Saluting magpies!

I remember walking under a ladder when I was 8 and the same day (though it probably wasn't the same day, just a false memory) my uncle was killed. Logically, I know it's stupid, but I avoid walking under ladders.

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

With the number of magpies near my house and garden, I should be overrun with children, wealth and secrets, but all they do is peck at our rubbish on bin day.

The “one for sorrow” is not meant to be sorrow for the observer. It’s sorrow for the lone magpie who may have lost his lifelong mate.
The “two for joy” means the couple are still together.

If I see a single magpie I salute, cross myself and spit.
Difficult when you are driving a car.

Opposite where I live is a piece of grass which only seems to attract magpies and pigeons. If i became uneasy every time one magpie landed on there I would be in a permanent state of worry! Having said that I do feel a sense of relief if two magpies just happen to land on there! Why do they have this effect on us?

We had a whole bunch of superstitions when I was growing up:

- don't put new shoes on the table;
- don't open an umbrella indoors;
- never give someone a purse/wallet without some money inside;
- spilling salt is unlucky, so throw some of the spilt salt over your left shoulder to cancel the bad luck;
- if you find a money spider pick it up and circle it around your head, clockwise, three times and you'll be rewarded financially;
- don't pick up a glove if you drop it - wait for someone else to pick it up and when they give it to you, you mustn't thank them or it cancels the luck;
- passing someone on the stairs brings about a death in the family;
- crossed knives bring anger, a falling out;
- on the first day of every month, the first words you utter must be "white rabbits" to bring you luck.
- looking at a new moon through glass is unlucky

And probably many, many more that I've forgotten now

We had rooks and jackdaws in our area when I was a child, but no magpies, so I am not superstitious about them.

I do however throw a little salt over my left shoulder if I spill some, never place shoes on a table, take the Christmas decorations down on Twelfth Night and talk to all cats, not only black ones if I meet them in the street.

and saying something if you saw an ambulance

When we were children we used to say, if we saw an ambulance, "hold your collar, never swaller swallow, never catch the fever. Not for you, not for me, not for all the family". We held on to our collar all the while we chanted this - I can remember the sheer panic if I was wearing something that didn't have a collar

We were convinced our latest grandchild would be a boy as for several weeks 4 magpies kept appearing on a tree opposite our house. The old rhyme: one for sorrow: two for joy: three for a girl: and four for a boy.! Well that was soon changed when the scan showed it was a girl?. However I am very superstitious of the sign of a dog howling (for no obvious reason) when this happens continuously is said to be associated with death.

Thanks to P and M. Have heard of that rhyme but only the first four items and I didn't associate it with magpies. That's my new fact for today! I'm told the memory has a finite capacity so I don't know what might be discarded to make way for this!

One for sorrow, two for joy
Three for a girl Four for a boy
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven's a secret that's never been told
Kim19 If you see one magpie and want to stop the sorrow you have to greet him and ask after his wife and family.
I've never been quite clear about how long you have to wait to see a second one.
I've got a whole range of superstions handed down from an Irish GM. My mum always declared they were a load of nonsense but she still threw salt over her shoulder.
I never come in the front door and go out the back without stopping to do something (It takes the luck out the house)

My brother-in-law recently died in a hospice and each day, of the last 3 days of his life, a lone magpie would come to his window and peck on the window......

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 a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten for a bird,
You must not miss

Never heard about asking after family before but always say Good Morning Mr Magpie.

It's funny my sister wouldn't walk on cracks in the pavement saying they were unlucky! I still don't have pictures of birds in the house as my aunt told me they were unlucky however I do love the feathered friends???

I’m with you GrannyO we have dozens of them. They destroy nests and eat the chicks, and unfortunately have no natural predators. And the sound they make when they’re attacking a nest is horrendous!

www.britishbirdlovers.co.uk/articles/magpies-and-superstition

My late father was so superstitious. Wouldn't turn back even if he left something essential at home. If a bird came in the house well that was it! Too many to relate.

A story he related from when he was young is very sad. He lived on a small holding and one day the Turban man went up the yard to sell his goods. My grandfather, a man of no nonsense sent him packing, The Turban man walked down the yard and when he got to the gate he turned round and apparently did some mutterings.

Shortly after my dad's four year old sister was rocking on the rocking chair and some home ended up in the Inglenook fire. She died of her burns. The Turban man got the blame for putting a spell on the house.

My Dad never ever refused to buy anything from the Turban man after that in case he cast a spell.

Didn't there used to be one there used to be one about crossing this that or the other and saying something if you saw an ambulance. Another about seeing a white horse!

We have magpies in our garden, have been known to run upstairs and look out of window to find their mate!!! I always salute a single one, throw salt over my shoulder, will not walk under ladders or put new shoes on a table!!

Totally irrational I know, but I am a carbon copy of my Grans and Mum, it's one of my links to them.

Kim19 Its a rhythm 'one for sorrow, two for joy etc.'

I've never actually said 'Good morning' to a magpie but I always cast about looking for a second one.
I throw a little salt over my shoulder if I spill some.
I put Christmas decorations away before 12th Night but yesterday I spotted a little gift bag by the other side of the settee which had been missed. Could this be why 2019 hasn't got off to a very good start?
My late MIL was very superstitious and optimistic, saying, 'You make your own luck' and she was quite lucky, on the whole. I don't think you can rely on lucky charms though.

Don't know anything about this Magpie thing. Would someone please clarify a little?

That's really eerie, as I read the post the Audible book I was listening to mentioned one magpie as being unlucky ?? I'm not superstitious, I just hate the things for attacking small birds.