Magpies and Other Birds…

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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

This is the modern version of the Magpie Rhyme that I always think of when I see these birds. The reason I blog about them? They have always been around wherever I have lived really, lots of them. In the garden of the house where we grew up, they would amass all the time… And now, where I park my car at work, there are always magpies to be found!

Superstition

So the rhyme says ‘one for sorrow’. Dating back to a long long time ago, magpies were considered bad luck or an omen, if you only saw one. Well, yes, they love a bit of bling, so it could be bad luck if one spotted your jewellery on a window sill, and took of with a precious piece! But that particular line always hits me, and if I see one, I do hyperventilate a bit, looking around hopefully until I find another to think of the second line of the rhyme, ‘two for joy’! After that, it’s a joy to see more, purely because there isn’t just one!

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But I always think that the ‘one for sorrow’ line is more in my head about the fact that that one single magpie is alone, without its mate, and he/she is looking for its partner… and I want it to be back with its other half as soon a possible! Some people, if they see one magpie will say “Good Morning Mr Magpie, How’s you’re wife and family?” and doff their caps… well, I’m not one for wearing a cap but I pretend and say it anyway, with an added “Waheguru” (God is Great) in Punjabi, just to be sure!

Makes no sense, why should I be cautious of a superstitions belief? I mean, in Sikhism, my religion, we are not really supposed to believe in superstitions at all, yet so many Punjabi families do, not washing hair on certain days(Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays!), waiting 5 minutes before going out of the house if someone was to sneeze, and I’ve learned an awful lot more since getting married! My Mother-In-Law (MIL) has a whole heap that she believes in! If someone was going away, or travelling, after they leave there should be no cleaning or washing happening that day, never travel on a Thursday, to name but a few! (And believe me, there are loads!)

Rewind To Magpies

This post takes me back to a time, around 11-12 years ago, when we were trying for a family. My Pops is Mr Spiritual, as those of you who read, will know, and there used to be a multitude of magpies visiting our garden there on a daily basis, we had a magpie nest in the large Sycamore trees at the back of the garden.

One morning, after doing his prayers, he looked out of the window, and saw a lone magpie. He told me that he closed his eyes and envisaged that bird to be him. “Thank you God for looking after me. Please look over my wife too.” He opened his eyes and another bird joined the single one, on the tree. He said, in his mind “God, thank you for blessing my daughter,” a third one arrived on the branch too. ” for the wonderful life partner you have given her.” Number 4 came and joined number 3. “God, thank you for my son ” as a fifth magpie joined the crew… He closed his eyes and focused on the fact that we were trying for a baby. “God, bless them with a family of their own” as two more joined the tree. He looked at the lone bird, my brother. “God bless him with a good partner, to support him throughout his life”, and the eighth one came and sat on a branch next to Mr Single! To my Pops, that was his whole family right there in magpie form, happy as Larry! He didn’t push for children for my brother at that time as it was just a hope that he would settle down at that stage! Since then, he has settled down and I have a beautiful sister in law, as well as a bouncy baby nephew too!

I love that little story!

Something else… I don’t know what the connection is, but my mum told me today that for many years, on the death anniversary of her dad, my granddad, the garden would be filled with a huge flock of crows, every year on that same year!

And they say Robins are a sign that someone form ‘up above’ is visiting you… We lost a very special woman about 3 years ago, an aunt of mine, and she was very close to my parents. After she died, a small robin would come to their front room window and tap at it, with it’s beak. It did that for a good couple of years, regularly, and now it is much bigger, but it sits in the hedge opposite the window, and stares into the room from time to time, like she is there, watching over my parents…

Back to Magpies Now

The kids are aware of the rhyme, and Lil Man always looks out for at least two, like me… If we see more, than the 7 that are stated in the rhyme, he says “What does that mean then, Mummy?” There is a much older version of the rhyme, which is a bit more sinister, so I don’t tell them that one…

One for sorrow

Two for luck; (or mirth)

Three for a wedding,

Four for death; (or birth)

Five for silver,

Six for gold;

Seven for a secret,

Not to be told;

Eight for heaven,

Nine for [hell]

And ten for the d[evi]l’s own sell!

Erm no, I don’t think so! Still Lil Man and I decided we would try and add our own lines up to ten as we see a lot quite often!

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 for fun

Nine for a treat

Ten for a day

That you just cant beat!

Bold addition by Ritu and Lil Man 2015!