Tuesday 30 August 2011

Chibi's ワン-Point English: "Looking Back on the Dog Days of Summer"


Hi everyone,

Well, September is near and it's still hot and humid (蒸し暑い) here in Kagawa. I'm looking forward to the cooler days of autumn, but in the meantime, I'll have to endure (我慢しなきゃ) the muggy (蒸し暑い) weather.

The other day, Alan taught me about the "dog days" of summer (盛夏) between early July and early September. This period is the hottest time of the year and is called the "dog days" because it is when Sirius (the Dog Star) rises and sets with the Sun.

According to Alan (アランによると), people in ancient Rome (古代ローマ) used to sacrifice a brown dog at the start of the "dog days" every summer. This was to appease (なだめる) Sirius because they believed that the Dog Star was responsible for the sultry (蒸し暑い) weather.

Although I may complain of the heat, I am happy that I'm a white dog living in present-day Japan (現代日本).

Stay cool,

Chibi

P.S. I am Sirius . . . and don't call me Shirley!

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