Published 20:11 IST, June 26th 2020

Did Ring-A-Ring-A-Roses originate during the Great Plague of London?

The English rhyme ‘ring-a-ring-a-roses’ gets transcended to the children of every generation, however, it was revealed that it was born during a pandemic.

Reported by: Bhavya Sukheja
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famous English rhyme ‘ring-a-ring-a-roses’ gets transcended to children of every generation, however, it was revealed that light-hearted poem was born during Great Plague of London. According to a blog by James FitzGerald published in Londonist, lyrics of centuries-old rhyme depicts a world full of death and disaster. James said that apparently vibrant poem speaks of death and misery from ar pandemic that h hit London and or parts of Europe. 

According to blog, rhyme was born sometimes in 17th century in London during a plague that caused over 70,000 deaths in city within a year. James said that fatalism of rhyme is brutal and ‘roses’ are a euphemism for dely rashes. Bubonic Plague or Black Death h started in middle of 1300s. It lasted for hundreds of years and plague was caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. 

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Rhyme is about Great Plague 

In blog, James wrote that lyrics of happy rhyme is all about Great Plague. He explained that ‘posies’ in poem was in reference to some kind of preventive measures. He went on to explain that ‘A-tishoo’, on or hand, pointed to sneezing symptoms. Furr, he said that ‘we all fall down’ signees everyone’s quick approaching death. 

Even though rhyme might have found its origin in death and misery, poem has been widely opted and modified through years. While James pointed out sneezing and falling down symptoms, a report published in Library of Congress suggests that re is mention of such actions. 

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As per reports, re are also counter-arguments that suggest that popular rhyme did t originate from Bubonic Plague. It is believed that earliest print appearance of “Ring Around Rosie” did t occur until publication of Kate Greenaway’s Mor Goose or Old Nursery Rhymes in 1881. However, if it were born during pandemic, children recited ‘nursery rhyme’ for over five centuries until someone wrote it down and published it. 

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20:11 IST, June 26th 2020