This is a little illustration I did in the fall of 1999. (I remember, because I was in Russia. I did a lot of art in Russia). There’s a nursery rhyme about counting magpies, which the Counting Crows turned into a fabulous song. This illustration is based on the lyrics of the song (Murder of One) –
One for sorrow, two for joy
Three for girls and four for boys
Five for silver, six for gold
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Please don’t mention the obvious kinetic reality problems of this picture – I think of them every time I see this. Sigh.