Seven's all the stories ever told

[mirrorshard]

One for sorrow, two for joy
Three for a girl and four for a boy.
Five for silver, six for gold
Seven's all the stories ever told.

Has anyone else heard this version of the magpie rhyme? I have a feeling it may be a Lancashire thing.

Comments

[thirstypixel.livejournal.com]

I have heard the final line as:

Seven's for a secret, never to be told.

[mirrorshard.livejournal.com]

Mm, that's the one I first heard (and is more usually quoted), but I like the one I posted a bit better.

The Folklore of Discworld has a whole chapter on the magpie rhyme, but it doesn't mention that last line at all.

[ceb.livejournal.com]

That's certainly the south Lancashire version, or sometimes "Seven's for a secret that's never been told".

[arkady.livejournal.com]

The Hertfordshire version ends "Seven for a secret that's never been told"; there's also an odd little variant I heard in primary school (Aboyne Lodge in St.Albans") that had 3 as being for a kiss rather than a girl.

[strangederby2.livejournal.com]

Ditto what thirstypixel said only I learnt it from the title music of Magpie the 70's childrens television show when I was about 5.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

All the versions I know of:

One for sorrow, Two for joy
Three for a kiss, Four for a boy
Five for silver, Six for gold
Seven for a secret never to be told.

One for sorrow, Two for joy
Three for a girl, Four for a boy
Five for silver, Six for gold
Seven for a secret never to be told.

One for sorrow, Two for mirth,
Three for a wedding, Four for a birth.
Five for rich, Six for poor,
Seven for a witch -- I can tell you no more.


One's sorrow, Two's mirth,
Three's a wedding, Four's a birth,
Five's a christening, Six a dearth,
Seven's heaven, Eight is hell,
And Nine's the devil his old self.


One for sorrow, Two for joy,
Three for a girl, Four for a boy,
Five for rich, Six for poor,
Seven for a bitch, Eight for a whore,
Nine for a funeral, Ten for a dance,
Eleven for England, Twelve for France

One for sorrow, Two for joy,
Three for a girl, Four for a boy,
Five for silver, Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told,
Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss,
Ten for a time of joyous bliss.

[mirrorshard.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's interesting, thank you! I hadn't seen versions going beyond 7 before. I heard "One for sorrow, two for mirth / Three for a wedding, four for a birth" in relation to sneezes rather than magpies. ("Five for a letter, six something better" too.)

[arkady.livejournal.com]

I like collecting folklore stuff like rhymes. I keep thinking I ought to compile all the ones I've heard of into a book or something. :-)

Oh, a friend of mine, lucybond, wrote a faery story I think you would appreciate. I must email it to you.

[(Anonymous)]

One for sorrow, two for joy.
Three for a girl, four for a boy,
Five for silver, six for gold,
Seven for a story [or secret] never to be told,
Eight for a letter from over the sea,
Nine for a love that's as true as can be.

[via my grandmother, who is from Wiltshire]

[the-alchemist.livejournal.com]

Sorry - that was me!

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

The first one I learnt in Surrey was
One for joy, two for sorrow.
If you see three, you'll see your true love tomorrow.

Don't know anyone else who learnt that - we got it from our very elderly sewing teacher.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

arkady got all the ones I'd ever heard of and a few more besides. =) I haven't heard this variation, but I like it.