#And the Plague around Pockets full of Poseys

[curiousorigins]

I feel the need to inform you guys that due to my unrestricted access to books, awkwardly high reading level in childhood and a well cultivated love of horror starting pre-school; I had encountered Dracula by Bram Stoker in book form long before every hearing of the Lady who swallowed a Fly.

Why is that important? Because The Lady who swallowed the Fly ate things in the same order that Renfield did while he was trying to absorb life.

I knew Dracula was published before The Lady who Swallowed the Fly and thus concluded that the Lady had the same goals as Renfield, and that perhaps that book (and song) was inspired by Dracula.

I have yet to see this in connection made literally anywhere and I’ve kept an eye out since I was like 6 or 7.

Tbh I’m still certain that The Old lady was inspired by Renfield.

Links to Things if you aren’t familiar with them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Was_an_Old_Lady_Who_Swallowed_a_Fly

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renfield

#Dracula #Renfield #Children's Songs #Odd Coincidences #Connecting two unrelated things probably #Childhood Beliefs #I still kind of think that Renfield inspired that song #I'm bored so we'll see what the mutuals think of this #(Too bad I didn't think of this when Dracula Daily was still a thing.) #Probably would have heard a lot of opinions on this #Children's Songs and Nurseries often have horrific things around them #Like the Murder investigation around London Bridge Falling Down #And the Plague around Pockets full of Poseys #Hansel and Gretal being about child abandonment and people literally starving #(I learned this around the time I first encountered the Lady who Swallowed a Fly #So it seemed a reasonable conclusion.) #I Am OP #I Speak #Classic Literature

[simonalkenmayer]

wait - is THAT what "pocket full of posies" means? from the ring around the rosey song? that's what a posey is? i had thought it just meant normal flowers - though i suppose the right kinds could have the same effect, so maybe not TOO far off...

Ring around the rosies refers to the marks of plague.

The whole song is about the Black Death

[billwatson-blog1]

600 Years (c)

Six hundred years

The ages dark

Six hundred years

Torn apart

Fire and Rage

The black plague

Ring Around Rosie

Terrible days

Children sang

We all fall down

Pockets full of posey

Ashes on the ground

Laughter and song

Medicine strong

Young hearts know

Right from wrong

Lift the spirit

Body will follow

No more tears

No more sorrow

T'was faith and glee

Set us free

Belief is strong

For thine and thee

We swear this oath

Hearts be crossed

Strenghth delivered

Can not be lost

Share and rejoice

My fellow ones

Day of the ghost

Blood never runs

Happy Halloween