski, 14, drawing laughs from his classmates in the town of Sierpc.

US winter almost over: Phil the groundhog

February 3, 2013 03:15
It's official, at least according to America's most celebrated groundhog: spring is around the corner. In an annual ritual with early roots in German folklore and rather more in US media-showbiz, a Pennsylvania groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil was interpreted Saturday as predicting an early end to winter. According to his handlers at the ceremony in the town of Punxsutawney, Phil was brought out of his burrow and did not see his shadow, meaning, obviously, that the seasonal shift is in the offing. Had he seen his shadow, winter would have gone on another six weeks.

US winter almost over: Phil the groundhog

February 3, 2013 00:15
It's official, at least according to America's most celebrated groundhog: spring is around the corner. In an annual ritual with early roots in German folklore and rather more in US media-showbiz, a Pennsylvania groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil was interpreted Saturday as predicting an early end to winter. According to his handlers at the ceremony in the town of Punxsutawney, Phil was brought out of his burrow and did not see his shadow, meaning, obviously, that the seasonal shift is in the offing. Had he seen his shadow, winter would have gone on another six weeks.

US winter almost over: Phil the groundhog

February 2, 2013 17:30
It's official, at least according to America's most celebrated groundhog: spring is just around the corner. In an annual ritual with early roots in German folklore and rather more in US media-showbiz, a Pennsylvania groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil was interpreted Saturday as predicting an early end to winter. According to his handlers at the ceremony in the town of Punxsutawney, Phil was brought out of his burrow and did not see his shadow, meaning, obviously, that the seasonal shift is in the offing.

Action remake of 'Hansel & Gretel' wins box office

January 27, 2013 13:15
Jan 27 (Reuters) - A new take on the classic "Hansel & Gretel" fairy tale grabbed the No. 1 spot on movie box office charts with $19 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales over the weekend. "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is an action movie that morphs the children's story into an action comedy, with the characters now grown into crossbow-wielding, adult bounty hunters. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton play the lead roles.
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