O Livro
A versão mais conhecida da música foi escrita por Frederic Austin em 1907, e tem a seguinte letra:
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
De acordo com algumas interpretações, todas estas prendas têm um significado de acordo com o Cristianismo:
- Partridge in a pear tree: Jesus Cristo
- Two turtle doves: Antigo e Novo Testamento
- Three French hens: a Trindade, Pai, Filho e Espírito Santo
- Four calling birds: os quatro Evangelhos do Novo Testamento, Mateus, Marcos, Lucas e João
- Five golden rings: os primeiros cinco livros da Bíblia, ou as cinco chagas de Cristo
- Six geese a-laying: os seis dias da Criação
- Seven swans a-swimming: os sete dons do Espírito Santo
- Eight maids a-milking: as oito bem-aventuranças do Sermão da Montanha
- Nine ladies dancing: os nove frutos do Espírito Santo
- Ten lords a-leaping: os dez mandamentos
- Eleven pipers piping: os onze apóstolos de Cristo
- Twelve drummers drumming: os doze artigos do credo dos Apóstolos
Alison Jay decidiu regressar às origens e criar uma versão ilustrada do poema, que podemos ouvir em formato audiovisual aqui:
A Tradição
Apesar de ter a sua origem numa rima, e de ter sido editado em formato livro por Alison Jay, "12 Days of Christmas" é adorado mundialmente como música, pelo que essa é a tradição em que nos focamos.
Aqui estão as nossas versões preferidas deste clássico de Natal:
A versão moderna
O clássico intemporal
A versão Disney
A versão dos Marretas
O karaoke
A coreografia para toda a família
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