MUNICIPALITY OF ROSARIO, CAVITE, Historical Data of Part 4
PART IV
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The transcription of this page was done using AI technology.
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CHAPTER IX
WEATHER FORECASTS
Nature, it seems, has ways of telling people about the weather. Many of the inhabitants foretell the kind of weather to come through observations of things around them.
When red or winged ants come out of their hills and come out to the surface of the ground or climb trees and houses or other high places, people predict rains. The ants climb to safety before the rains come pouring on their homes and drowning them.
Snails, too, predict rains. Like the ants, they come to the earth’s surface when rains are coming.
The carabaos sneeze? It is going to rain.
The male pig gathers dry leaves and pile them together under the house or in one corner of the yard? A storm is brewing. And people taking the hint, strengthen their houses.
A very red sky at sunrise tells of a hot day.
Cicadas hum to inform the people that they will have a fine and sunny weather.
Far out in the horizon, there are times when a cavelike thing becomes visible. Some say it is really a hill shaped like a cave. Others tell it is a mass of clouds. To many it is a puzzle. Nobody really knows
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what it is. But people have named it “Kubo ni Baro.” It seldom appears, but when it does on a fair day, a storm is to be expected. If it makes its appearance on a stormy day, it foretells the end of a stormy weather and the coming of a good nice one.
On a perfectly calm day, with the sun scorchingly hot, the shedding off by the trees of their green leaves tells of a forthcoming storm.
A sea that is clogged with weeds, dead branches of trees, and other wastes, all in an upright position is a warning of an approaching bad weather – a storm.
Dark blue waters covered with foam also indicates stormy days.
On moonlight nights, the townsfolk look up to the moon to see whether there is any message from it. A grayish blue nimbus around it stands for strong winds and rains. A black one signifies rains. A bright and brilliant nimbus, reddish like a flame informs the people of a sweltering day.
The beautiful rainbow gives information of its own. Its appearance on a nice and sunny day means otherwise. Rains will fall. When one or both ends of it are in the sea, rains are to be expected. When it is cut or when only a part of it is visible, a storm is brewing.
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When the sand on the seashore appears in a wave–like manner, smooth as if a broom has been passed over it, a storm is due for a visit.
The chirping of the kasay–kasay otherwise known as the kingfisher on a sunny day portends rain. On a rainy day, it spells a good and fair weather.
Crablike creatures, known as “pitata,” locally, live in deep underground holes which they bore themselves. These little things are provided with two pincers, one very much larger than the other. People enjoy eating them. Their meat is very tasty. When these delicious things come out of their holes, people have a grand time catching them. Their appearance however, although it provides for the folks’ table also signifies storm.
Frogs croaking denotes rains.
Sea gulls playing on the water’s surface tells of coming rains.
Birds in flocks that fly away together foretells of coming bad weather.
Bamboo trees sometimes give forth a humming sound during a fair and calm day. This tells that a storm will make its pass over the place.
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QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW
- How do people know it is going to rain?
- What foretells fair weather?
- Tell something about “Kubo ni Bare?” Why is it so called?
- What signifies the coming of a storm?
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