Green Island (Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 9: Magpies)

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This simple greeting was said to be a sign of respect for the magpie so he would not pass on any bad luck. The song starts off similar to original rhymes but had an additional tenth bird that was not to be missed; in this case that was of course the next episode of the series.

The range of activities to accompany each storybook encourages children to look more closely at the stories, to focus on comprehension, aspects of language and grammar; develop greater rhyme awareness; sequencing skills and alphabet knowledge and creative writing. The popularity of this version, performed by The Spencer Davis Group, is thought to have displaced the many regional versions that had previously existed. The book further explains that this superstition arises from the habits of pairs of magpies to forage together only when the weather is fine.

Incredible moment Space Shuttle Endeavour is hoisted into place and paired with its fuel tank and rocket. This power animal can be seen as a reminder that we can still find joy and security despite our hardships.

Another version was written for the popular children’s TV programme Magpie which ran from 1968 to 1980 and replaced many of the older regional variations of the rhyme. This superstition was then adapted by the English in the 18th century, which is when the first versions of the magpie rhyme appeared. The first written record of the Magpie rhyme dates from 1777, in John Brand’s “Observations on the Popular Antiquities of Great Britain” was a simple four-line verse, alternating between positive and negative fortunes. In the days of cock-fighting, fowl eggs were sometimes placed in a magpie’s nest in the belief that the young would absorb their foster-parents’ agression.

There are references to dried and powdered magpie flesh being used as a treatment for epilepsy and portions of magpie were used to cure melancholy, vertigo and poor eyesight.