who wrote the song twelve days of christmas

Hmm, the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a classic Christmas carol that has been around for centuries. It's believed to have originated in England during the 18th century, and the lyrics were first published in a book called "A Collection of English Songs" in 1780. The exact author of the song is unknown, but it's believed to have been a traditional folk song that was passed down through generations. The song is often used as a teaching tool to help children learn numbers and the days of the week.