I believe the children's version dates to medieval times. The origin will never be traced accurately, bucause it was passed down in oral tradition. You can still see some of this in jump rope songs and military cadence chants. The verses will change to fit the times. It is easy to see the corelation between the words of Ring Around The Rosey and symptoms of the plague, and some of the previous variations of the words achoo, ashes, arses are one way a true folk song evolves - when words become garbled or misunderstood, new words are substituted. You will never find a direct tie to this rhyme. It is not like LIZZIE BORDEN TOOK AN AXE.