Partridge In a Pear Tree

[Professor]

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? Today, 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. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark,
Luke & John. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five
books of the Old Testament. The 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. The 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. The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. The
eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. The twelve drummers
drumming symbolized the tw! elve points of
belief in the Apostles' Creed. So there is your history lesson for today. This
knowledge was
shared with me and I found it interesting and now I know how
that strange song became a Christmas Carol.