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The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!
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There is a Christmas carol that I have always thought maddeningly vexing and exasperating; wondered what gallivanting lords, aggressive birds, gaggles of geese laying eggs, maneuvering swans, marriage rings, hens from a distant land, mingled with drummer crews, several redundant verses, and that damn persevering partridge that wouldn't come out of a pear tree have to do with Advent, a virgin Madonna, and Christ's birth!
Impulsively Googling and digging around, I've managed to find a writer's formal and meaningful explanation.
To my understanding, it seems from approximately the mid-fifteen hundreds until early eighteen hundreds, Roman Catholics in England weren't permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone inventive and nameless during this extensive era wrote cheery engaging lines as a standardised Catechism hymn for young Catholics. It served splendidly and permanently survived, presenting as orchestrated entertainment.
It has two levels of meaning: an obvious surface meaning, plus a hidden private meaning known only to savvy members of the church. Each element immersed in the carol arrangement is a code message for a religious reality which giggling kindergarten or third-grade children (as well as parents and nannies) could easily remember in a tricky assignment.
'My true love' suggests Supreme God.
'Partridge in a pear tree' refers to venerated Christ.
'Two turtle doves' exemplify the Old and New Testaments.
'Three French hens' were the divine Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity.
'Four calling birds' were the Four Gospels.
'Five golden rings' refers to the Torah or Law, the first Five Books of the Old Testament.
'Six geese a-laying' refers to the six days of Creation.
'Seven swans a-swimming' refers to the sevenfold gifts of Holy Spirit, the Seven Sacraments.
'Eight maids a-milking' refers to the Eight Beatitudes.
'Nine ladies dancing' refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
'Ten lords a-leaping' represents the Ten Commandments.
'Eleven pipers piping' refers to the eleven reverent Faithful Disciples.
Lastly, 'Twelve drummers drumming' refers to the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
So, that's Rev. Grandma's lesson for today. I found it very interesting, awe-inspiring, and enlightening!
Merry (twelve days of) Christmas to everyone at Anagrammy!
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