A Very Pretty Peacock in a Pear Tree #HazardousToYourSanity
The Twelve Days of Christmas is such a wonderfully odd song. It was first published in England around 1780, and some variations over the years make me think my ancestors were hitting the egg nog with fervor. Let us explore the verse involving our fine friend the partridge, whom we may imagine sitting cozy in his or her pear tree.
The partridge seems to have been the original bird and the pear the original tree. However, in a version of the song published in 1840, the recipient is given part of a juniper tree. I'd be disappointed if I was expecting a fine partridge in a pretty pear tree, and instead, I received part of a juniper tree.
For the next 37 years, the partridge in a pear tree reigned supreme. However, in 1877, part of a juniper tree again made a resurgence. Maybe there was a shortage of partridges and pear trees. A version of the song published in 1879 references a partridge upon a pear tree.
In 1882, two different versions of the song were published. One offered a sprig of a juniper tree, the other a partridge upon a pear tree. The version published in 1891 has a merry partridge on a pear tree.
A version of the song published in 1892 replaces the simple partridge with a very pretty peacock upon a pear tree. At the turn of the century, we are back to the partridge with an alternative spelling of parteridge.
Things went a bit off the rails in 1905 with this opening verse:
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me, Goldie ring, and the part of a June apple tree.
The partridge upon a pear tree returned in a 1907 publication of a song and has been a partridge in a pear tree since 1909. No more goldie rings, parts of junipers, parts of June apple trees, or even peacocks.
Who knew the Twelve Days of Christmas contained so many rabbit holes? Perhaps one day, just for fun, I'll write a book about it.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)#Partridge_in_a_pear_tree
Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay
Polar bear in a pear tree, anyone?
