A Spanish town which celebrates an annual Octopus
Festival has requested that Paul, the "psychic" octopus who
predicted Spain's World Cup win, be allowed to join them as a guest
of honour this year.
Carlos Montes, major of O Carballino, in the northwestern
Galicia region, said they hoped the eight-legged oracle would be
allowed by aquarium staff in Oberhuasen, Germany to travel to their
festival on August 8.
Paul has already been rewarded with honorary citizenship of the
town with several Galician businessmen collecting 30,000 euros to
make an offer to buy the soccer soothsayer, according to press
reports.
The mollusc medium shot to fame after correctly "tipping" all
eight games he predicted - seven Germany games and the final
itself.
And he has become a symbol of Spain's World Cup victory with
Andres Iniesta, the scorer of the winning goal over the Netherlands
in the final, carrying a plastic octopus as the team were acclaimed
in Madrid on Monday.
Travelling to this region of Spain could however prove hazardous
for Paul, as octopus is a delicacy, particularly in Galicia, where
the speciality is boiled and served finely sliced with paprika,
olive oil and boiled potatoes.
He could prefer to see out his retirement safely in Germany
where aged two and a half years he is six months off the life
expectancy of his species.
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