Come March 16, be prepared to celebrate
Saint Urho, a mythical hero. He’s so mythical that folks from the
motherland are not always familiar with this North American legend.
But on both sides of the Canadian/U.S. border, those with Finnish
heritage — and other wanna-bes — have discovered how much fun it
is.
Did you notice it’s
suspiciously the day before another ethnic holiday?
Here’s
the backstory: In a verdant grape-growing country (possibly northern
Minnesota), grasshoppers suddenly abounded. This threatened the grape
crops (oh, dear — no wine??). As happened to folks in the 1880s
hereabouts, no one knew how to get rid of them.
Then, along came
Urho, a Finnish boy though not yet a saint, who said “Heinäsirkka,
heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen.” Which means “Grasshopper,
grasshopper, go to hell!” or so I’ve
been told.
And —
can you believe it — the grasshoppers disappeared!
This
year St. Urho’s
Day (or Tay, for the more authentic pronunciation) is a Monday. Wear
bright green for grasshoppers, and royal purple for grapes. (Helpful
hint: Should you have trouble finding those colors, use items from
the football season for the Vikings and Packers.)
If you desire goofy
fun, several communities know how to do that with scavenger hunts,
beauty queen contests, parades and more.
Nikki
