How Many Miles to Babylon?

Welcome Home! - Could the Seagull Be Signaling the End of a Hazardous Journey?

How many miles to Dover-town?
Three-score miles and ten.
Can I get there by candlelight?
Yes, and back again.

This illustration shows a pilot flying a fragile single propeller airplane over rather choppy water with a seagull flying alongside. The historical significance of this version of the rhyme suggests England during World War II, reminiscent of the song “White Cliffs of Dover.” The presence of the seagull indicates that land is nearby. Perhaps the pilot has tired from his journey and is about to return home. The muted colors of the sky reflecting the shades of blue and green of the sea water and the fine lines of the drawing set up an interesting conflict with reference to the war. The placement of the rhyme within various collections might be a clue to the historical significance. In Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes illustrated by Arthur Rackham, this rhyme is placed with others about battle. For example, the rhyme before “ Babylon”is “I Saw a Ship a-sailing,” and the one after is “Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee, resolved to have a battle.”