Original: Even though a magnet is said to have a north pole and a south pole, these two poles can not be separated from each other.
Simplified: All magnets have what is called a magnetic north pole and what is called a magnetic south pole. If a piece of string is tied to the middle of the magnet and the string is held so that the magnet is allowed to hang down on its own, then the north pole of the magnet will turn and point to the Earth's magnetic north pole.