As I was Going to St. Ives

Signpost Clues - Pay Attention to Directions

In this illustration, the traveler in the poem is depicted as a young boy, riding a bicycle. The visual clue to the riddle's answer is right in the picture, if the reader is paying attention. The signpost clearly indicates that St. Ives is in the same direction in which the boy is headed. The time period is a bit muddled, as the attire of the gentleman and his wives looks to be late nineteenth century, while the bicycle rider looks to be from the early to mid twentieth century. The town is on the coastline, as we see ships in the water and seagulls in the air. This is clearly meant to be the Cornish coast.

Lavender's Blue, compiled by Kathleen Lines, also has a sign showing the way to St. Ives. In this instance, the picture shows a traveler walking past a stone marker on the ground that is inscribed ?To St Ives.?

Finally, in the illustrations by Rosemary Wells of this verse, we see the most complete depiction. The first illustration shows a car, crammed full of characters (Wells draws them as cats) heading in the opposite direction of St. Ives, according to a signpost in the picture. On the subsequent pages, the traveler and the husband are both shown in their cars heading in opposite directions. The traveler is shown driving a red convertible in the direction of St. Ives while the husband is driving the other way.

If you want to solve the riddle, the signposts are your best clue, pointing to the answer.