GK: It's February the 21st. Groundhog Day was a couple weeks ago. A cruel joke in Minnesota (RODENT CHORTLING)--the groundhog comes out of his hole and (RODENT DANCING, WAVING) he dances around his shadow and he goes back down his hole (SCUTTLING OFF) and he's raised a lot of hopes that will only be crushed (BLIZZARD) by the next six weeks of winter.
GK: People think you can't affect the weather-that it's all jet streams and wind patterns and atmospheric fluctuations, but they have never been inside the offices of the National Weather Service (CHANTING, DINGING OF SMALL BELLS) -- there is no radar -- there are goats (GOATS) waiting to be sacrificed -- and the word "service" refers to people in long robes (CHANTING) burning incense and chanting prayers to the gods of the wind, the water, and the earth --
MB (CHANTING): O spirits we make our supplication--
What is the chance of precipitation?
(RESPONSIVE CHANTING)
GK: And they all look to the sacred owl (OWL) and they count the number of droppings under his perch (MURMURING) and they divide that by the number of times the black cat meows (THREE MEOWS) and they multiply it by two and -- (DING)
MB: Twenty-five. (LIGHT GONG) (MURMURS OF ACOLYTES)
GK: And it turns out there was a 25% chance of it. And there is rejoicing (DANCING, CHANTING, SMALL BELLS) and the droppings of the Sacred Owl are thrown into the wind (SFX) and gradually people in Minnesota have come to feel that around this time of February, enough is enough, and it's time to call on other gods.
AS (SINGS):
O you can't hurry spring
You just have to wait
Spring doesn't come in March
Sometimes not til May the 8th.
GK: I don't accept that. I just don't accept that we are helpless victims of the elements. I believe we can appeal directly to nature. We're calling the robins today (BIRD TWITTERS). We're calling the snakes (HISS, RATTLE), we're calling the geese -- come back (GEESE). We're calling the bears -- (BEARS)--wake up, it's over. And we're calling the Loons. (LOON) -- loons bring the spring. Come home. (LOON) There's ice on the lakes but we can blow it up. (EXPLOSION UNDERWATER) There. Open water. Come home, loons. (LOON)
(CHORUS SINGS: RITE OF SPRING)
We'll paint our bodies green and dance around the fire
I'll wear a snake around my neck
We will dance barefoot as we hold the torches high
above our heads and put our arms around the trees and tell them now
it's time for spring to come at last
2.
We'll pound on drums and we will dance around the fire
And we'll wake up the gods of spring
We'll bring revival to the earth and we will
Sing very loud and put our arms around the trees and tell them now
it's time for spring to come at last
3.
O Wise One, come your children want it to be spring
We're done with winter yes we are
And we've been sick of winter ever since last week
And now it's time Oh Goddess of the spring your children ask you now
to bloom,and bloom and bloom and bloom
CHORUS:
4.
Now come the grass and come the leaves and come the flowers
O goddess of green salads come
We've drawn the magic circle for you in the snow
Hey Yanna Ho Hey Yanna Hey Hey Yanna Hoh Oh Goddess of the spring
it's time for trees to bloom,