What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Amelia Ashton

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.-

-Four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-Eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-Ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol. Merry Christmas Everyone

cantleave

Interesting - Thanks Amelia....

wasblind

Wow

Broken Promises

You learn something interesting every day!

poppers

Interesting - thanks.

rebel8

Yesterday I saw an amusing apocalyptic movie in which each of these were descriptions of plagues preceding the end of the world on 12/21.

Lozhasleft

Wow that's really impressive, had never realised there was hidden meaning!

Loz x

jgnat

Sweet, but I call "urban legend". Snopes agrees with me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)

Consider that royalty, especially French royalty, conducted lavish parties that are hardly concievable even today. I've read of trees infested with of spiders, whose webs were covered in gold dust. Except on examination, I see the gold webs were woven in Louisiana. Still, a frenchman conceived of it.

Consider "Sing a Song of Sixpence" where twenty-four live blackbirds are baked in a pie for the amusement of the party guests.

truth_b_known

12 days of Yul

12 days of Christmas

Coincidence?

Hail Odin Allfather!

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

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