why was the preschool song "ring around the rosie" originated. what does it explain or mean?
2007-03-24 15:52:28 · 13 answers · asked by Reid N 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
it refers to the black plague, "a pocket full of posies" refers to the poppy flower, they carried it around with them to lessen the stink
and "ashes, ashes, we all fall down", well duh, refers to a lot of poeple dying from it
2007-03-24 16:31:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Black Plague in 14th century Europe. People believed (correctly) that posies would keep away the disease. We know now they were right because the disease was spread by rat fleas who did not like the smell of posies. The rosy rings on the cheeks were the first deadly symptom of the disease. A person died within 6 months of getting the rosy cheeks that would never go away. A-tishoo! (not ashes) was the final sign. A person would start sneezing and stop only when he/she died. The sneezing lasted about 24 hours (or less). I hope you don't need an explanation of what "fall down" means.
2007-03-24 23:02:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anpadh 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The plague.
Ring around the rosie (the initial rash)
pocket full of posies (taking flowers to a sick person)
ashes, ashes (pallor, dying)
we all fall down (death)
Nice preschool song, huh?
2007-03-24 22:58:46 · answer #3 · answered by Tiffani S 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is about the black plauge. The ring around the rosie was the tell tale ring around the boils and the pocket full of posies refers to the flowers people carried to help mask the scent of rotting flesh. ashes ashes refers to the fact the bodies were burned to help stop the spread of the infection. Nice huh?
2007-03-24 22:59:09 · answer #4 · answered by SZ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It talks about the bubonic plague.
"Ring around the rosie" (people got rings on their skin)
"pockets full of posies" (they would put posies in their pockets to try to ward off the disease)
"ashes, ashes" (the dead were burned)
"we all fall down" (the people died)
2007-03-24 23:00:57 · answer #5 · answered by Sally 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
originates from the black plague (around 1347)
:P, quite a sadistic little song
rosies were carried around in pockets to place around the dead or infected.
2007-03-24 22:57:53 · answer #6 · answered by Elle 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it was the bubonic plague and they thought posies was the cure the ended up burning the bodies of the infected.
2007-03-24 23:01:48 · answer #7 · answered by Emma 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
had to do with the bubonic plague.
I'm sure you can find a website to go into the explanation of the words.
2007-03-24 23:09:28 · answer #8 · answered by helpfulhannah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bubonic plague. That's why it ends in all fall down--everyone dies.
2007-03-24 22:59:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
NOTHING! its an urban legend. probably just a song kids sang as they danced. check out the link. interesting, huh? (i'd also heard the black plague myth)
http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/rosie.htm
2007-03-24 23:01:30 · answer #10 · answered by Booklover 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋