and a partridge in a pear tree...

[Payam]

Dear teacher,
I wonder what the last sentence means in this context:

at his death in 1547, king herny of england left a collection of 76 recorders, 72 flutes, 25 shawms, 25 crumhorns, 11 fifes, 23 virginals, 15 regals, two clavichords, 12 violins, five guitars, tow cornets, 26 lutes and five bagpipes. And a partridge in a pear tree.

Thanks,
Payam

[Teia]

Originally Posted by Payam

Dear teacher,
I wonder what the last sentence means in this context:
at his death in 1547, king herny of england left a collection of 76 recorders, 72 flutes, 25 shawms, 25 crumhorns, 11 fifes, 23 virginals, 15 regals, two clavichords, 12 violins, five guitars, tow cornets, 26 lutes and five bagpipes. And a partridge in a pear tree.
Thanks,
Payam

Hi, Payam

Here is a very good answer to your question:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=207032


Regards,

[rewboss]

It's a humorous reference to a popular song sung at Christmas.

The first verse is very short:

On the first day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me:
A partridge in a pear tree.

The second verse is a little longer:

On the second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me:
Two turtle-doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

For each of the 12 days of Christmas, the verses get longer until the last verse, which goes like this:

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me:
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle-doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Each verse basically consists of an increasingly long list of items ending with "And a partridge in a pear tree". In the article you cite, there is a similar list of items, and the author adds the "partridge in a pear tree" as a humorous remark.

Incidentally, the song is so old, nobody knows exactly what meaning lies behind each of the objects mentioned. There are many theories, but for most people it's just a very old folk song.

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by teia_petrescu

Hi, Payam
Here is a very good answer to your question:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=207032
Regards,

It is worth pointing out that the author is making an ironic reference to the carol, because he has given a long enumerated list of Henry VIII's belongings. The last verse of the well-known carol is also a long enumerated list, so he suffixes the final line "...and a partridge in a pear true" as a joke.

[Payam]

thanks a lot. your comments solved the issue. I had a vague impression of such a meaning but your proofs well defended the case.