there has been a bit of discussion over my latest ws about Santa�s reindeer. The main point was the confussion about the name of one of the reindeer , Donder versus Donner. Here is an extract claryfying a bit how the confussion occured:
The Donder v. Donner Controversy
Confusion over the name of one of Santa�s reindeer has been present from the inception of Moore�s poem. The first published version appeared in the New York �Troy Sentinel� in 1823 and contained a typographical error that listed a reindeer by the name of �Dunder.� However, when the poem reappeared in a collection of Moore�s poetry in 1844, the name given in the text was �Donder.� Furthermore, Moore�s own introduction to the collection indicated that �Donder� was indeed the correct spelling he had intended. In addition, in a longhand version of the poem written by Moore the year prior to his death, he again rendered the name of �Donder.�
Part of the �Donder/Donner� confusion is that �Blitzen� (the reindeer with whom Donder is generally paired) takes its name from the German word for �lightning,� and the German word for �thunder� is �Donner.� (�Donder� means �thunder� in Dutch, but it is unknown whether Moore actually made this connection or whether it is merely a coincidence.)
If interested in more about the history of the reindeer girls, go to :
http://yorkwhite.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/the-history-of-santas-reindeer/
