Thursday, December 29, 2016

Ring-a-dingly

29 December - 5th Day of Christmas = 5 gold rings. It doesn't take much search time to find out that the 5 gold rings of the traditional song are not of the 24 carat, or any carat variety, but, like the gifts given on days 1 to 4, related to a winged rather than a fingered lifeform. Some sources point to the fairly common ringed pheasant, who has a white feathered ring around its neck area. I suspect it more likely the 5 gold rings in the song referred to the less common golden pheasant - look below! Its rings are multiple and golden!




 Ringed Pheasant
 Golden Pheasant

See also a post from a blog called Pixiebirding with further information on the golden pheasant.

Also an interesting read is this article at Brownielocks.com on the history, meaning and symbolism of the entire dozen gifts sung of in The 12 Days of Christmas.

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