Children playing with hands joined in a circle while chanting "ring around the rosie"

Ring Around the Rosie

Ring Around the Rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down!

Listen as female American:

Listen as male British:

Alternate Version (Traditional):

Ring-a-ring o’ roses,
A pocket full of posies,
Achoo! Achoo!
We all fall down!

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Posted in All Rhymes, Historical & Legendary, Mother Goose Classics, Nature & Seasons, Play & Action

Tagged ashes, circle game, falling down, pocket, posies, ring, sickness

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5 years ago

Alternates/History:
There are many different alternates to this rhyme; the rhyme above is the most modern version.

A more traditional version goes:

Ring-a-ring o’ roses,
A pocket full of posies,
Achoo!, Achoo!
We all fall down.

This innocent sounding rhyme, first appearing in the 1881 book Mother Goose, is actually a much older chant that goes back to the 1660s and is thought to be about the Plague of London which killed 70,000 of the 460,000 residents.

“Ring-a-ring o’ roses” refers to the rosy colored rash one would get. An early symptom of the plague.
“Pocket full of posies” refers to the medicine and herbs people carried in their pockets to prevent the plague.
“Achoo! Achoo! We all fall down” are the last sneezes of the person and collapse of one who had died.

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Meaning

“Ring Around the Rosie” is a traditional nursery rhyme often associated with a children’s ring game. The rhyme is popularly, although controversially, believed to reference the Great Plague of London in 1665, with “rosie” referring to the characteristic rash, “posies” being herbs used to ward off infection, “ashes” symbolizing cremation, and “we all fall down” representing death. However, many folklorists argue the rhyme likely originated later and was simply a playful nursery rhyme without direct connection to the plague.

Origin

The rhyme was first documented in English-speaking culture in the 19th century, though versions with similar wording exist across many countries in Europe with various lyrics and interpretations. Its exact origin remains uncertain, with theories ranging from folk games to plague symbolism.

Time Period

Touted to have connections to events in 1665, the rhyme itself appeared in print documents only in the mid-19th century, leading scholars to doubt plague origins and favor later folk explanations.

Why It Became Popular

The rhyme’s rhythmic, repetitive structure makes it easy for children to memorize and perform as a circle game. Its playful, communal activity encourages social interaction and physical coordination, cementing its place as a classic nursery rhyme.

Structure and Style

Meter: Trochaic, flowing rhythm
Rhyme Scheme: AABB
Line Count: Four lines
Style Notes: Playful chant for ring games

Themes

Play and social games
Nature and flowers
Historical interpretations (plague myth)
Community and ritual

Language Notes

“Rosie” refers to a rose or rash-like mark; “posies” are small flower bundles historically used to mask odors; “ashes” varies between “ashes” and “a-tishoo” (sneezing) in different versions.

Moral or Lesson

The rhyme serves as a reminder of mortality if interpreted through plague symbolism, but its primary use is as a fun children’s game fostering cooperation and joy.

Historical or Cultural Notes

Despite popular belief linking it to the bubonic plague, historians and folklorists often regard this connection as a 20th-century invention. Variants across cultures emphasize the playful ring game aspect more than any grim historical meaning.

Notable Variants

Versions across Europe replace or alter lines (“a-tishoo” instead of “ashes”), add stanzas, or substitute different phrases to suit local customs or children’s play.

Appearances in Media or Literature

Featured widely in children’s storybooks, playgrounds, educational shows, and has been referenced in literature exploring folklore and nursery rhyme histories.

Suggested Activities

Circle Game: Sing while playing the traditional ring-around-the-rosie game with spinning and falling down at the end.
History Lesson: Discuss the origins of nursery rhymes and the difference between folklore and historical fact.
Creative Writing: Compose alternative verses imagining different playful or historical contexts.
Art Activity: Draw scenes of children playing the game or symbolize the flowers and nature mentioned.

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