‘Good morning/afternoon Mr Magpie’

[Sunrise6875]

Does anyone else HAVE to say this, whilst touching something black?

Where does it even come from?

If you know, you know

Alternatively: 'Devil, devil, I defie thee.' But I think this only applies for one bird on its own, two or more are OK.

defy

My DP salutes if he sees a single magpie (“one for sorrow...”)

You must salute and enquire after the health of his wife and family.

I have to think the whole rhyme through when I see a magpie but not say it out loud -

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
And four for a boy
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
That can never be told

No idea where it comes from or what it means tbh! Well obv I know I got it from an aunt but she never explained it.

I never came across this until I moved to Kent. Not suggesting it is just Kent but that is where I saw it.

My grandma is superstitious about magpies but she just shouts 'Clear off, you evil bugger' at them

No, and I've never heard anyone do this! Only heard it mentioned on MN. I'm always a bit baffled by weird superstitions people have tbh, as I don't have any myself.

Don’t do the touching something black but we all greet the magpies here - either ‘Good morning Mr Magpie’ or a salute.

My whole family did it as a child, and now I’ve taught my DH and DC too.

Yes!!!! Morning Mr magpie with accompanying salute. Even if I am driving down the A11 bypass and there is no way Mr magpie will hear me. This is only for solitary magpies.

My husband salutes and spits (?) if he sees a single magpie. He does it every time without fail. It's quite endearing.

I say good. Morning Mrs Blackbird, how are the children, give my regards to the family whilst saluting and count back from 10-1

My whole family did it as a child, and now I’ve taught my DH and DC too.

Why?

Seriously, it's superstitious nonsense and you are encouraging your children to behave as irrationally?

No we don't do it.

Yep i do this, only for a single magpie I salute and say good morning mr magpie...DH looks at me like ive got 2 heads!.
No idea where it comes from or why i ever started doing it

No, but I DO always get a very strong mental picture of Mick Robertson
(presented 70s kids' tv show 'Magpie').

@RaspberryCoulis

My whole family did it as a child, and now I’ve taught my DH and DC too.

Why?

Seriously, it's superstitious nonsense and you are encouraging your children to behave as irrationally?

No we don't do it.

Maybe because it's a fun throw back to ancient folk lore. You don't have to actually believe it and nobody is harmed by it..

RemyHadley
To finish off
8 for a wish
9 for a kiss
10 is a number that you must not miss

@RaspberryCoulis

My whole family did it as a child, and now I’ve taught my DH and DC too.

Why?

Seriously, it's superstitious nonsense and you are encouraging your children to behave as irrationally?

No we don't do it.

When I say I’ve taught them, I do t mean I say duel and said ‘Family, if you don’t follow this charming and harmless quirk of mine then Bad Things Will Befall You’ and made sure to enforce it, like hand-washing before meals or saying please and thank you.

I just mean - my grandparents and parents did it in passing, I picked it up, my kids and husband the same. On a car journey, we salute or greet the magpies. It’s nice.

Not everything in life needs to be rational. Whimsy is actually quite nice, you know. Rich tapestry, innit.

www.birdspot.co.uk/culture/magpies-and-superstition#:~:text=Folklore%20has%20surrounded%20magpies%20in,with%20good%20luck%20or%20fortune.

I always salute and sometimes say good morning Mr Magpie how's your wife and family? Apparently a single magpie is bad luck and by assuming his not alone you cancel the curse!

‘Family, if you don’t follow this charming and harmless quirk of mine then Bad Things Will Befall You’

@NoSquirrels, that did make me chortle!

I salute 3 times

The salute is imperative. Because I do it, the whole of my Year 6 class do it, which looks very impressive as we walk to the swimming pools!

If it's one on its own I always salute and say "aye aye mr magpie how's your wife?" Think I got it from my cousin when we were teenagers.

Hahaha - I do that. I say ‘good morning Mr Magpie, how are your wife and family!?’ To a single magpie. My DD thought I was mad. (I’m in my fifties by the way). She asked me why I did it. I said ‘cos you have to ! ) I also taught her the rhyme - one for sorrow, two for joy etc . I was born in Kent - someone said it was a Kent thing.

Me too. Always salute and spit a single magpie and say "good afternoon Mr Magpie, how are your wives and children". The rhyme was also the theme tune to the tv programme Magpie in 70's/80's.