Two years ago, Paul the Octopus looked into the future to predict winners and losers at the FIFA World Cup. Organizers of this summer's European Championship have tabbed two animals, Psychic Pig and Citta the Elephant, to pick up where the late, eight-legged prophet left off.
The Associated Press reports co-hosts Poland and Ukraine will each let the animals' taste buds predict the outcome of each game.
Poland has turned to Cita for advice. A hot-tempered 33-year-old from India, Citta lives in a Krakow zoo. She earned the right to represent her adopted country by correctly picking Chelsea FC as the winner of the UEFA Champions League final.
When presented with two apples — one sitting atop Chelsea's blue and white logo, and the other on Bayern Munich's red, white and blue logo, she ate the Chelsea apple. Poland will use the same process in Euro 2012.
Psychic pig has a murkier past. All that is known about him is that he is two years old, lives on a farm in the Ukraine and likes beer and French fries. Chefs will present him with two plates of food which are adorned with the national flags of the participating countries.
Organizers haven't said what they will do if the animals make conflicting predictions. But that's beside the point. It's good to know that the spirit of Paul the Octopus lives on.
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