| "Ring a Ring o' Roses" | |
|---|---|
 Melodies for "Ring a Ring o' Roses", from Alice Gomme's 1898 work.[1] | |
| Nursery rhyme | |
| Published | 1881 |
| Audio samples
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"Ring a Ring o' Roses", also known as "Ring a Ring o' Rosie" or (in the United States) "Ring Around the Rosie", is a nursery rhyme, folk song, and playground game. Descriptions first appeared in the mid-19th century, though it is reported to date from decades earlier. Similar rhymes are known across Europe, with varying lyrics. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7925.
The origin of the song is unknown, and there is no evidence supporting the popular 20th-century interpretation linking it to the Great Plague or earlier outbreaks of bubonic plague in England.
- ^ Gomme, The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland, p. 108.