12 days of Christmas

Started by gwynnethmary, December 18, 2009, 18:25:36

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gwynnethmary

Anyone would think we were in the song with all these birds around!  How many birds are there in the song?  I was asked this the other day but didn't have time to work it out- sure someone elase can tell us!

gwynnethmary


Robert_Brenchley


Unwashed

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on December 18, 2009, 19:26:20
Five.

five?

184.  42 swans a swimging, 42 geese a laying, 36 calling birds, 30 french hens, 22 turtle doves,  and 12 partridges.
An Agreement of the People for a firm and present peace upon grounds of common right

Unwashed

Scrub that.  224.  An eyrar of 42 swans, a gaggle of 42 geese, a nye of 40 gold rings, a mutation of 36 calling birds, a brood of 30 french hens, a dole of 22 turtle doves, and a covey of 12 partridges.

The calling birds are colly birds, or blackbirds, a kind of thrush.
The gold rings are ring-necked pheasants.
An Agreement of the People for a firm and present peace upon grounds of common right

Robert_Brenchley

Five species. I wasn't thinking in terms of individuals.

Unwashed

I make it seven: swan, goose, pheasant, blackbird, chicken, turtle dove, partridge.
An Agreement of the People for a firm and present peace upon grounds of common right

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