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The Birds Of The Twelve Days Of Christmas |
The Twelve Days Of Christmas is an English Christmas carol that was originally published in a book called Mirth Without Mischief in about 1780. However, the song is believed to be much older than the printed version and there are at least 3 French versions known to exist. Some of the items mentioned in the carol indicate a French origin too. For example, the partridge was not introduced to England until the late 1770s.
One of the myths surrounding The Twelve Days Of Christmas is that it is a "catechism song" used by young Catholics to help them learn the tenets of their faith. The partridge in the pear tree is said to represent Christ and the other verses refer to parts of the Catholic doctrine. However, this myth has been refuted and although the origins of the song are unknown it is likely that is is secular in nature.
One thing though is for sure; no other Christmas carol features birds quite as much as The Twelve Days Of Christmas and the song also gives us some indication of people's gastronomic tastes in the Baroque era.
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The partridge is a member of the pheasant family and has been a traditional game bird in England for centuries. The partridge referred to in the carol is most likely a Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) or English Partridge. Partridges are usually ground birds who feed on seeds and insects so we are not sure why it would be sitting in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me Two Turtle Doves
The Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a common summer visitor to England. It is a dainty dove, smaller and darker than most other pigeons but would have been featured in banquets in medieval times just a today we eat pigeon.
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me Three French Hens
Again this verse indicates that the song may be French in origin because there is no species of bird known as a French Hen. It could be a domesticated chicken cooked in the Parisian style.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Four Calling Birds
Most people interpret a calling bird as a song bird. However, the original song referred to "Four Colly Birds". The word colly means "black as coal or soot" so it is likely that the gift was four blackbirds (Turdus merula). We know that blackbirds were eaten in the past from the children's nursery rhyme "Four And Twenty Blackbirds Baked In A Pie".
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Five Gold Rings
The gold rings are not in fact pieces of jewellery as the literal meaning would have you believe but are actually ring-necked birds. These are most likely to be Common (Ring-necked) Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) which were introduced to England from China in medieval times. Pheasant is still a popular game bird eaten today.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Six Geese-a-Laying
The geese in this verse are probably domesticated birds so are likely to be the Greylag Goose (Anser anser), the ancestor of our domesticated geese. The Greylag Goose is a large, native British bird and is still traditionally eaten for Christmas.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me Seven Swans-a-Swimming
Nowadays Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) are protected birds but there are many surviving medieval recipes for swans. One such recipe says that "Swan was quite often served as an ordinary dish, without the head......". Swan was roasted along with peacocks, storks and other birds that we would never consider eating today.
None of the rest of the gifts in the rest of the song are birds. The pipers and drummers probably provided the entertainment to the lords and ladies at the feast while the maids would have had a hand in preparing the food.
But The Twelve Days Of Christmas shows just how extravagant present giving was in days gone by and gives an insight into the appetite people had for poultry and game birds at Christmas time.
12 Days Of Christmas Decorations from notonthehightstreet.com
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