The Shocking Origins and Meanings of 5 Famous Dark Nursery Rhymes
Come catch a pail of unholy water
We fondly remember nursery rhymes from our childhood. I’m sure you can even recall most of them by heart, or at least hum along when it pops up from time to time.
But did you ever stop to wonder where these ancient rhapsodies came from? Turns out, a lot of them are a strange form of remembering famous events.
Or more appropriately, infamous.
Let’s dig into the stories behind 5 surprisingly dark nursery rhymes.
5 Dark Nursery Rhyme Origins and Meanings
1. “Ring Around the Rosie” Meaning
Ring-a-round the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down.
A group of children clasp hands and run, skip, or flail in a circle having the time of their young lives. The last line is then sung, and they all fall to the floor in a fit of giggles.
A sweet memory for many of us.
Not so sweet of an origin story.
Hint: It’s not referring to a rose tree as the center of the circle.
