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To me summer doesn't officially begin till I see today's subject, fireflies.

In Japan a legend says that fireflies are the ghost of warriors from two different tribes. Even as insects they are said to remember an important battle that took place. It was thought that once a year they refought this battle on the Uji river. On this particular night even caged fireflies were set free in order to be allowed to fight. According to Apache lore fire came from a campfire that was ignited by fireflies. Native American lore also says that fireflies are a sign that salmon are coming and that fishing will be good. In ancient Chinese myths the blinking of a firefly came from burning grass. In European superstition a firefly flying into a window was a sign of death.