Mystery Hunt 1994 / Puzzle 27 Solution

This one was cute... and also an example that pre-published works are sometimes used. These were originally published in Mots D'heures: Gousses, Rames by Luis d'Antin van Rooten (Penguin, ISBN 0-14-005730-7 or 0-18-174905-X)

If you read each of these messages aloud in French, you will notice that they sound like Mother Goose rhymes.


Raïa qu'écorce turban béret crosse
Toussez afin laide y appeau nez ouate torse
Rhinanthes heure fine guerre, sans bel sonneur tôt.
Chiches. Lave moujik où est révère chicot.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse.
Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes;
She shall have music wherever she goes.


Et qui rit des curés d'Oc?
De Meuse raines, houp! de cloques.
De quelles loques ce turque coin.
Et ne d'ânes ni rennes,
Écuries des curés d'Oc.

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one
And down he ran.
Hickory dickory dock.


The two emphasized words were horse and down so HORSE and DOWN are a solution pair.