12 Days Of Christmas: Three French Hens. Traditional Geocache
AndreaHofer: Archived at land owner's request.
12 Days Of Christmas: Three French Hens.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The Twelve Days of Christmas Series visits a good variety of interesting locations dotted around The Big Covert Woods area. It will show you some of the most rewarding places in this beautiful and peaceful stretch of countryside. There are 12 identical caches in all, each with its own camo-bag. They can be done in any order. Learn the song and off you go !
This cache will take you to a secluded high point but watch your ankles.
The Twelve Days of Christmas (The Meaning Behind The Song)
The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, and Epiphany, Jan. 6th.
The Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" may sound silly and contrived to many of us but it may have actually had its origins in religious symbolism - and with a serious purpose too! However, there is some doubt about the accuracy of this theory. Nevertheless, the song certainly dates from a time of religious persecution. The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," may have been written as a kind of secret song that could be sung in public without fear of arrest. The song could be taken at two levels of interpretation - the surface meaning, or the hidden meaning known only to the Christians involved. Each element may have been a code word for a religious truth e.g.
1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the Hebrew Torah (Law), or the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful Apostles.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed.
The "true love" in the song refers to God Himself.
The "me" receiving the gifts is every Christian.
So that "silly" song we sing at Christmas time may have had more meaning than we first thought !
Or it may just be a load of bunkum !
Congratulations to Zagcatt for being FTF on Saturday 13.3.2010
Once you have all the 12 caches in the series you can claim your series badge by emailing me.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va n fznyy ebpx perivpr whfg orybj gur uvturfg cneg bs gur evqtr.