‘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

@boreofwhabylon - the children's TV show theme tune got truncated before "devil, devil, I defy thee" - although it was always deemed to be a bit less tame than Blue Peter.

Yes, I always salute any lone magpie I see, always have done,

We have a pair that live in a tree in our back garden. We feed them and speak to them regardless,

Their names are Boris and Donald

I'm in Aberdeenshire by the way

I salute and say “Aye Aye Captain Magpie, I salute you, wheres your mate?”.

But only when with my mum or Granny. The rest of the time I just salute.

As the poem goes:

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven a secret
Never to be told.

So I only think 1 magpie is bad luck and if seen I have to say:

“Hello Mr Magpie, hows your wife & children?” ... to ensure that he’s not alone so not bad luck.

I thank my grandma for this compulsion

If I’m too embarrassed to say it out loud a salute or bow will suffice too

[quote lughnasadh]@3catsandcounting yes! I almost missed a train this morning because I was standing on the footbridge and peering into the trees looking for the second magpie - while the train rolled in beneath me!

I suppose missing the train would have been my bad luck. Nature is twisted. [/quote]
Indeed it is!

I’m another one who salutes a single magpie and says ‘hello mr magpie, how are your wife and children?’

But I also don’t look for a second one when I see a single one. It’s bad luck to look for another one!

I’ve managed to count 7 together a few times but never ever more than that!

No, but if I see one I feel a bit on edge until I see another (in my mind it doesn't have to be two together!).

I do nod my head to a full moon 3 times though.

I always salute and enquire after his family! I also know the rhyme as
One for sorrow
Two for mirth
Three for a wedding
Four for a birth
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret never to be told
It’s a rhyme like Solomon Grundy with the seven ages of man theme...
Sorrow = crying baby
Mirth= happiness of childhood
Wedding = marriage
Birth= becoming a parent
Silver = silver-haired
Gold = golden old age
Secret never to be told = death

A single magpie alone and we have to say Salute you Mr magpie, where's your lady wife. I think that came from my nan.

I always say hello to them. They can recognize individual people, memorise faces, and know where you live. And they tend to live in the same area and can live for twenty years, apparently!

Well I'm baffled as to why so many posters are assuming they're seeing the male of the species, I mean, come on it's 2020 - you think Ms Magpie is chained to the kitchen sink? Times moved on and she's as likely to be out and about as Mr Magpie. As the sex cannot be identified at a distance I ensure I do not offend by saying; "Respect to your spouse." which I think covers all bases.

I always say Good Morning Mr Magpie. How's the wife and family and salute. Its just a natural reaction now.

I’ve only ever saluted a solo magpie, didn’t know there was a rhyme. I can only assume all my bad luck has caused by the pissed off magpies I haven’t been respecting correctly. Explains a lot.

If I have saluted one magpie and then see the second, I have to solute that one too. In my head I have cancelled out the first with the salute and I don't want the second to get offended and bring me bad luck.

We lived in rural Worcestershire. All members of my maternal family said 'Morning Mr Magpie" if a single one was seen. We didn't enquire about the welfare of his family!

"As the sex cannot be identified at a distance I ensure I do not offend by saying; "Respect to your spouse." which I think covers all bases."

We say 'Good morning Captain' and salute. Coincidentally,both DH and I had magpies as pets when we were children. ( We grew up 8 miles away from each other). Mine could talk,his didn't, but used to go to school with him,riding on the handles of his bike. He tells me that if did follow him into class one day,and the teachers got him to lure if out with a packet of crisps.

80 miles,not 8.

I've always acknowledged Magpies, no idea why. My DC do the same because their grandparent does the same.

My grandfather was the epitome of a countryman and taught me the following:

Touch your hat,
Nod your head,
Say "Good Morning(*)" magpie

(*)afternoon or evening as appropriate.

The rhyme always goes through my head when I see magpies even if I don't say it out loud and I like to think that there's still a connection to granddad even though he's been dead for 20 years.

There was never any mention of good or bad luck it's just what you do. I hadn't realised that he was so forward thinking in his views that he didn't assume gender or spousal roles.

We have Mr & Mrs Magpie who live in and around our garden. Every year Magpies nest in a very tall conifer in the garden, this year it was a very messy large nest. They raised four babies, and all six still turn up at 10.30 am every day for toast!

We say 'Morning Major, how're you're children?'

Why Major?! No idea

I think I'll add a salute in future, for good measure.

YOUR