7. Ring a Ring o' Roses
Michael Wolgemut / Public Domain
Ring-a-Ring o'Rosies, A Pocket full of Posies, "A-tishoo! A-tishoo!", We all fall Down!
Commonly thought to be about circling a rose bush, its actually to about the bubonic plague. The symptoms of the plague were a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin, and another was sneezing. People filled pockets and pouches with sweet smelling herbs (posies) as they believed the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The plague was estimated to have killed 75-200 million people in the years 1346-53, but good to know such a merry jingle came from it. So, y'know... silver linings.