This weekend we taped Byron, Lucy and Emma playing Ring Around the Rosy. This got me thinking about the meaning of this game. I couldn't remember what I had learned about it but thought it seemed to be something morbid.
I found that the words to the ring around the rosy children's 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.
Well that was kind of depressing. Here watch this and notice Byron at the end of the game. He cracks me up that boy.
I found that the words to the ring around the rosy children's 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.
Well that was kind of depressing. Here watch this and notice Byron at the end of the game. He cracks me up that boy.
7 comments:
I'd heard that 'ring around the rosy' had a rather dark meaning as well...now I know the original story behind it. Yikes!
The video is absolutely adorable. I guess little Byron took the 'all fall down' part quite literally- he made sure those girls were down for the count! This was just too cute!
Ok, this has been bugging me to no end ever since I watched this video a few days ago - how on earth did you get a video on your blog?! It is SO clever!!! I'm pretty new to this whole blogging thing, and I was just wondering if you would pretty please share the secret? If you would rather not, I TOTALLY understand. I don't want to be a copycat or seem kinda crazy. I just really admire the creativity of putting a video on your blog.
If you wouldn't mind sharing your secret, you can leave me a message on my blog, e-mail me at: amanda.fultz@hotmail.com ... or, if typing all that stuff out doesn't appeal to you, I'll just send you my cell phone number. I really hope I'm not being too forward (tell me if I am though!). I hope all is well in your neck of the woods! Take care & God Bless
Love, Amanda aka Photochick
I am SO sorry! You're really going to think I'm nuts! I did some research & figured out that I was just using the wrong internet method (I have a MAC & was using Safari - FireFox is really what I should have been using from the get-go)
Anyway, I feel like a complete idiot! Sorry for leaving so many comments (hopefully not looking like a stalker...?) Anyway, thank you for the inspiration for putting videos up. Take care & God Bless!
This cracks me up! Little goobs. Byron, as usual, decides on his own time when to fall "DOOOOWWWWN!", and of course, it's always on top of Lucy. :) heh heh, she needs it, I think.
The plague wasn't spread over water sources, it was actually carried by fleas that clung to the rats.
Funny the things that you look up on the internet. I found one source of carrying fleas transmitted by water and yet someone else found another which was spread by the fleas which the rats carried. Yikes! Glad I am not a historian.
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