Who Is The Owner Of Three French Hens?

The “Twelve Days of Christmas” is a popular Christmas carol that dates back to at least the 18th century in England. The song lists an increasingly elaborate series of gifts given by a lover to their beloved on each of the twelve days of Christmas, starting with “a partridge in a pear tree” on the first day and building up to twelve drummers drumming on the twelfth day.

One of the gifts mentioned in the lyrics is “three French hens” on the third day of Christmas. This has led to curiosity over the years about who exactly the recipient of these hens might be according to the song. The playful lyrics do not specify who the true love or recipient is, leaving it open to interpretation.

Origins of the Song

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is an English Christmas carol that was first published in 1780 in the children’s book Mirth Without Mischief (1). Though the song was not published until the late 18th century, most sources indicate it was likely an oral folk song that originated much earlier in England. Many historians believe the song’s origins could date back to the 16th century or even earlier (1,2). The song appears to have French origins, as the practice of celebrating the twelve days after Christmas was more common in France historically compared to England (2). However, the song became popular in England in the 18th century (1).

The melody that is now most commonly associated with the carol was arranged in 1909 by English composer Frederic Austin (2). Prior to this standard arrangement, there were several different melodies used when singing the song (1). The 1909 publication helped popularize and standardize the version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that is widely known today.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)

2. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/occasions/christmas/12-days-of-christmas-lyrics-explained/

Literal Meaning

The “three French hens” in the song were likely just exotic birds given as gifts. According to https://americanornithology.org/three-french-hens/, the song originated as an 18th century memory game, where each gift signifies a day leading up to Christmas. The gifts were not meant to have symbolic meaning, but were chosen for their alliterative sounds that made the song fun to memorize. Calling the hens “French” was simply a way to convey they were exotic and valuable at the time.

Figurative Meaning

The three French hens in the song likely represented the three Christian theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity (love). This interpretation has roots in 1 Corinthians 13, known as the love chapter, written by the apostle Paul in the Bible. The passage emphasizes the importance of faith, hope, and love.

Many sources point to the three hens symbolizing these key virtues, including the Newman Center at Kansas State University [1] and The Light House Advent Reflections [2]. The birds likely represented the theological virtues based on Biblical teachings.

Owner in the Song

In the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, the gifts given on each day are presented as being gifts from the singer’s “true love.” The owner of the three French hens is therefore unnamed in the actual lyrics of the traditional song.

The song recounts how the singer’s true love sends various gifts for each of the twelve days leading up to Christmas. On the third day, the lyric states: “On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me, three French hens.”

Since the gifts come from the singer’s unnamed “true love”, the specific owner of the three French hens is left a mystery in the song itself. The intention is to suggest the hens were given as a romantic gift rather than mentioning any particular recipient.

Real-World Origin

There are theories that “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has its origins as a coded message used by persecuted Catholics in England during a period when Catholicism was banned.

From 1558 to 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to openly practice their faith. During this time, some believe that Catholics wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics, with hidden meanings in the lyrics. The “true love” refers to God, and the various gifts had religious symbolism. For example, the “partridge in a pear tree” is Jesus Christ, the “three French hens” are faith, hope and love, and so on.

This theory believes that Catholics used the song to teach their children the tenets of Catholicism while hiding the religious nature of the song from anti-Catholic authorities. However, there is debate around whether this story is historically accurate.

Source: The History of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’

Later Interpretations

Some have interpreted the “true love” in the song to represent God or Jesus Christ. According to The Surprising Meaning Behind “The 12 Days of Christmas,” Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young. The partridge in the pear tree may thus represent Christ on the cross.

The 12 days of Christmas can also be seen to correspond with the time between Christ’s birth on December 25 and the arrival of the three wise men on January 6, known as the Epiphany. This further supports the theory that the 12 gifts represent God’s love for humankind through the sacrifice of Christ.

Pop Culture References

The “three French hens” lyric from “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has been referenced many times in modern pop culture. For example, in the TV show “Friends”, Joey gives Chandler a sweatshirt with an image of three French hens as a Christmas gift (“The One with the Routine”, Season 6, Episode 10). The three hens were also featured in the movie “The Santa Clause 2” when Santa Claus sings the song while delivering gifts.

The lyric is referenced in the children’s book “Miss Spider’s Tea Party” by David Kirk when Squirt the spider receives three French hen finger puppets for Christmas. It has also appeared in episodes of the animated kids shows “Arthur” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”.

Overall, the three French hens have become a recognizable symbol of the classic Christmas song and are frequently referenced, often humorously, in pop culture as a nod to the traditional carol and holiday tradition.

Literal Owners Today

There are farm owners and businesses across France and other parts of Europe that specialize in raising French heritage chicken breeds. Some of the most popular French chicken breeds for small-scale farming include:

• Bresse – Known as the “queen of chickens”, the Bresse is considered the best quality French chicken. Bresse chickens must adhere to strict standards to qualify for the AOC designation. There are around 450 small poultry farms dedicated to raising Bresse chickens in the historic Bresse region of eastern France (Animal World).
• Marans – This breed originated in the historic port town of Marans, France and is known for its dark brown eggs. There are several farms in the Marans region that focus on raising this breed authentically (List of French chicken breeds).
• Faverolles – This breed comes from the Faverolles village in north-central France. It is raised by hobby farmers across Europe for its friendly temperament and hearty production abilities.

While the three French hens in the nursery rhyme are fictional, there are real-world French chicken owners today carrying on the legacy of classic French breeds on small farms.

Conclusion

The identity of the “owner of three French hens” in the Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has a rich history behind it. On the surface, it simply refers to the person receiving the gift of three French hens on the third day in the song. However, over time it has taken on deeper meanings. The carol highlights how small acts of giving can carry great significance. Tracing the origins and evolutions of the lyrics provides insight into holiday traditions. Though we may never know the exact, original owner of the French hens, the song reminds us to appreciate the thoughtful gifts we receive. Understanding this classic carol connects us to those who celebrated past holidays and to the spirit of giving meaningful presents.