Intro-

It’s the number Five that changes pace here in the 12 Days. No obvious birds. No trees. Just a long- fiiiiiive goal- den rings. And what rings might the song be referring to in long breath? I have seen gold rings in reference to the song. Literally. Was it in a 12 Days music video? Advent calendar? Pentatonix? I can not recall, but I see 5 rings associated with this song. Is it Rings on a finger? Maybe, but it does not match the rest of the song, so let’s take a silent pause and think of other possibilities.

Basic-

Five Gold-en Rings. There are five interlocking rings representing the Olympic symbol. Equal size rings in different colors (blue, yellow, black, green, and red). “The International Olympic Committee (IOC) owns the symbol and has exclusive rights to any commercial use.” I.School does not have the required signatories to be rejected by the committee for unauthorized commercial use.

Dendrochronology is the scientific method of dating tree rings. In Ancient Greek, Dendron means tree; khronos means time; and logia, the study of time. 12 Days. Final month of the year, December. I kind of like that, but it’s a bit of a stretch. And why 5?

Proficient-

Birders don’t quit. The American Ornithological Society says, “The gift for day 5 in the original and modern version is ‘golden rings’ but several sources claim—correctly I think—that these are birds too, probably European Goldfinches, which were called goldspinks in the 1700s. Others have argued that these were Ring-necked Pheasants which have been claimed to have golden rings around their neck (but they don’t). The pheasant interpretation matches the culinary theme of the other 6 birds in the song, but the goldfinch was a popular cage bird in the 18th century. The melodic break in the song suggests a change of theme but the melody was added more than a century after the words.”

Advanced-

The meaning of the Fifth gift is open to interpretation. Some say singers need breaths between verses; Others say 5 represents the first books of the Old Testament, the Torah or the Pentateuch. Advanced students of I.School will take information and then quietly tuck it away and integrate it into I philosophy.

#5 is the True Gift of Silence, in my I.
Silence is Golden.

After I wrote this, I got into my car and heard this story- “Birding to Change the World”

In the silence of Katrina. After so many deaths. Trish O’Kane heard a Red Cardinal. Then started a school.

Which reminded me of another audio listen: Spark Bird

My I.Playlist #5 is Moonlight Sonata, by Ludwig van Beethoven. (This is not a sad song to me. It reminds me of the pain/ beauty of this Life. As is. All of it.)