Debunking the Ring Around the Rosie Myth

02/06/2004

Debunking the Ring Around the Rosie Myth

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." - Colette

DEBUNKING THE RING AROUND THE ROSIE MYTH

The latest issue of Mental Floss magazine (February/March 2004), explores the "morbid" origins of many popular kid games. In the story they explained that the origin of the game "Ring Around the Rosie" is actually not as morbid as previously supposed...

"We've all herd the rhyme, 'Ring around the rosie / pockets full of posies / Ashes, ashes / We all fall down.' And you may have also heard that it's a grim but cryptic description of the bubonic plague, the 14th century epidemic that killed over 25 million people.

"An unsubstantiated legend has it that 'ring around the rosie' is a reference to the round, red rash that usually served as the first indicator that someone was infected with the plague. 'Pockets full of posies' supposedly alludes to the belief that carrying around flowers would ward off the disease....Then there's 'ashes, ashes' which could have two possible meanings. Some people say it may be a corruption of 'achoo,' the sound made when someone sneezes....Others think it refers to cremation since, at the time, burning the infected corpses was the only way to stop the spread of the disease.

"It's an interesting theory, but unfortunately, it's totally bunk. 'Ring Arond the Rosie' is actually from the Victorian era, when many Protestants banned dancing. Children found a way around the ban by having 'play parties,' and that's how the game originated. In fact, its probably about nothing more than picking flowers."

To learn more about how children play, check out the Beginnings Workshop on "Make Believe Play" at: http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0114

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.