Well, it's Leap Year. And today is Leap Day. Along with all the mundane stuff about adding an extra day to February every four years to make a 366-day year, leap year is the year when traditionally, women can propose marriage.
According to Wikipedia, this is thought by some to have originated with St. Patrick or St. Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland. However, it doesn't seem to have been attested until the 19th century, so the myth probably originated after then.
Some nervous men limited the tradition to one day a year, leap day. Women whose proposals are refused are entitled to compensation. Wait until the legal community hears about this.
Women who miss this opportunity, will have another on Sadie Hawkins Day, November 15, created by Al Capp for the Lil' Abner comic strip. Sadie was the homeliest girl in Dogpatch, and eventually took the initiative. Eventually, it led to a yearly footrace in which the town's bachelors were pursued by the unattached women. Today, there are Sadie Hawkins Dances to which women can invite the slower men.
Happy Leap Day!
[Image from Lil'Abner.com]
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