Do you know that on this day women can propose to their men? According to an old Irish legend (or possibly history) St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men every four years. This is believed to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how leap day (високосный день) balances the calendar. In some places, leap day has been known as “Bachelors’ Day” (день холостяков). A man was expected to pay a penalty, such as a gown or money, if he refused a marriage proposal from a woman on Leap Day.
According to an old Scottish aphorism, “leap year was ne’er a good sheep year.” This superstition (предрассудок) has been debated through history and across cultures, and there’s still no clear winner. For one thing, it’s bad luck if you work on a fixed annual salary; no extra pay for that extra day. On the other hand, Leap Day is great luck if you’re on a fixed monthly rent (one free day of living!). Leap years almost always coincide with U.S. election years and Summer Olympic Games.
