I remember a song we sung in middle school titled the "Twelve Days After Christmas"
The first day after Christmas
my true love and I had a fight.
And so I chopped the pear tree down
and burnt it, just for spite.
Then with a single cartridge
I shot that blasted partridge.
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.
The second day after Christmas
I pulled on the old rubber gloves
and very gently wrung the necks
of both the turtle doves.
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.
On the third day after Christmas
my mother caught the croup.
I had to use the three French hens
to make some chicken soup
The four calling birds were a big mistake
for their language was obscene.
The five golden rings were completely fake
and they turned my fingers green.
The sixth day after Christmas,
the six laying geese wouldn't lay.
I sent the whole darn gaggle to
the A.S.P.C.A.
On the seventh day, what a mess I found.
All seven of the swimming swans had drowned.
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.
The eighth day after Christmas
before they could suspect.
I bundled up the
eight maids-a-milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords-a-leaping, eleven pipers piping, twelve drummers drumming - well, actually I kept one of the drummers – and sent them back collect.
I wrote my true love "We are through, love!"
And I said in so many words "Furthermore, your Christmas gifts are for the
four calling birds, three Frence Hens, Two Turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear treeeeeeeeeeee."
