Stinky holidays

[mrissa]

In line at the PO today, I heard a four-year-old singing the following carol:
"Jingle bells, an'mals smell, Je-e-sus was born.
A ghost pulled down his underpants and laid a robin's e-egg.
Jingle bells, Jesus smells--"
And that, for some reason, was where his momma distracted him.

I was really curious about where the theology was going on that one.

Comments

[miz-hatbox.livejournal.com]

Out of the mouths of babes, indeed.

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

Ah man, and we were just getting to the good stuff.

[thesaucernews.livejournal.com]

The one I sang as a kid was much worse.

[miz-hatbox.livejournal.com]

Care to share with the class?

[thesaucernews.livejournal.com]

well, it's got a racial slur in it, so I'd rather not.

[miz-hatbox.livejournal.com]

Last year my daughter L (age three at the time) learned Jingle Bells. (Drat those preschool teachers!)

But she didn't learn it quite right--she insisted, no matter how many times I tried to correct her on the matter (or at least on the scansion!), that the line was "oh what fun it is to ride on a one-slashing sleigh." I kept imagining Freddy Kreuger at the reins.

[mkille.livejournal.com]

Here's my close exegesis:

"Jingle bells" represent the heavenly chorus of praise for Christ.

"An'mals smell" refers to the sometimes unsightly nature of human existence.

"Jesus was born" condenses the doctrine of the Incarnation.

"A ghost" clearly is the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost).

"Pulled down his underpants" -- not sure. Perhaps a redactor's error.

"Laid a robin's egg" represents the already-but-not-yet-fully nature of God's presence among us.

"Jingle bells" -- more praise.

"Jesus smells" could further represent the Incarnation, since Christ was completely human; but with the present tense, it could also refer to the fact that Christ is risen, living; combining the two, "smelliness" with "resurrection body," gives us the realization that God will not eliminate unsightly human things (like smelliness), but redeem them.

I don't know where the theology was going, but it seems pretty good so far to me! But we would need to compare with other extant ancient authorities before drawing any conclusions.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your good judgment on that one.

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

You don't think maybe the "an'mals smells" line is a condensed reference to the manger scene?

[mkille.livejournal.com]

Yes, that too--but the manger itself is a commentary on humans' true shared creatureliness with the other animals (as opposed to the vain self-satisfaction of our fine homes and possessions), and an echo of both the Garden of Eden in Genesis and the "peaceable kingdom" vision in Isaiah. It doesn't surprise me that a four-year-old would choose the fullest possible range of allusions...