wow, i never heard of that story. that reminds me of the children's rhymes with disturbing themes:
ring around the rosey, a pocket full of posies
ashes, ashes, we all fall down
three blind mice: she cut off their tails with a carving knife
Ring round the rosies was from the days of the plague. Ring around the rosie was the redness you'd get. Technically the next line was a-tishoo a-tishoo we all fall down. There was sneezing and then they'd die. it was a rhyme written by children about it....
yeah i was never allowed to sing those songs because it ws disrespectful to those who had died from the plague.