Happy St. Urho's Day!

You can believe this or not! Many, many years ago in Finland it has been told that there were wild grapes growing. One year there was a terrible infestation of grasshoppers(locust) who had a voracious appetite for grapes. What were they to do?

Enter their hero, Urho, who came with his pitchfork. He hollered, in Finnish of course, "Grasshopper, grasshopper scoot!" This caused the grasshoppers to leave Finland and in gratitude to Urho they called him a saint!

Part of the March 16 celebration is to wear clothing in the official colors--purple for the grapes and green for the grasshoppers or the vines whichever story one believes.

In Minnesota there a number of towns with large Finnish communities. In these areas they make merry on March 16 by having parades, dancing, drinking wine and eating Mojakkaa (fish soup pronounced "moy-yah-kah")

Some folks say that the Finns in Minnesota, especially on the Iron Range, began the celebration so that they would have parties similar to those that their Irish neighbors had on St. Patrick's Day --March 17. Rumor has it those who celebrate don't really care if St. Urho is real or made up. It gives the Finns and the Irish (and all others who celebrate) an excuse for a 2 day party. With the long, cold Minnesota winters, it works for them!

I found this Ode to St. Urho (written in Finnish dialect) by Gene McCavic. The original is located at Iron World in Chisholm, Minnesota.

Ooksie Kooksie cooama vee
Santia Urho is ta poy for me!
He sase out ta hoppers as pig as birds
Neffer peefor haff I hurd does words!
He reely told dose pugs of kreen
Braaffest Finn I effer seen!
Some celebrate for St. Pat unt hiss nakes
Putt Urho poyka kot what it takes.
He got tall and trong from feelia sour
Unt ate culla moyakka effery hour.
What crew as thick as chack bine needles.
So let's give a cheer in hower pest way
On this 16th of March, St. Urho's Tay!

Hope you had a fun day! Now on to St. Patrick's Day!