We used to play this game when I was a kid, but the meanings are quite macabre, although I didn't realise it at the time. This rhyme refers to the Bubonic Palgue(Black Death). The ring of roses refers to the rash which is the first symptom, the pocket full of posies refers to a supposed cure, then the sneezing & we then are bed-ridden. We used to sing Ashes in the water, ashes in the sea, then a plea of "Please pick me up with a one, two,three". Get youtube to delete this comment if it upsets.
According to QI (series D, episode 5, general ignorance section) Ring a Ring O'Roses dates to 1881 in North America, and thus has no historic links to the plague.
bubonic plague does not produce a ring shaped rash, nor do you sneeze, look it up
lanceknightshade 2 years ago
when they fall down i think it means they die becuz its the black death
MolloyDadda247Luke 2 years ago
We used to play this game when I was a kid, but the meanings are quite macabre, although I didn't realise it at the time. This rhyme refers to the Bubonic Palgue(Black Death). The ring of roses refers to the rash which is the first symptom, the pocket full of posies refers to a supposed cure, then the sneezing & we then are bed-ridden. We used to sing Ashes in the water, ashes in the sea, then a plea of "Please pick me up with a one, two,three". Get youtube to delete this comment if it upsets.
davetowers1 3 years ago
yeah during the great plague the healthy kids sang thise im from scotland so the plague affected us too and we sang thise version
freacls 3 years ago
According to QI (series D, episode 5, general ignorance section) Ring a Ring O'Roses dates to 1881 in North America, and thus has no historic links to the plague.
LastBritishMonkey 2 years ago
Cute <3
KinomeMikomi 4 years ago
Our daughter loves this video !
japerez2 4 years ago