The Three Frozen Kings

I grew up listening to the weather warning from my elders that we had to watch out for the Three Frozen Kings in the middle of May when we put in our garden early. That is at least three days of a cold spell that makes the days miserable and either frosts or freezes at night. I’ve heard some say that if we’re really having a global warming this warning should shortly be a thing of the past. Not this year! I’m hear to tell you I’m feeling the affects of the Three Frozen Kings this week. I actually turned our furnace on this morning after being cold for two days and nights. Looks like Sunday, if the weather man is right, before The Kings get over being angry.
Three Frozen Kings, is a Czech legend that reminds us to protect our garden plants against a possible last frost in the middle of May. We need to be prepared to cover the plants with blankets, sheets, milk jugs or plastic coffee cans with the bottoms out. I use the coffee cans since we are coffee drinkers and put the lids on when I hear the frost warning.
The story is the three kings, (Pankrac on May 12, Servac on May 13 and Bonifac on May 14) were
frozen when the temperature dropped while they were fishing at sea. They couldn’t have been in the same boat if they went fishing on different days. If the other two kings saw Pankrac was already a Popsicle, don’t you think that would have clued them that they should go home. Of course, they could have done a good deed and towed Pankrac back at the same time so they didn’t have to spent centuries getting all worked up over what happened next. On May 15, St. Zofie must have discovered the three kings were missing and knew what happened to them. He went after them with a kettle of hot water to thaw out the three frozen kings. I suppose that means the days were going to get warmer on the 15th after St. Zofie poured hot water on the kings. Someone should tell Saint Zofie it didn’t work this year. Today sure isn’t any warmer than yesterday or the day before, but if this spring is like the last two, soon enough we will go into 100 degree days and drought. Do you suppose Saint Zofie had the water too hot?

This many years into the future, you would think that Pankrac, Servac and Bonifac would have forgotten about their frozen experience by now. After all, as far as I know, no one insisted that they had to go fishing in bad weather. That makes the experience their own fault. If they are mad at Saint Zofie for the scalding water baths, no need to keep taking it out on us, because Saint Zofie didn’t check the water temperature.

The legend was brought to Iowa by Czech immigrants, who found Iowa similar to their home country. I don’t happen to be Czech, but that was so many generations ago, most older folks only remember that their parents told them the story. They don’t know where it came from. I was born in Missouri, and I know the tale made the rounds there.

If the last three days are any indication of the mood the Three Frozen Kings are in right now, we best pay attention and do as they say. Not only do I need to cover my plants, but I have to get my winter coat back on just to please those three frozen kings so I can go to the garden to cover the plants. We’d have all been so much happier if Saint Zofie hadn’t rescued the kings and could just take our chances with the weather.

I had a great Mother’s Day. I’ve posted on Facebook the pretty pansy basket my son brought me for Mother’s Day. The flowers are much brighter than they look in the picture. It was such a gloomy Tuesday that even the flash didn’t help the picture. I could have submitted a picture with me in it but I didn’t want to rub it in that I was outside with my chore coveralls and stocking cap on. I figured everyone around here already felt cold enough.