The word of the day1 for April 24, 2007 is “conunundrum” — noun 1 : a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun. 2 a : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer b : an intricate and difficult problem.
Today is the saint day of Ivo, also known as St. Ives. The Patron Saints Index says of him:
“Bishop. Hermit at Huntingdonshire, England. The city of Saint Ives (formerly Slepe), Huntingdonshire, England is named for him. His gravesite was lost for years, but in 1001 four bodies were uncovered in an unmarked grave; one bore a bishop's insignia. A local layman had a vision that this was the body of Ivo, and all four were translated to the Ramsey Abbey. A spring soon appeared near the site of their interment, its waters known for healing miracles. A later vision convinced the brothers at Ramsey to return the bodies of the three companions to Slepe.”
This is also the saint day of St. William Firmatus, who gave all his money to the poor and went on pilgrimages the rest of his life. This would certainly save him from the sin of avarice. His major miracle while alive was striking the ground—with his pilgrim’s staff, following Moses’ precedent one supposes—at Dardenay to provide a spring of water during a drought. He is now the patron of headache. This makes sense if you think about it too hard.
The quote2 for today is the traditional conunudrum:
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks.
Each sack had seven cats.
Each cat had seven kits.
Kits, cats, sacks wives:
How many were going to St. Ives?
;^) Jan
1 comment:
LONNA SEZ:
One supposes that the answer should be one, however, it is possible that the man he met was going the same way……
In which case, WHAT was the name of that patron saint of headaches?
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