Finally, the song breaks from poultry-related gifts and moves on to servants. We can't necessarily assume that the recipient already had cows to milk, so I'm going to include cows in the gift totals beginning today.
A milk maid (or milkmaid - apparently both are acceptable), of course, was a servant (or tradesperson) that was responsible for the milking of cows, maintaining and processing the milk, and making all sorts of cheese long before one could simply walk into a grocery store and visit the Dairy aisle. They, too, have inspired artists and authors throughout history. Here are a few examples...
The Milk Maid and her Pail
a Fable by Aesop
Patty the Milkmaid was going to market carrying her milk in a pail on her head. As she went along, she began calculating what she would do with the money she would get for the milk.
"I'll buy some fowls from Farmer Brown," said she, "and they will lay eggs each morning, which I will sell to the parson's wife. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs, I'll buy myself a new dimity frock and a chip hat; and when I go to market, won't all the young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be that jealous, but I don't care. I shall just look at her and toss my head like this."
As she spoke, she tossed her head back, the pail fell off it, and all the milk was spilt. So she had to go home and tell her mother what had occurred.
"Ah, my child," said the mother:
Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
The Milkmaid
Johannes Vermeer
I had no idea that the "chickens...hatch" moral had anything to do with a milkmaid. You really do learn something new every day, if you're open to knowledge.
This doll, while finely crafted, frightens me a bit -
She looks a bit like a Stepford Milkmaid.
And I have to tie this in somewhat with some of my own personal spirituality, so I'm happy that I can post a tidbit from the mythology of Heracles (Hercules) involving one of my Patrons, Hera. I haven't heard of many who are called by Hera, and She is not known in myth for being overtly warm and fuzzy, but I'm completely enamored and definitely one of Her devotees.
After the birth of (another of) his illegitimate son, Heracles, the great god Zeus wanted to ensure that the baby boy nursed at the breast of the Queen of Heaven, Hera, since Her milk bestowed immortality. Some writers say that Zeus tricked Hera into breast feeding Heracles, others write that Zeus placed the infant at Hera's breast while she was sleeping. Either way, plucky young Heracles bit too hard on Hera's nipple, or pulled at it too strongly, so when She quickly removed the child from Her breast, the spurt of milk that issued forth created the Milky Way.
*****
So, rounding out day eight, here's where the bounty of gifts stands:
Gift Tally - Day 8
Partridges - 8
Pear Trees - 8
Turtle Doves - 14
French Hens - 18
Colly (Black) Birds - 20
Ring-necked Pheasant - 20
Geese (Laying) - 18
Swans (Swimming) - 14
Maids (Milking) - 8
Cows - 8
I certainly hope this lucky lady (or gentleman) has a barn.
Hope your 1-1-11 is a one-derful day. (Sorry, couldn't resist that one...oh...did it again.)
Oh that milkmaid doll is scary! I laughed at reading how you said she looks like a "Stepford Wife", I swear so many people don't know what a Stepford Wife is. Reading about the "Milk" aspect I thought immediately of the Egyptian Goddess' Hathor and Nut and found this on the net:
ReplyDeleteHathor, along with the goddess Nut, was associated with the Milky Way during the third millennium B.C. when, during the fall and spring equinoxes, it aligned over and touched the earth where the sun rose and fell. The four legs of the celestial cow represented Nut or Hathor could, in one account, be seen as the pillars on which the sky was supported with the stars on their bellies constituting the milky way on which the solar barque of Ra, representing the sun, sailed. An alternate name for Hathor, which persisted for 3,000 years, was Mehturt (also spelt Mehurt, Mehet-Weren't, and Mehet-uret), meaning 'great flood, a direct reference to her being the milky way. The Milky Way was seen as a waterway in the heavens, sailed upon by both the sun deity and the moon, leading the ancient Egyptians to describe it as The Nile in the Sky.
I thought you might like that :) And being a devotee of Hera, she'll probably smile upon you as you said she isn't the most touchy-feely Goddess. And I haven't read the Neil Gaiman book you commented about, so one more book to add to my "must read" list, thank you for the recommendation.
Thanks for that information, Wendy! Yes, I have read many times that Hathor is an corollary of Hera. It's interesting how the Gods and Goddesses share the same energies, as if they're on the same "current," but have unique and distinct personalities and attributes.
ReplyDeleteYou must read "The Graveyard Book." It will take you only a night or so, but it's absolutely wonderful.
So do you have any advice on getting more followers? :) Not that I'm greedy, but I'd like to have just a few more.
Hope you have a great week!
Email me to talk about gaining followers, you can leave your info. on my contact form on my blog. It takes time, but your blog and content is so wonderful. I can suggest what I've done and then you can see if it will apply to you. More than happy to help you out.
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