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From: gam@amdahl.UUCP (Gordon A. Moffett)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.nlang
Subject: Re: Origins of the "F word" as a folk myth.
Message-ID: <360@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 13-Oct-84 17:03:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdahl.360
Posted: Sat Oct 13 17:03:07 1984
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> scc!steiny Don Steiny - Personetics @ (408) 425-0382
>
>                                ...The darling ryhme:
> 
> 	Ring around the rosie
> 	Pockets full of Posies.
> 	Ashes, ashes, all fall down.
> 
> Is a reference to the bubonic plauge.  The plauge caused red circles to
> appear on the skin. Posies were considered a charm to ward off the
> plauge, and victims were burned to ashes.

I heard that the "ashes" were in reference to making a mark on the
forehead with ashes, another charm to ward off the Plague.  (Certainly
they would have had a lot of human ashes, though).
-- 
Gordon A. Moffett			...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!gam

[ Only these only are only my only opinions, only.  Thank you. ]