Christmas Mondegreen

Appropos of nothing . . .

The other day, in my retail life, the incessant satellite radio was playing yet another version of "Jingle Bells" (which, in my opinion, really does not need to be sexed up, emoted up, or otherwise given an imaginary weightiness---you may feel differently).

I was reminded how, as I very young boy, I wondered and wondered what "one horse soap and sleigh" could possibly mean. Or maybe it was "one horse soaping sleigh." Either way, I couldn't figure out what soap had to do with anything else in the song.

In my defense, I have to say this: I grew up in central Texas. What could I know about sleighs, opened, closed, soaping or otherwise?