In Those Twelve Days
What is that which is but one?
What is that which is but one?
We have but one God alone
In Heaven above sits on his throne.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they which are but two?
What are they which are but two?
Two Testaments, as we are told,
The one is New and the other Old.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but three?
What are they that are but three?
Three persons in the Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Ghost Holy.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but four?
What are they that are but four?
Four Gospels written true,
John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but five?
What are they that are but five?
Five senses we have to tell,
God grant us grace to use them well.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but six?
What are they that are but six?
Six ages this world shall last,
Five of them are gone and past.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but seven?
What are they that are but seven?
Seven days in the week have we,
Six to work and the seventh holy.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but eight?
What are they that are but eight?
Eight beatitudes are given,
Use them well and go to Heaven.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but nine?
What are they that are but nine?
Nine degrees of Angels high
Which praise God continually.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but ten?
What are they that are but ten?
Ten Commandments God hath given,
Keep them right and go to Heaven.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but eleven?
What are they that are but eleven?
Eleven thousand virgins did partake
And suffered death for Jesus' sake.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
What are they that are but twelve?
What are they that are but twelve?
Twelve Apostles Christ did chuse
To preach the Gospel to the Jews.
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.
This is an old English folk carol for the Twelve Days of Christmas. A slightly different version was collected by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and is in the Rossetti Archive under the title "The Twelve" and another version was collected and perhaps slightly reworked by Davies Gilbert (to whose collection of Cornish Christmas carols many popular carols owe their popularity) under the title These Twelve Days.
