The epidemic of the black death originated in the 12th century but peaked in   
   the 1300's.  The Ring-Around-The-Rosy nursey rhyme probably refers to the   
   dance mania (or St.John's Dance or St.Vitus Dance) which originated in the   
   1300's wherein groups of    
   people would dance and leap for hours, days, weeks in hysterical delirium.    
   This dance is believed to have been propagated by the sight of the sufferers.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)