THE MAGPIE

(by David Dodds, as arranged by The Unthanks)


	One for sorrow, two for joy
	Three for a girl and four for a boy
	Five for silver, six for gold
	Seven for a secret never told

	Devil, devil, I defy thee
	Devil, devil, I defy thee
	Devil, devil, I defy thee

Oh, the magpie brings us tidings
Of news both fair and foul
She's more cunning than the raven
More wise than any owl

She brings us news of the harvest
Of the Barley, wheat, and corn
She knows when we'll go to our graves
And how we shall be born

	One for sorrow, ...

	Devil, devil, ...
	
She brings us joy when from the right
And grief when from the left
Of all the news that's in the air
We know and trust her best

For she sees us at our labour
And she mocks us at our work
She steals the eggs from out of the nest
And she can mob the hawk
  
	One for sorrow, ...

	Devil, devil, ...
	
The priest, he says we're wicked
For to worship the devil's bird
Ah, but we respect the old ways
And disregard his word

For we know they rest uneasy
As we slumber in the night
And we'll always leave out a little bit of meat
For the bird that's black and white

	One for sorrow, ...

recording: Davey Dodds (Kernowcopia arrangement, live 2020) [YouTube]

recording: Davey Dodds (with Red Jasper) (prog rock arrangement, 1990) [YouTube]

recording: Davey Dodds (with Don and Sarah Morgan) (vocal trio arrangement, 1979) [YouTube]

recording: The Unthanks (2018) live at BBC Folk Prom [YouTube]

recording: The BlueBirds (2014), singing the Unthanks arrangement [YouTube]

recording: Paul & Liz Davenport (2008), singing their arrangement [Reverb Nation]

notes: history of the song [Nigel Parry]

notes: recording history [Mainly Norfolk]

notes: John Finnemore parody [Susan Elaine Jones]