SPAIN: Mourning the death of Paul the cephalopod that became a Spanish national icon
Record ID:
785107
SPAIN: Mourning the death of Paul the cephalopod that became a Spanish national icon
- Title: SPAIN: Mourning the death of Paul the cephalopod that became a Spanish national icon
- Date: 26th October 2010
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 26, 2010) (REUTERS) PEDESTRIANS WALKING PAST SOUVENIR SHOP PAUL THE OCTOPUS MERCHANDISE IN SHOP WINDOW T-SHIRT WITH PAUL DESIGN PAUL STUFFED TOYS CLOSE OF PAUL STUFFED TOY PEOPLE LOOKING TO SHOP WINDOW PAUL STUFFED TOY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH TOURIST IN MADRID, MARIA JOSE SAYING "Another will come, what else can we do?" PEOPLE INSIDE SOUVENIR SHOP PAUL STUFFED TOY OVER FOOTBALL VARIOUS OF PAUL KEYCHAINS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH TOURIST IN MADRID, JULIO SAYING "It's a shame, isn't it. The poor thing -- and after having predicted the Spanish victory at the World Cup. I just don't know. Let me know when the funeral is so I can go." VARIOUS OF T-SHIRTS WITH PAUL DESIGN RAW OCTOPUS SURROUNDED BY OTHER SEAFOOD COOK SHOWING RAW OCTOPUS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COOK, LOLA SAYING " His death makes me sad, very sad. Such a famous octopus, it makes me very sad." VARIOUS OF LOLA COOKING AND PREPARING OCTOPUS DISH PEOPLE AT BAR (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BAR CUSTOMER, MIGUEL SAYING " A monument near Cibeles square should be built in his memory. Sure." CUSTOMERS AT BAR
- Embargoed: 10th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA88KVVLA7DCST71MTX901F3QR8
- Story Text: Paul the oracle octopus died peacefully in his tank on Tuesday (October 26) in Oberhausen, Germany.
The cephalpod was born in England and spent his formative years in an aquarium in Germany -- but it was his uncanny knack of predicting the outcome of World Cup matches that brought him into the international limelight.
During the South African tournament he correctly predicted the outcome of eight consecutive matches -- including Spain's eventual victory -- by selecting food from boxes adorned with the national flags of the competing teams.
Spaniards received the news of the death of the two-year-old creature with a tinge of sadness.
"Another will come, what else can we do?" said Maria Jose, who was shopping at a souvenir shop stocked high with Paul-associated merchandise.
"It's a shame, isn't it. The poor thing -- and after having predicted the Spanish victory at the World Cup. I just don't know. Let me know when the funeral is so I can go," laughed Julio, a Spanish tourist in Madrid.
The employees of Sea Life in Oberhausen said in a statement they felt "devastated" when they realised Paul had died on Tuesday.
And in a tapas bar in the Spanish capital, even those who normally preferred octopus on a plate were not immune from grief.
"His death makes me sad, very sad. Such a famous octopus, it makes me very sad." said Lola -- as she cooked up an octopus dish.
After the World Cup, a Spanish zoo offered offered to buy Paul, but his German keepers refused to sell.
Paul was hatched at a Sea Life Center in Weymouth, England, and became an ambassador for England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
A Russian newspaper said in July that they had asked Paul for a prediction on who would be the next president of Russia -- but the results would kept in secret until the 2012 elections.
Now Paul will be kept on ice until his aquarium decides how best to commemorate the extraordinary life he had. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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