Twelve Days of Christmas

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

The following Shetland version, which resembles Chambers's text, is in the Child MSS., iii, 17 (Harvard College Library). It was sent to Child in 1880 by Mr. Arthur Laurenson, who received it from Mr. R. Sinclair, Jr., of Shetland, in whose handwriting it is.

Come now let me see
Who learns this carol and carries it for me.
The king sent his ladie the first Yule day
One peeping.

The series is given in reverse order by Mr. Sinclair :

Thirteen knights a merry fighting.
Twelve hawks a merry hunting.
Eleven maids a merry meeting.
Ten hares a merry beating.
Nine hounds a merry hunting.
Eight bulls, they were brown.
Seven crowns a merry carolling.
Six swans a merry swimming.
Five geese, they were gray.
Four starlings.
Three gold rings.
Two pedricks. [partridge]
One peeping. [papyngo or parrot]^[1]