Christmas Connections: Part 2 of 12

Doves are birds that dive, for the past tense of dive is dove. A diver has no past tense though, even if you were to think it dover.

Among all that dive, there is one variety. Its song is a low, almost purring, "Tur-turrr, tur-turrr." And that is why it is called a turtledove, for it turtles to its mate, and its mate turtles back.

That is why a matched pair of lovers is referred to as 'turtledoves', because of their harmony and their mutual devotion.

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"On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me two turtledoves."