Thread: Ring around the Rosie and the Black Plague?

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So I'm driving home from the video store with a movie called Ring around the Rosie and my 14 yr old says, did you know that song is about the Black Plague. Apparently, they learned in school that the song is about the Black Plague, the posies are what people would put in the pockets of the deceased to help with the smell...and ashes ashes is because they would burn the bodies... I reckon it makes sense but I was still rather surprised...Has anyone ever heard of this?

I've heard for it

I have as well

i've heard that before...
here is what snopes has to say about it

http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/rosie.htm

and wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_around_the_rosie

I've heard it too, but guess it's not true.

Mike

Alot of old fairytales and such began very dark. I have a time-life book from the old days that explains a few. They have all been watered down over the years.

It's true. "Ring around the rosie" refers to the symptom the victims received as the disease spread to the skin's surface. A nasty wrinkled rash that looked like a rosie flower and a red ring around the sore.

Its true. This is the actual history of the ryhme itself.

"The words to the Ring around the rosy children's ring game have their origin in English history . The historical period dates back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague) or even before when the first outbreak of the Plague hit England in the 1300's. The symptoms of the plague included a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin (Ring around the rosy). Pockets and pouches were filled with sweet smelling herbs ( or posies) which were carried due to the belief that the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The term "Ashes Ashes" refers to the cremation of the dead bodies! The death rate was over 60% and the plague was only halted by the Great Fire of London in 1666 which killed the rats which carried the disease which was transmitting via water sources. The English version of "Ring around the rosy" replaces Ashes with (A-tishoo, A-tishoo) as violent sneezing was another symptom of the disease."

Everyone please go back a few posts to IowaChick76's links to Snopes and Wikipedia.
The Snopes page alone is worth the read.
It's NOT true. We've all heard it, but it's one of those pervasive myths that never seem to die out, and is sitll being taught to our children as truth.
But it just ain't so.
Ring Around The Rosie was most likely a nonsense song (and there are LOTS of variants which NO ONE could say had to do with plague or even allergies!) from the 18th century onwards, used by British and American kids who were not allowed to dance formally, and would have play-parties to get around the restriction. They would sing or shout rhymes without music and even little children got in on the fun.


Mike C.

I've heard both the plague story and read Snopes about it. Who knows for sure.