Where does it come from? What is it connected to?

[HamburgEnglish]

Where does "bless you" in British English when someone sneezes come from?
What is it connected to in school?

Have fun....

Rob
www.hamburg-english.de

[Shamanpanda]

Sneeze on Monday for health,
Sneeze on Tuesday for wealth,
Sneeze on Wednesday for a letter,
Sneeze on Thursday for something better,
Sneeze on Friday for sorrow,
Sneeze on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow,
Sneeze on Sunday, safety seek.

One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy.
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told.

[HamburgEnglish]

Nope! Sorry but nice try ....

Here is a clue .....

In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, and Australia, it is usually sung:
Ring a-ring o' roses,
A pocketful of posies.
a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!.
We all fall down.

In the United States and Canada it is usually sung:
Ring around the rosey,
A pocketful of posies.
ashes, ashes.
We all fall down.

In Australia and in New Zealand, it is usually sung:
Ring a ring a rosie
A pocketful of posies
a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!. (or a tissue, a tissue)
We all fall down.

So where does it come from and what is it connected to/with ?

[Cerberus™]

The origin is apparently unknown:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_you

[HamburgEnglish]

Correct Cerberus, however I tend to like the connection with the Great Plague of London.

Ring a-ring o' roses, (the roses were placed as a ring on the door of a house where a person had the plague to lets others know not to enter)
A pocketful of posies. (Posies are a sweet string smelling flower used by the men collecting the dead. They used to place handfuls of the flowers into their pockets to hide the smell of the dead bodies)
a-tishoo!, a-tishoo!. (The first sign that you may have the plague is you would sneeze)
We all fall down. (refers to the fact that a person has died)

When someone in those times sneezed, the family would call the Priest/Father/Vicar and he would come and bless the person....

So the story goes ... the connection between all and why the British say "bless you" when someone sneezes....

Rob
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