On The Twelfth Day of Christmas...

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas...

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming.

December the twenty-fourth

My dearest Elizabeth,

I hope this letter finds you well and pleased with the gifts I have sent so far. I was glad to receive your thank you notes after you received each one. Yes, I do agree that the partridge in a pear tree was extremely unique. As for the turtledoves, I did acquire them at a discount, so please don't worry about the cost. I'm sorry to hear that the three French hens and the four Calling birds aren't getting along. Your brother is quite wise to suggest you keep the Calling birds in the house and move the hens to the barn. I am delighted you are wearing all five golden rings. I would have bought ten, but funds have been short of late. Your sister stopped by and she informed me that the six geese have been laying superb eggs, while the seven swans are a beautiful addition to your family's indoor pond. I am sorry to hear that the eight maids are not milking the cows, and the nine ladies refuse to dance for your guests because of their infatuation with the ten leaping lords and eleven pipers piping. 

With that said, your twelfth and final gift has caused me some concern. I fully intended to give you the twelve drummers drumming, but they are such a wonderful addition to the thirteen madrigal singers you sent as my gift. I never knew how much I loved drums until the twelve drummers performed for me. Their rat-a-tat-tat-tatting and their pa-rum-pum-pum-pumming get my feet tapping and my head bobbing. The entire household enjoys their drumming and cannot help but dance to the beat. The twelve drummers invited a ghostly looking little drummer boy over, and he was nice enough to teach me how to rap on his small drum. I swear I could see right through the tiny bloke. The little drummer boy couldn't stay long for he had a prior engagement playing in a manger some place faraway, so he said. Nonetheless, I thanked the lad and gave him my jacket. The poor little boy was wearing an ill-fitting tunic of some sort. I bid him farewell and he seemed to disappear into the star speckled night.

As I write this note to you, the twelve drummers drumming are now marching about the place, rat-a-tat-tat-tatting and pa-rum-pum-pum-pumming. The thirteen madrigal singers are straining their voices over the loud pounding of the drum skins. Total pandemonium has broken out within the walls of my parents' castle. My poor knotty head is now throbbing in pain with all the commotion. All fun has ended since the little boy has gone. I suppose I should send the twelve drummers drumming on their way to you. I'd prefer to march to the beat of a different drummer, but he is on his way to a manger where he is scheduled to play for a young couple and their newborn. 

I have attached this letter to the drum major, and I hope you enjoy the twelve drummers drumming as much as I have. If I may make a suggestion, it would be wise to put the twelve drummers drumming in the barn with the hens when not needed.
I cannot wait until we are together again on Christmas day. 

With all my love,

Thomas

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Brenda Drake writes novels for young adults and middle grade. She's currently querying one manuscript and has just finished the first draft of her newest project. She has a couple of manuscripts that she's buried in her back yard someplace where only her dog can find them, if he could see and smell, that is. Her fondest memory is that of her eccentric Irish grandmother's animated tall tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it is only fitting that she chose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical.

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12 Days Blogfest:

12 Drummers Drumming - Brenda Drake

11 Pipers Piping - Kat Zhang

10 Lords-a-Leaping - Shelley Watters

9 Ladies Dancing - Regan Leigh

8 Maids-a-Milking - Janelle Alexander

7 Swans-a-Swimming - Christopher Blanchard

6 Geese-a-Laying - Denise Swank

5 Golden Rings - Pauline Campos

4 Calling Birds - Wendy Sparrow

3 French Hens - Eisley Jacobs

2 Turtle Doves - Nicole Hornbaker

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree - CA Marshall