Christmas Carol that has always baffled me...
14 Dec 2005 2:20:21 UTC
Topic 190367
(moderation:
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
represented Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves
represented the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens
stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds
represented 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
Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking
represented the eight beatitudes.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Nine ladies dancing
represented the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithful-ness
Gentleness
Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping
represented the ten commandments.
I am The Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments."
You shall not take The Name of The Lord your God in vain; for The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.
The eleven pipers piping
stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
Simon Peter
Andrew
James
his brother John
Philip
Thomas
Matthew
James the son of Alphaeus
Simon
Thaddeus
Bartholomew
[=Red][="red"]The twelve drummers drumming[/]
symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
I believe in God the Father almighty,
I also believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord,
conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.
suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell,
rose again the third day,
ascended into heaven,
sat down at the right hand of the Father,
thence he is to come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the remission of sins,
the resurrection of the flesh and life eternal.
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...
Click Please 
Thank You
Christmas Carol that has always baffled me...
)
The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is actually Christian Doctrine in Code-Fiction!
me-[at]-rescam.org
RE: The song "The Twelve
)
I have all ready replyed to you at Seti but for those reading it here this is what I told you
your proof is only a web site KNOWN for not bieng 100% right about there facts
as the song came into life long before you me or computers so I don't think anyone can truly know it's rightful orign
but the story that was passed on to me made me smile it lifted a load off my shoulder for awhile as the holidays are not always so cheerful
I was thankful and wanted to share it so as to maybe lift someone up who was feeling down
why is it that everywhere I have posted this there are the few who just want to cut all things down and never build anything
I will PRAY for you that one day you will see the light and maybe accepct that
we may not need to always know the full story just be happy for the story
or in laymans terms don't pluck the wings off the fly to see how it flys just know it can and does by Gods grace and power
Click Please
Thank You
Thanks for posting this. I
)
Thanks for posting this. I don't really care if it's true or not. That was a long time ago.
However, it reminded me of some of the basic tenents of my faith. I miss being able to go to Church, but I haven't found a Catholic Church in my little city in South Korea.
Kathryn :o)
Einstein@Home Moderator
Yes, Virginia, There Really
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Yes, Virginia, There Really Is a Santa Clause!
The following letter is perhaps the most famous example of a child wanting to know if Santa Claus is real.
Letter to the editor of The New York Sun, 1897
Dear Editor---
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon
Virginia,
Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except that which they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the countless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to have men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which the strongest men, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus!?
Thank God! He lives and lives forever.
A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Kathryn :o)
Einstein@Home Moderator
...A trois bonheur des
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...A trois bonheur des Cieux,
Il y aura un carosse qui nous emmenera,
Voir mes reves de gosse et tu t'y reconnaitras.
La nous verrons la terre
Comme une boule de Noel,
Se balancer legere,
Au grand satin du Ciel ,
Et d'etoile en etoile,
Les chevaux devant les roues,
A l'heure ou le Ciel se voile
De nuit de bonheur.
Ariane
I can also show how the 12
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I can also show how the 12 days of christmas has a direct corolation to snow white and the sever dwarfs
@ the religious zealot who
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@ the religious zealot who loves to cross post across projects here's a little cross posting of my own:
You ASSume that I care where the source of the Christmas Carol comes from. I don't. I was merely posting information, just as you were posting information. But I guess in your view anyone who doesn't agree with you should face some sort of accusation. Please see the Religious [5] thread (at SETI). I think you would do well there.
me-[at]-rescam.org
I need to say I'm sorry to
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I need to say I'm sorry to Misfit and the rest of the members
I was at my wits end have spent a good part of the day responding to E-Mails about this post.
Some folks took it upon them self to E-mail me and not post in the thread as I had posted this story in several forums.
I have gone over board in some of my replies I meant no disrespect to any member in my postings or any of the E-mails.
It's been a really bad year for me with the hurricane season I live in South Florida USA.
I wanted to share something that raised my spirits.
I should never have snapped at any of the posters the way I did in this or any of the other forums.
I hope all have a
Happy Holiday Season
Stephen Homer
Click Please
Thank You
RE: I need to say I'm sorry
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You dont have anything to apologize about. If certain people feel it necessary to criticize you for your beliefs or your interest in posting to bring about conversation, then thats a burden they will have to bear. I have learned very quickly that there are a lot of people posting that do not appreciate any viewpoint other than their own. Especially if your opinion has religious connotations...and heaven forbid if it is in any way associated with Jesus. Once again, thats their burden.
Iam sorry you had to learn this leason the hard way, as I have had to learn it.
RE: I hope all have a Happy
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Merry Christmas