Our daughter’s name is Ashlyn. We call her Ashes for short. Which brings to mind a familiar nursery rhyme; one that she loves. In fact, tonight, before putting her to bed, all four of us (well actually five, one vicariously through my pregnant wife) circled up in the living room, grabbed hands, spun around and sung that awful song about the bubonic plague, Ring Around the Rosy.
You see, some contend that this famous nursery rhyme has its roots in English history, dating back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague). 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! Not everyone buys into this, but regardless, it makes for a good story…and you should have seen my kids faces as I sat them down to explain the dark historical origins of the song we were dancing to.
OK, so I didn’t really share its origins. But as we were dancing and falling, dancing and falling, dancing and falling…the words and actions of “ashes, ashes” and “we all fall down” felt a bit odd to me, knowing its history. But despite its dark and morbid origins (who writes these kid’s songs anyway?), our family laughed and sang and fell and did it over, and over, and over again. We were loving life.
Here’s the clincher. As we were circling, our 85 pound dog, Cheddar, wormed his way into the middle and circled with us! When we fell, he would attack, lick, and paw us.
So I challenge all who read this to submit your original lyrics for, “Ring Around Cheddar”…you can post them as comments…
