Whilst working at home some activity in the backgarden caught my eye. I glance out of the window and spot seven magpies cavorting about.
“One for sorrow, two for joy; three for a girl, and four for a boy. Five for silver, six for gold, and seven for a secret that’s never been told.”
In Celtic lore, the magpie was a bird associated with faery revels; with the spread of Christianity, however, this changed to a connection with witches and devils. In Scandinavia, magpies were said to be sorcerers flying to unholy gatherings, and yet the nesting magpie was once considered a sign of luck in those countries. In old Norse myth, Skadi (the daughter of a giant) was priestess of the magpie clan; the black and white markings of the bird represented sexual union, as well as male and female energies kept in perfect balance. In China the magpie was the Bird of Joy, and two magpies symbolized marital bliss; in Rome, magpies were sacred to Bacchus and a symbol of sensual pleasure. In England, the sighting of magpies is still considered an omen in this common folk rhyme: “One for sorrow, two for joy; three for a girl, and four for a boy. Five for silver, six for gold, and seven for a secret that’s never been told.”
So, what’s MY secret?
OK, I’ll come clean.
I AM BELLE DE JOUR!!!