ES - Fwd: FW: Leaping Lords and French Hens

[M. Peet]

That's cool.
Ceinwen~
---------->
>Anyone know if this is true or not?
>
>Borek
>********************
>
>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 that 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 twelve points of belief in the
>Apostles' Creed.
>
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