What does it mean to see a magpie?
In British and Irish folklore, a single magpie is a bad omen and a pair is a good one. People often salute a lone magpie or greet it politely to turn the luck aside. The counting rhyme has many versions.
Last reviewed October 20, 2026
What each tradition says
Britain and Ireland, collected mostly in the nineteenth century
British and Irish folklore
The rhyme that begins 'One for sorrow, two for joy' is the best known form. A version was printed in 1780, in a supplement to an edition of Shakespeare's plays, and it ran toward death and sorrow. Longer, lighter versions came later, and the wording differs by region. The belief that a magpie on its own is unlucky is older than the printed rhyme.
Found everywhere, in every era, with no single point of origin
Folk omen custom
The remedies are part of the custom: saluting the bird, greeting it with a line such as 'Good morning, Mr Magpie, how is your wife?', or looking out for a second bird. They are meant to cancel the omen, and they vary from family to family.
How to weigh it
Magpies are common and often seen alone, so the omen is easy to meet. Most people who say the rhyme do it lightly. The number of birds you see says something about what the magpies were doing that morning, and nothing known about your week.