Friends,
I received the following today by e-mail. While it is not verified,
it is an interesting piece:
(From: X-From_:
Mon Dec 13 12:21:03 1999)
When most people hear of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
they think of the song. This song had its origins as a teaching
tool to instruct young people in the meaning and content of the
Christian Faith.
From 1558 to 1829 Roman Catholic’s in England were not able
to practice their faith openly so they had to find other ways to
pass on their beliefs. The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
is one example of how they did it and is in a sense an allegory.
Each of the items in the song represents something of religious
significance. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help
young Christians learn their faith. So the next time you hear "The
Twelve Days of Christmas" consider how this otherwise non-religious
sounding song had its origins in the Christian faith.
Days of
The song goes: "On the first day of Christmas my true love
gave to me…"
The "true love" represents God and the "me"
who receives these presents as the Christian.
The "partridge in a pear tree" was Jesus Christ who died
on a tree as a gift from God.
The "two turtle doves" were the Old and New Testaments
– another gift from God.
The "three French hens" were faith, hope and love – the
three gifts of the Spirit that abide (I Cor. 13)
The "four calling birds" were the four Gospels which
sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings" were the first five books of
the bible also called the "Books of Moses" (Pentateuch)
The "six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation
The "seven swans a-swimming" were the seven gifts of
the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:8-11; Rom. 12; Eph. 4; I Pet. 4:1&11)
The "eight maids a-milking" were the eight beatitudes
The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the
Holy Spirit.
The "ten Lords a-leaping" were the Ten Commandments
The "eleven pipers piping" were the eleven ‘faithful’
disciples.
The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points
of the Apostles’ Creed.
Cheers,
(The Rev.) Edward Chinn, D.Min.
Here is more information about the "Twelve Days of Christmas."
It comes from a professor at Duke University.
Dear Edward,
Good to hear from you, and I much enjoy your comments. But, sorry,
this is an urban legend. The carol has nothing to do with English
Roman Catholicism, but is if French origin. There was some discussion
of it on the Anglican mailing list recently.
Thomas Rightmyer
Someone forwarded me the piece on your site about the Twelve Days
of Christmas Carol. I am a practicing Roman Catholic, so when I
read it through, the seven lords-a-leaping “leapt” out
at me since the gifts you named are NOT the ones of the Roman Catholic
tradition. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding,
counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Susan
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