I have heard that this popular chidlren's song refers to some sort of historical military happening? Does any one out there know the roots?
2006-12-12 14:25:23 · 12 answers · asked by Fried Plantain 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's about a plague or something. Is this a R&S question?
Be blessed.
2006-12-12 14:28:11 · answer #1 · answered by motherbear 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ring a ring a roses
A pocket full of posies
Atishyoo atishyoo
We all fall down.
It refers to the Great Plague or Bubonic Plague which took place in Britain in 1665.
It was believed that scented flowers could protect against it but as you see from the last 2 lines,it didn't work
2006-12-12 22:30:38 · answer #2 · answered by rosbif 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is about the Black Plague. The ring around the rosies describes the skin irritations those afflitced with it had, and a pocket full of posies was how they dealt with the smell of all of the bodies. The last verse should be self explanatory.
As an afterthought, did you know that Allouette is about the Guillotine?
2006-12-12 22:30:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
URBAN MYTH!!! URBAN MYTH!!!
THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!!
"This nursery rhyme began about 1347 and derives from the not-so-delightful Black Plague, which killed over twenty-five million people in the fourteenth century. The "ring around a rosie" refers to the round, red rash that is the first symptom of the disease. The practice of carrying flowers and placing them around the infected person for protection is described in the phrase, "a pocket full of posies." "Ashes" is a corruption or imitation of the sneezing sounds made by the infected person. Finally, "we all fall down" describes the many dead resulting from the disease.""
2006-12-12 22:28:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Military; no. It pertains to the Black Plague. When they got the plague, it would start out as a pinkish mark with a red ring around it. (Ring around the rosey)
Pockets full of poseys refers to the rose petals they carried to hide the stench of death.
Ashes; ashes refers to the incinerating of the dead bodies.
We all fall down is when they get it themselves & fall over dying.
Father K; thank you! Very enlightening!
2006-12-12 22:31:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is about the Plague
Ring around the rosie - you get red rings on your skin
Pocket full of posies - they put flowers in the dead's pockets
Ashes Ashes - They burned the victims
We all fall down - Die
Pretty morbid, huh?
2006-12-12 22:30:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's Ring Around The Rosie. This was from England when Roseola the disease that is a form of the measles went crazy and several children died of the disease. That is why they say 'They all fell down"
2006-12-12 23:03:36 · answer #7 · answered by Midge 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ring around the rosy,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, ashes,
We all fall down.
The original one said, "Achoo! Achoo!" instead of "Ashes, ashes." It was about a plague, not a military event.
The first visible symptom were round red rashes (ring around the rosy). People carried posies in their pockets and placed around the dead for protection (pocket full of posies). Sneezing was a common and early symptom (Achoo! Achoo!). The end result, was death (we all fall down).
2006-12-12 22:33:28 · answer #8 · answered by Lady of the Pink 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It actually has to do with the plague.
Ring of roses referred to the rash that came with the plague. Posies were thought to ward off the disease. All fall down -- they fell down dead.
Grim, but true.
.
2006-12-12 22:28:38 · answer #9 · answered by Chickyn in a Handbasket 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually it's a myth about the plague connection.
2006-12-12 22:31:15 · answer #10 · answered by Apeman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋