Wow...more than enough info, Rob. Very interesting, too. Thanks! Marilyn (one N) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robyn Leeds" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 11:05 AM Subject: Re: [ARMSTRONG] Oriigin of song > "I thought this song referred to the plague...or the Black Death...or > some other horrible epidemic where they burned the bodies...ashes, > ashes..." > > But it's of ENGLISH origin Marilynn, and the original words were "Atishoo" > because sneezing was also a symptom!! ;D > > "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. We > recommend the following site for comprehensive informatio! > n regarding the Bubonic Plague. > http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm > > Views of the Sceptics > The connection between this Rhyme was made by James Leasor in 1961 in his > non-fiction book ' The Plague and the Fire'. Some people are sceptical of > the plague interpretations of this rhyme, many stating that words in the > rhyme cannot be found in Middle English. The sceptics must be referring to > the later version of the rhyme, possibly with American origins, the > English version is "Ring a ring o' rosies" using the Middle English "o" as > a shortening of the word "of". The written word " posies" is first > mentioned in a poem called 'Prothalamion or A Spousal Verse' by Edmund > Spenser (1552-1599). We believe that this addresses the views of the > sceptics." > > Take care, > > Rob. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message