The alternative version to the common English one has "Ring around the rosey" instead of "Ring a ring of roses" and "Ashes, ashes" instead of "atishoo, atishoo". I heard it sung like this by an (American) talking doll.

I'm sure there will be lots about the origin of this song on earlier threads. My understanding is that it is all about the Plague: The "ring of roses" is the rash; the "pocket full of posies" is the nosegays that people carried around with them to fend off the foul smell of people suffering from the plague, and "atishoo... we all fall down" - their dying. Good cheerful subject matter for a children's song (as is often the case !)

- jeanie