Magpie poem

[mandyballantyne]

Hi All,

I have just had to hungry magpies on my fence, which is meant to be lucky.

But can any one remenber the little rhyme?

One for sorrow, two for joy, it is driving me mad

Mandy

[OverWyreGrower]

3 for a girl
4 for a boy
6 for silver
7 for gold
8 for a secret, never to be told....

I think!

[pigletwillie]

One for sorrow.
Two for joy.
Three for a girl.
Four for a boy.
Five for silver.
Six for gold.
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight's a wish.
Nine's a kiss.
Ten is a bird you must not miss,
MAGPIE.

[OverWyreGrower]

So, OK, I can't count, but I had a good go at it...

You see, I'm just not old enough to remember stuff like this!

[pigletwillie]

Magpie was one of my favourite childrens programs from when I was a wee bairn.

[madderbat]

I'm a bit old for the tv programme, but sort of knew the rhyme. Only problem was, one spring, long ago, we had two pairs of magpies AND their offspring on our lawn -12 altogether and it really threw me!!

Love todays avatar PW - very fetching!

[dexterdoglancashire]

I used to work with a lass, who everytime she saw a magpie had to say "Morning Mr Magpie, how are the wife and children?". Don't know where she got that from. (I lived in Yorkshire at the time so maybe it's a Yorkshire thing). DDL

[mandyballantyne]

God, you lot are quick!

Thanks for that been driving me potty! I work with a guy who freaks when he see's magpies, he starts pinching himself and muttering something about the devil??? That is wierd, he is also from Lankashire........ Actualy near Pendle hill might be something to do with the witches?

Mandy

[madderbat]

I used to work with a lass, who everytime she saw a magpie had to say "Morning Mr Magpie, how are the wife and children?". Don't know where she got that from. (I lived in Yorkshire at the time so maybe it's a Yorkshire thing). DDL

There are a lot of old wives things about magpies. They are supposed to bring bad luck, which you can avert by being polite to them. I can't remember how I knew it, but I alway 'salute' a single magpie. As the rhyme says, two are good luck, etc.

the politeness might divert them from stealing from you?
in previous times a magpie would be strung up on a fence to deter crows and other birds from taking chicks, or crops.

[Alice]

You look very fetching in your new avatar Piglet
I think we used to say
one's a wish
two's a kiss
three's a disappointment
four's a letter
five's something better

Can't remember the rest - but someone might.
It ended with - a secret never to be told.

Has anyone else noticed the big increase in the magpie population. It used to be quite rare to see them , but now the're everywhere.

[Snadger]

One for sorrow.
Two for joy.
Three for a girl.
Four for a boy.
Five for silver.
Six for gold.
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight's a wish.
Nine's a kiss.
Ten is a bird you must not miss,
MAGPIE.

Always new you were a Geordie wannabe piglet!!!!! Howay the lads!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Always new you were a Geordie wannabe piglet!!!!! Howay the lads!

Snadger - please explain. Am I right in thinking that Newcastle United football team wear black and white stripes? if so, are they called the magpies by any chance? Sorry to be thick, but I don't do football! DDL

[JennieAtkinson]

I seem to remember something about turning around in a circle if you saw a single magpie. (Or am I having a CRAFT moment again?)

[madderbat]

I seem to remember something about turning around in a circle if you saw a single magpie. (Or am I having a CRAFT moment again?)

Difficult to do when you are driving! That's why I doff my hat (or at least raise my hand). How on earth I think that me driving along at 50mph in the opposite direction to a small bird is going to be affected if I dont salute it, I'm not really sure, but I still do it

[Mrs Dobby]

Is that a widdershins or deosil circle Jennie, or am I mixing up my CRAFT's here!