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Archiver > MONTANA > 2001-12 > 1008868613


From: "Patti Barden" <>
Subject: Re: [MONTANA-L] Christmas Carol
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 17:16:53 -0000
References: <20011218.141820.-4000331.1.hmbrucker1@juno.com>


Hi,
I would be interested in your source especially the dates |"From 1558 until
1829".
Patti
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Brucker" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 7:16 PM
Subject: [MONTANA-L] Christmas Carol


> My apologies to anyone offended by this message... I realize the site is
> strictly for ancestry oriented information...........and since our list
> has been extremely slow during the passed few weeks .................I
> hope some may enjoy this bit of knowledge.......a friend of mine and also
> a member of our list, sent it to me and made me more aware of the
> religious intolerence some of our ancestors persevered with.......wishing
> everyone a Blessed
> Christmas and a Holy and Healthy New Year..........God Bless
> all.................
> Mary Brucker
>
> 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?
> >
> > 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.
> > The two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments The 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.
> > The 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.
> > The 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 twelve points of belief in
> > the
> > Apostles' Creed.
> >
> > So there is your history for today. 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... so pass it on if you wish."
> >
>
> ______________________________

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