The Magpie Salute?

Huggie86 · 2 Sep 2017 at 08:01

Driving to work this morning and did my obligatory salute/taking hat off to the resident Magpie. I realised what an idiot I must look like to other drivers.

Anyone know where this superstition comes from and who still does it? I picked it up from my grandparents as a child and its just habit now, I also say good morning to them. But my other half asks about the Magpies wife and kids which always amuses me.

Maybe a poll is in order!

robfosters · 2 Sep 2017 at 08:03

1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
4 for a boy

The salute negates the sorrow.

PapaLazaru · 2 Sep 2017 at 08:12

I don't worry about that one myself, but I never walk on three drains in a row.

I must looked a bit odd when veering round them, even though I now live in the sticks. It is a London thing.

Huggie86 · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:05

I do the drain thing also, growing up in Essex, nearly everyone at school in the 90's was avoiding them for some reason! I think I remember that if you walked on the 3 drains but managed to walk over 2 drains in a certain amount of time it cancelled out the 3 drains or something like that.

Bizarre the things we pick up

Sliver · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:09

I don't do woo. Nothing wrong with saluting a magpie though, it's just a little quirky and suggests you are easily lead.

builder22 · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:17

Would you salute it in the afternoon?

My mate says 'good morning mr magpie', maybe it's 'good day'

freddie64 · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:31

Was expecting a homage to the tv show.

Heard of the one for sorrow, two for joy rhyme , but not the salute thing.

builder22 · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:36

So apparently it's bad luck to see one on its own as they usually have a mate for life....hence the asking about its wife and kids!
http://www.timelessmyths.co.uk/saulting-magpies.html

cyber69 · 2 Sep 2017 at 09:36

I always salute a lone magpie, if you don't then your house will get robbed. Never salute a pair of magpie's though!

Thekwango · 2 Sep 2017 at 10:22

Huggie86 said:
I do the drain thing also, growing up in Essex, nearly everyone at school in the 90's was avoiding them for some reason! I think I remember that if you walked on the 3 drains but managed to walk over 2 drains in a certain amount of time it cancelled out the 3 drains or something like that.

Bizarre the things we pick up

What's the drain thing about? Not superstitious but do like finding out their origins.

Edit: wonder was the 90's craze due to the IT film?

Torquar · 2 Sep 2017 at 10:34

I do the magpie salute, it's my sisters fault :rolleyes:

.

Feek · 2 Sep 2017 at 10:35

Never even heard of a magpie salute.

Dandaman · 2 Sep 2017 at 10:41

I salute a single magpie and I make a wish when I sneeze.... what am I doing with my life.

IronWarrior · 2 Sep 2017 at 10:47

I never heard of the salute, but where am from, if you see one of them, you gotta see the second one as well or you will have a unlucky day.

PapaLazaru · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:00

Thekwango said:
What's the drain thing about? Not superstitious but do like finding out their origins.

I believe it is something to do with the drains in London hundreds of years ago when they were made of wood. Apparently they were in such disrepair, there was a one in three chance of one breaking if stood upon and you would fall into the sewers below.

Orionaut · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:04

robfosters said:
1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
4 for a boy

The salute negates the sorrow.

5 for Silver
6 for Gold
7 for a secret never to be told.

MAAAAaaaaaaagPieeeeee!

(Showing my age here...

)

builder22 · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:07

Not All Bad
Yet they're also very clever birds and some can be taught to speak as parrots can.

instead of saluting...capture it and you have a free Parrot

Sliver · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:09

builder22 said:
instead of saluting...capture it and you have a free Parrot

Alternatively, capture one and deep fry it. Should go well with some curry sauce and fried rice.

robfosters · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:10

builder22 said:
instead of saluting...capture it and you have a free Parrot

Down where I live there's thousands of parrots to be caught, you don't need a magpie.

something daft already!! · 2 Sep 2017 at 11:16

The TV programme Magpie is where the song came from. The tipping of the hat is no doubt related to that too. Stupid superstitions are still stupid regardless of where or how they started. Like touching wood for luck etc. I will walk under ladders, revel in the number 13 and generally not care about any nonsense of this sort.

It is quite liberating being an atheist.