What is the story behind the song ring around the rosy?

Answer 1

well it revolves around the bubonic plague that hit Europe long ago. that's where the "ashes, ashes, we all fall down" comes in.

1."Ring around the rosy" was meant to speak of a red ring that would form around a persons neck or any part of their skin from the plague.

2."Pocket full of posies" meant a pocket that was full of a fragrant flower to try to mask the smell of the dying person.

3."Ashes, ashes we all fall down" meant the final stage of the plague and then death.

However, there is no REAL evidence that it is linked to the bubonic plague...but it is highly believed by many!!

Answer 2

RE:
What is the story behind the song ring around the rosy?

Answer 3

Its from the era in time when the black plaugue was killin people in europe. If a person contracted the black plaugue,
a ring formed leading to a deadly infection.

Thats why the song goes

Ring around the rosy (the infection ring)

Pocket full of posey (Guess its the medicine)

Ashes, Ashes (The skin became black and flaky like ash)

We all fall down ( The disease killed millions of people)

Answer 4

A popular interpretation connects the poem with the Great Plague of London in 1665, or perhaps earlier outbreaks of bubonic plague in England, however, there is no evidence that Ring a Ring o' Roses and the plague were connected, until it was proposed in the 20th century.

Regardless, this interpretation has entered into popular culture and has been used elsewhere to make oblique reference to the plague. According to this interpretation, the first line evokes the round red rash that would break out on the skin of plague victims. The second line's "pocket full of posies" would have been a pocket in the garment of a victim filled with something fragrant, such as flowers that aimed to conceal the smell from the sores and the dying people.

Alternatively it referred to the common belief that fresh-smelling flowers, nosegays, and pomanders would purify the air around them thus warding off disease as was believed from the miasma theory of disease. A third possibility includes the idea that "posies" are derived from an Old English word for pus, in which case the pocket would be referring to the swelling sore. Finally: "atishoo, atishoo," the sneezing before "we all fall down", the eventual succumbing to death.

European and 19th century versions of the rhyme suggest that this 'fall' was not a literal falling down, but a curtsy or other form of bending movement that was common in other dramatic singing games.

Answer 5

the rhyme relates to the Black Death - the bubonic plague that spread through Europe in the 1340s, or to the Great Plague of London, 1665/6. The plausible-sounding theory has it that the 'ring' is the ring of sores around the mouths of plague victims, who subsequently sneeze and fall down dead.

Answer 6

The song was originated because of either small pox or rubella or some other child hood illness that causes small red bumps, and death. They thought that maybe witches were involved in the deaths and that the song was a way that they could get the message out without the witches finding out that they new. This is what I could remember from one of my classes. Look it up on line under maybe origins of childrens songs or lyrics

Answer 7

As legend has it-

Ring around the rosey - the red ring that appears around the puss filled buboes in one suffering from the plague.
Pocket full of posies - posies were supposed to stave off the foul air of infection
Atchoo Atchoo (most folk in the US mistakenly say "ashes, Ashes" but that is a mispronounciation of the earlier "atchoo" - sneezing from the plague.
We all fall down! - the massive death toll.

Answer 8

Child's song about the plague.

"Ring around a rosie..."

The red ring around the plague pustules (big ugly zit-like sores)

"pocket full of posies..."

People then thought that the scent of flowers would protect you from disease, so they filled their pockets with flowers. Posies are a wildflower that anyone could afford a "pocketfull" of.

"ashes, ashes..."

Bodies, belongings and houses were burned to destroy the disease.

"we all fall DOWN!"

Figure this one for yourself.

Answer 9

black plague....
"ring around the rosy" was what the sores looked like from the disease, it was a ring around a red spot on the skin. "pocket full of posies" is referring to the flowers people would carry in their pockets to cover up the stench of their rotting flesh.
"ashes, ashes, we all fall down" is obviously when everyone died from the plague.

Answer 10

The Black Plague is the most commonly accepted and known origin of the poem.

However, it has been suggested that perhaps the poem owes its roots to Hinduism and the god Shiva.