Question: What does ring a ring a roses refer to

The Black Death

"Ring a Ring o' Roses" or "Ring Around the Rosie" is a nursery rhyme or folksong and playground singing game.

It first appeared in print in 1881, but it is reported that a version was already being sung to the current tune in the 1790s and similar rhymes are known from across Europe.

It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7925.

Urban legend says the song originally described the plague, but folklorists reject this idea.

Read more...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_a_Ring_o%27_Roses