<P> An 1883 collection of Shropshire folk - lore includes the following version: </P> <P> A ring, a ring o' roses, A pocket - full o' posies; One for Jack and one for Jim and one for little Moses! A-tisha! a-tisha! a-tisha! </P> <P> On the last line "they stand and imitate sneezing". </P> <P> A manuscript of rhymes collected in Lancashire at the same period gives three closely related versions, with the now familiar sneezing, for instance: </P>

Ring around the rosies a pocketful of posies ashes ashes we all fall down