The Magpie
By Tipper
Disclaimer: Didn't create the Seven. Don't own them. Never
will. Didn’t draw the magpies either –
those are Audubon’s – and the photos and drawings that I spirited off the net
aren’t mine either. No profit made, no
infringement intended.
Parts: Twenty-Four, though what
does that mean, right? In Word, TNR, 11
pt font, its about 85 pages.
Notes: This was partly inspired
primarily by the rhyme. My mother taught
to me when I was little, and her mother to her, and her mother to her, and so
on. I’ve wanted to write a story about
magpies for years. There are other
versions, some longer, but I believe this one is the most well known.
One for Sorrow
Two
for Joy
Three for Girl
Four
for Boy
Five for Silver
Six
for Gold
Seven for a Secret never
to be told.
--
ancient superstitious rhyme that, as far as I know, has been around
forever.
And for fun, I found out some neat things when looking for
pictures. Magpies, which span at least
three continents (Europe, Asia and North America), are generally considered the cleverest of
all birds. Whether justified or not,
they certainly have been documented to show more curiosity and ingenuity than
any other bird, including the use of tools and looking under things for no
reason except to see what is there (perhaps looking for hiding holes). These qualities have made them popular in
many folklores. In Europe they
are, by reputation, thieves. In England in particular, coming across one can be both
unlucky and lucky, depending on how many you see at a time (hence the poem) and
how you greet them. In ancient Greece, the bird was associated with Bacchus, and,
thus, drinking and greed. In Cyprus, they are jokers – comic relief. In Chinese folklore, the Magpie is the bird
of happiness or joy. In Korea, it is the bearer of good news. In Sweden, it is popular to know the value of putting
“Salt on a
Magpie’s Tail”, while in neighboring Norway, crazy Loki and the smart Magpie were good
friends. And in America, certain Native American tribes celebrate
the magpie as the most intelligent and helpful of all birds, who contributed to
the origins of the Buffalo Dance
when helping the Hunter’s Daughter save her father. In other words…very cool birds. And all I really wanted to do was use my
mother’s favorite superstition -- counting magpies – where you always hope to
see seven in one go….
Description:
An Opera Singer decides to make an unusual stop on her cross country tour -- Four
Corners -- but when her prize emerald brooch is stolen, it starts
a chain of events that sends JD up a tree, Ezra into hell, and Chris fighting
not to lose one of his men.
(P.S. Heavily themed,
this story is for all the birds, whether they be kites, plovers, pigeons, blue
jays, gadwalls, cassowaries, or, of course, magpies.)
Parts
One
– Six
Seven
– Twelve
Thirteen
–Seventeen
Eighteen
– Twenty
Twenty-One
– Twenty Five