'calling birds' or 'colly birds'?
- Thread starter Valgal
- Start date
Jenn Barrette
Sweet Shoppe Designer
I have always said "4 calling birds", but I googled it and it seems it is colly birds. Who knew?
http://hubpages.com/hub/On_the_Fourth_Day_of_Christmas
http://hubpages.com/hub/On_the_Fourth_Day_of_Christmas
ColleenSwerb
Brodo gettin her Swerb on
Say whaaaaa? My mind is blown.
Megan Turnidge
New member
What the heck are you talking about? 
They're calling birds. 
They're calling birds. 
Valgal
New member
There is hope!!!!!!
misfitinmn
New member
Lyd
SugarBabe & Challenge Fairy
This is why we have wikipedia:
"There are many variations of this song in which the last four objects are arranged in a different order (for example — twelve lords a-leaping, eleven ladies (or dames a-) dancing, ten pipers piping, nine drummers drumming).[9] At least one version has "ten fiddlers fiddling," and another has "nine ladies waiting." Still another version alters the fourth gift to "four mockingbirds."
A version considered by many to be the authoritative, traditional version of the chant in England appears in The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes,[2] as follows:
The twelfth day of Christmas, | My true love sent to me | Twelve lords a-leaping, | Eleven ladies dancing, | Ten pipers piping, | Nine drummers drumming, | Eight maids a-milking, | Seven swans a-swimming, | Six geese a-laying, | Five gold rings, | Four calling birds, | Three French hens, | Two turtle doves, and | A partridge in a pear tree."
"Some misinterpretations have crept into the English-language version over the years. The fourth day's gift is often stated as four "calling" birds but originally was four "colly" birds, using another word for a blackbird."
Looks to me like colly birds was the original, but calling birds is just as acceptable these days. We can all be happy!
"There are many variations of this song in which the last four objects are arranged in a different order (for example — twelve lords a-leaping, eleven ladies (or dames a-) dancing, ten pipers piping, nine drummers drumming).[9] At least one version has "ten fiddlers fiddling," and another has "nine ladies waiting." Still another version alters the fourth gift to "four mockingbirds."
A version considered by many to be the authoritative, traditional version of the chant in England appears in The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes,[2] as follows:
The twelfth day of Christmas, | My true love sent to me | Twelve lords a-leaping, | Eleven ladies dancing, | Ten pipers piping, | Nine drummers drumming, | Eight maids a-milking, | Seven swans a-swimming, | Six geese a-laying, | Five gold rings, | Four calling birds, | Three French hens, | Two turtle doves, and | A partridge in a pear tree."
"Some misinterpretations have crept into the English-language version over the years. The fourth day's gift is often stated as four "calling" birds but originally was four "colly" birds, using another word for a blackbird."
Looks to me like colly birds was the original, but calling birds is just as acceptable these days. We can all be happy!
MommaTrish
Well-known member
I always heard colly....
SirScrapalot
New member
I think a calling bird is the one who let the angry birds know about the pigs taking the eggs.
scrap2day
Active member
Ditto this. While some may have shown actual historical references to supposed "colly" birds I just listened to the version by John Denver and the Muppets. Clearly, 4 calling birds. Whew.
Plus, seriously, who wants their true love to give them 4 black birds? I'd much rather have 4 calling birds which I always pictured to be sweetly singing birds.
AmberK
New member
Preach it sista!
This cracks me up!
Nooooooo!!! I refuse. They're still "calling birds" to me.
This cracks me up!
Valgal
New member
YES, YES and (again I say) YES!
Besides, wasn't it "4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie"? I figure they're only good for squawking and a cheap dinner.