Those who enjoy the country side cannot help observe the strange folklore linked with flora and fauna and particularly the Corvids or Crow family. A friend of mine can not rest assured unless he says “Good Morning Mr Magpie” to the very first magpie he sees every day and I have witnessed quite a few times where land owners will sometimes suspend dead magpies (indeed other beasts as well for example moles) in a line along a fence. Puzzled I started off a thread on a hiking weblog and found out that this is done for a pair of reasons.
To start with, it is hoped that this will keep other magpies (or moles) away and as well it was a way of gamekeepers displaying their abilities at pest eradication and hence claim their payment. Indeed one person on the blog site said that he had observed birds of prey dangling this way in the past, simply because they were, of course, hunted as pests as they were thought to be threats to the game bird population that, of course, the gamekeeper is seeking to safeguard. By way of added exploration I discovered the following.
The perfect way to avert bad luck should you pass a magpie is to doff your hat. It was the only bird not to go onto the Ark, choosing to remain solo outside. It is additionally held in awe because it is one of the very few wild creatures which is coloured black and white - a mixture of Satan's colour and the sacred or holy colour of white. In England, magpies are furthermore counted, 'One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl and four for a boy, five for sorrow, six for gold, seven is a secret never to be told, eight is a wish, nine is a kiss and ten is the bird you must not miss.
If that is the magpie, what about other Corvids. Whatever you do be on the lookout for half a dozen crows - One's bad, Two's luck, Three's health, Four's wealth, Five's sickness, Six is death. The jackdaw, on the other hand, is a combo of good and bad; 1 of them sitting on a house is a indication of misfortune, but when a whole group perches so then both an addition to the family group and an improvement in its financial success are foretold.
A Raven is an ill-omened bird, able to predict the future, in particular death. If the Ravens in the Tower of London were to be killed or fly away then the Royal Family would die and Britain would fall to an enemy. For the American Indian the raven is 'the foreteller of death' and has a really developed sense of smell that can smell the smell of decay from some distance. The ominous nature of this creature is described in Edgar Allan Poe's poem 'The Raven'. To kill a raven is to injure the spirit of King Arthur who visits the earth in the guise of a raven.
Finally the folklore regarding rooks is, should a group of them go away from an area where they have settled then a person associated with that land is about to die. They are an omen of the summer weather conditions to follow: should they be high up it will be fine, but low down and it will be chilly and damp.
Six crows would of course be bad luck nevertheless to be sure of good fortune look for all your walking and hiking outdoor gear from Bruno Blackstone's price comparison site My Outdoor Store.
Bruno Blackstone is a freelance writer interested in all things to do with the outdoors and helping others get the most from the outdoors. Starting with a psychology degree his early career was as a social worker and family therapist working with families to help them achieve more positive and stable relationships. In his more recent career he has coached many senior executives in both small and large organisations in areas such as strategy, human resources, organisational design and performance improvement. He now continues his work in the business world but he is also co-owner of http://www.myoutdoorstore.co.uk a price comparison site for outdoor enthusiasts.