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CNN Sunday Morning

Annual Running of the Bulls Takes Place in Spain

Aired July 07, 2002 - 07:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The streets of Pamplona, Spain have been crowded today with six fighting bulls and thousands of brave -- no, let's say crazy people on the run with them. It's the annual running of the bulls, a 16th century tradition that gets no less dangerous with the passage of time.

CNN's Al Goodman has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Six fighting bulls charged out of the corral at precisely 8:00 in the morning in Pamplona. Awaiting them, a few thousand runners braving the stampede. Everyone more than happy to get out of the way of the raging half ton bulls if they could. Some couldn't. And as usual, there were injuries along the 825 meter or half mile course through old town that leads to the bull ring.

Sunday was the first of eight consecutive mornings of bull running in the annual festival honoring Pamplona's patron saint, St. Fermin. The running took about eight minutes on Sunday. Three times longer than normal because at least one bull became separated from the pack. Experts say this heightens the danger because the lone bull may turn in any direction, ready to jab with its horns.

Running with the bulls is said to have started in the 16th century in Pamplona. It became internationally famous after the American writer, Ernest Hemingway, described it in his 1920s novel, "The Son Also Rises," also published under the title, "Fiesta." Since then, 13 deaths have been recorded, most recently a young American seven years ago.

The bulls will die in the afternoon bull fight. Only a fraction of the million and a half people attending the festival this week will actually run with the bulls. And theirs are the most thrilling memories.

Al Goodman, CNN, Pamplona, Spain.

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