The story
Onomatopoeia coined by Katherine Kennicott Davis; based on the French patapan which Davis personally felt translated to "pa-rum-pum-pum" [sic].
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Today it means: Imitation of drumming sounds; especially in reference to "The Little Drummer Boy," and the rhythm the titular drummer boy performed at the Nativity of Jesus. Full definition →