School: Ashfield
- Location:
- Corballyquill, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Eilís Latimer
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1019, Page 012
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- XML Page 012
- XML “Queer Things about Birds”
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- 1. When swallows fly high it is a sign of good weather.
2. When swallows fly low it is a sign of bad weather.
3. It is said when you see a flock of swans flying inland there is going to be a storm.
4. If the cuckoo comes before the leaves come on the trees, it is a sign of a bad year.
5. It is said when we see one magpie it is for sorrow when we see two it is for joy, three for a marriage and four for a boy five for silver six for gold seven for a story that never was told.
6. The magpie has a course voice, It is said that the sparrow knowing that the magpie was a thief and sucked the birds eggs but pebbles into its nest. The magpie came and picked as he thought an egg out of the sparrow's nest. It was a pebble and it stuck in his throat and from that day to this the magpie has a coarse voice.
7. Long ago the birds decided that whoever could fly the highest would be(continues on next page)
- Collector
- F. Mc Kay
