God bless you

[Mags 112]

Actually, the term "bless you" came from the time of the plague in the UK. A sneeze was a sign of potentially having the plague and people would say "bless you" in the hopes that you wouldn't be infected (or die).

Over the years its meaning seems to have changed (mainly because the plague is no longer a common disease) but that is where it originates from.

Same for the childhood rhyme "ring o roses" - that's thought to be about the plague as well. "Ring of roses" indicates the rash, the "a tishoo a tishoo" is in reference to the fact that sneezing indicated the next stage and then "we all fall down" means you died shortly afterwards.

/end of lesson.

Ring a-ring o' roses,

A pocketful of posies.

a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!.

We all fall down.

Edited April 6, 2008 by Mags

[PlatyPius 5]

Actually, the term "bless you" came from the time of the plague in the UK. A sneeze was a sign of potentially having the plague and people would say "bless you" in the hopes that you wouldn't be infected (or die).

Over the years its meaning seems to have changed (mainly because the plague is no longer a common disease) but that is where it originates from.

Same for the childhood rhyme "ring o roses" - that's thought to be about the plague as well. "Ring of roses" indicates the rash, the "a tishoo a tishoo" is in reference to the fact that sneezing indicated the next stage and then "we all fall down" means you died shortly afterwards.

/end of lesson.

Ring a-ring o' roses,

A pocketful of posies.

a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!.

We all fall down.

Of course, in Indiana we were taught....

Ring around the Rosey

Pocket full of Posies

Ashes, ashes

We all fall down.

http://www.rhymes.org.uk/ring_around_the_rosy.htm

Edited April 6, 2008 by PlatyPius

[Mags 112]

Actually, the term "bless you" came from the time of the plague in the UK. A sneeze was a sign of potentially having the plague and people would say "bless you" in the hopes that you wouldn't be infected (or die).

Over the years its meaning seems to have changed (mainly because the plague is no longer a common disease) but that is where it originates from.

Same for the childhood rhyme "ring o roses" - that's thought to be about the plague as well. "Ring of roses" indicates the rash, the "a tishoo a tishoo" is in reference to the fact that sneezing indicated the next stage and then "we all fall down" means you died shortly afterwards.

/end of lesson.

Ring a-ring o' roses,

A pocketful of posies.

a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!.

We all fall down.

Of course, in Indiana we were taught....

Ring around the Rosey

Pocket full of Posies

Ashes, ashes

We all fall down.

http://www.rhymes.org.uk/ring_around_the_rosy.htm

It differs from country to country.

Canada:

Ring around the rosey,

A pocket full of posies.

Hush-a, hush-a.

We all fall down

Ireland:

Ring a ring o' rosies,

A pocketful of posies.

EE-sha, AA-sha.

We all fall down.

Louisiana:

Ring around the rosey,

Pocket full of posies.

Upstairs, downstairs.

We all fall down.

Other verses:

The King has sent his daughter,

To fetch a pail of water.

ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo.

We all fall down.

The bird up on the steeple,

Sits high above the people.

ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo.

We all fall down.

The cows are in the meadow,

Eating buttercups,

ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo.

they all jump up.

Fishes in the water,

Fishes in the sea,

We all jump up,

With a one, two, three!

Sitting at the bottom of the deep blue sea,

Catching fishes, for my tea!

We all jump up,

With a one, two, three!

Cows are in the clover,

Eating buttercups,

ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo.

We all jump up!

Cows are in the meadow,

Eating all the grass,

ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo.

Who's up last?

Bringing up the posies,

We all pop up!

The cows are in the pasture,

Sleeping, Sleeping,

Lightning, Lightning.

We all jump up!

Mammy in the teapot,

Daddy in the cup.

One, two, three

And we all jump up!

[Mags 112]

Interestingly enough, I grew up in a house of atheists and when you sneeze you ALWAYS say "bless you!" If you sneeze and don't say it...it feels wrong. It was never said as a religious blessing, it was just habit, passed on down through many generations of my family (all non religious).

However, it does always come out as a "bleshhoo!" sound, rather than a "bless...you"

And no, Platy has never tried to rip out my throat when I've said that either.