“Ring Around the Rosie” first appeared in Mother Goose in 1881. However, the nursery rhyme already enjoyed a colorful history by this point. It seems to have been recited in 18th century America and appeared in nineteenth century novels. The Old World poem seems to predate the American colonies as it has been associated with the London Plague of 1665 and the Black Death. The origin of the poem may actually rest with the original Black Death outbreak of the mid-fourteenth century. Under this interpretation, “Ring Around the Rosie” is actually a grim remembrance of a cataclysmic event as opposed to a cheery children's nursery rhyme.
The Black Death struck Europe with a fury in 1347. The disease migrated from Asia via trade routes. It decimated Asia, Africa, and Europe unlike anything before or since. The plague wiped out entire population centers. The disease depopulated the world by at least 20% and killed between 30-60% of Europe’s population. The cataclysm left lasting scars for the survivors and a death culture evolved. The period’s art often included skeletons and other dark symbols. The literature and correspondence smelt of death. “Ring Around the Rosie” seemingly transposes this culture into rhyme.
The first line, “Ring around the Rosie,” or some variation, describes the buboes that formed. A bubo is a swelling in the lymph node. This swelling is often circular making up the “ring.” The center turns black and is surrounded by a red rash. The “rosie” is the center of this reddish ring.
As the victim’s condition worsened, an odor emanated from them. The living began rotting before becoming a corpse. In response, healthy individuals used flowers to cover the odor. The poem recounts these attempts to disguise the smell in the second verse, “a pocket full of posies.” The posies represented fourteenth century air fresheners.
The third stanza continues to recount symptoms. In the British version, children sing “Atch chew! Atch-chew!” copying the unmistakable sound of a sneeze. The American version altered the sneeze to “Ashes! Ashes!” Some believe ashes represent cremation. However, it could simply be an Americanization of the tale.
After the disease runs its course, the victims usually die. The last line in the poem announces death’s arrival with a dramatic “we all fall down.” The use of “we” denotes the apocalyptic nature of the disease and the times. No one survives the apocalypse and no one survives the plague.
However, people did survive for one reason or another. Some folklorists doubt “Ring Around the Rosie” dates to the Black Death. The link between the poem and plague is made after World War II and some consider the ties tenuous at best. The lack of evidence is the best evidence against the poem coming from the plague generation. Folklorists have traced the poem to the 18th century, but not before. They argue that if the poem went back 650 years, then there should be a written copy of it dating back to the period, or at least before George Washington’s time. Despite this, documentaries on the subject often recount the nursery rhyme and attribute it to the period.
Whether “Ring Around the Rosie” is about the plague or not, the poem matches the symptoms of the disease. The first three lines recount the disease’s progression. The final line represents death. It is fascinating that a children’s fairy tale may in fact have its origin in the worst pandemic in recorded history.
