who wrote the twelve days of christmas song

The author of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song is unknown. The song was first published in 1780 in a collection of English folk songs called "Mirth without Mischief." It is believed to have originated from a French song called "Le Regne de la Folie" or "The Reign of Folly," which was published in 1551. The song was popularized in the United States in the 1900s and has been adapted and performed by many different artists over the years.