Some Germans are calling for a public roasting of the oracle octopus who correctly picked the winner of all six of their national soccer team's World Cup matches -- including a bitter defeat to Spain on Wednesday.
Paul, a two-year-old octopus in a German aquarium, turned into a global celebrity for his uncanny ability to predict the winner of all Germany's matches -- even a group stage defeat to Serbia and an ousting by Spain in the semi-finals.
"Nothing beats grilled octopus," said Dolores Lusch, a Germany fan who works on a Berlin fish stall. "Cut him up in thin slices and grill him on all sides with a dash of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic on it. Delicious!"
Not an ordinarily superstitious people, Germans became believers in Paul's possible psychic powers. The country was shocked and distraught when he picked Spain to win after tipping German wins over Argentina, England, Ghana and Australia.
German newspapers and websites were filled with suggestions of what to do with Paul -- most involved cooking and eating him.
"Throw him in the frying pan," wrote the Berliner Kurier newspaper in a popular sentiment echoed by Die Welt, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the Hamburger Abendblatt and other newspapers.
Paul's picks have become news across Germany and around the world. German networks have had live reports on Paul's picks.
On Friday, Paul will tip the winner of Saturday's Germany-Uruguay match for third place as well as the winner of the Spain-Netherlands final on Sunday. Networks in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands are planning live coverage.
德國(guó)隊(duì)在本屆世界杯上六場(chǎng)比賽的結(jié)果都被神算章魚(yú)一一言中,其中包括上周三負(fù)于西班牙隊(duì)的那場(chǎng)比賽,所以日前一些德國(guó)人大呼要把這只章魚(yú)給烤了。
生活在德國(guó)一家水族館的章魚(yú)“保羅”今年兩歲,它因準(zhǔn)確預(yù)測(cè)出德國(guó)隊(duì)在本屆世界杯上的所有比賽的結(jié)果而紅遍全球,其中甚至包括德國(guó)在小組賽中負(fù)于塞爾維亞隊(duì)的那場(chǎng)比賽以及在半決賽中被西班牙隊(duì)淘汰的比賽。
柏林一個(gè)魚(yú)攤老板、德國(guó)隊(duì)球迷德洛麗絲•盧施說(shuō):“沒(méi)有什么比烤章魚(yú)更美味的了。把它切成薄片,涂上點(diǎn)兒檸檬汁、橄欖油和大蒜,再把它給烤了。味道一定很好!”
德國(guó)人并不迷信,但保羅的“神算”能力則讓他們不得不信服。保羅曾準(zhǔn)確預(yù)測(cè)出德國(guó)將戰(zhàn)勝阿根廷、英格蘭、加納和澳大利亞隊(duì),之后又做出了德國(guó)將敗給西班牙隊(duì)的預(yù)測(cè),這讓德國(guó)舉國(guó)陷入了震驚和恐慌。
現(xiàn)在,德國(guó)的報(bào)紙和網(wǎng)站上到處都是如何處置保羅的建議,其中大部分都提到了要把它給煮熟了吃。
《柏林信箋報(bào)》寫(xiě)道:“把它扔進(jìn)煎鍋”?!妒澜鐖?bào)》、《南德意志報(bào)》、《漢堡晚報(bào)》和其它多家報(bào)紙也持同樣看法。
保羅對(duì)世界杯的預(yù)測(cè)已成為德國(guó)乃至全世界媒體關(guān)注的焦點(diǎn),德國(guó)電視臺(tái)還對(duì)其預(yù)測(cè)過(guò)程進(jìn)行過(guò)直播。
本周五,保羅將對(duì)本周六德國(guó)隊(duì)與烏拉圭隊(duì)爭(zhēng)奪第三名的比賽、以及本周日西班牙隊(duì)與荷蘭隊(duì)的奪冠賽進(jìn)行預(yù)測(cè)。德國(guó)、西班牙和荷蘭計(jì)劃對(duì)預(yù)測(cè)過(guò)程進(jìn)行現(xiàn)場(chǎng)直播。