A FLIGHT of FOLKLORE

THE EURASIAN MAGPIE The Romans believed the magpie was lucky, and quickly noted its intelligence, attributing this gift to the sun god, Apollo. The bird was thought to have magical powers and the ability to see into the future. In ancient Greece it was associated with the god of pleasure, Dionysus. Later, however, an abundance of narratives spread that marred the magpie's reputation – beliefs likely down to its pied appearance, considered evil at the time. A common superstition was that it carried a drop of the devil's blood in its tongue. Cut the tongue in two and release the blood and the magpie can speak like a human. The sight of magpies also gave rise to the popular ‘One for sorrow’ rhyme. With regional variations throughout the UK, the…

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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2025

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