I agree, the Twelve Days of Christmas is not a catechism or a catechetical mnemonic. Indeed, there's no need to posit any religious content or intent beyond the fact that the number 12 is of religious significance, though in this case it may mean no more than "the number of days in Christmas". The New Dial and Green Grow the Rushes O, however, seem much more replete with religious imagery (though I'm not sure the latter would do much good as a catechetical device.) Incidentally, I know "three" in "Green Grow the Rushes O" as "Three, three, the Rivals" (which is certainly not good Catholicism if describing the Persons of the Trinity), and "eleven" as "'Leven for the 'leven went up to heaven", with no hint of zillions of dead virgins. And the Esperanto version (by John Wells) has "Tri, la Rivaloj" (again, Rivals, not arrivals).

Liland