(B3) Riddle Three (780) of the Golden Owl treasure hunt

[Jenny]

The book contains 11 riddles- consisting of text and image. Also shown is an owl face and a color 'Wavelength' number. It has been discovered the wavelengths, as well as solving Riddle B, reorder the 10 Riddles that display the numbered wavelengths. There is also the title.


(Below is the pair shown for reference- however, please see the published PDF link for better quality)






The Text translates to:

FIRST STEP...

Where you want,
By the ross and the coachman.
But where you have to,
By the compass and the foot.

---

(ross being thought to translate to nag/old horse)

It has been said 'Max Valentin' said this was one of the most important riddles. It hasn't been solved but is thought to start in Bourges.

[Chouetteur]

Apr 25, 2021 9:01:18 GMT -5 Jenny said:

The book contains 11 riddles- consisting of text and image. Also shown is an owl face and a color 'Wavelength' number. It has been discovered the wavelengths, as well as solving Riddle B, reorder the 10 Riddles that display the numbered wavelengths. There is also the title.


(Below is the pair shown for reference- however, please see the published PDF link for better quality)






The Text translates to:

FIRST STEP...

Where you want,
By the ross and the coachman.
But where you have to,
By the compass and the foot.

---

(ross being thought to translate to nag/old horse)

It has been said 'Max Valentin' said this was one of the most important riddles. It hasn't been solved but is thought to start in Bourges.

It's generally one of the more important ones because it gives the "measure" of the Golden Owl puzzles; 0.33 cm. The measure is found by finding the circumference of the compass in the original book, where it would have measured 33 cm; also, it was the measurement of the French royal foot, therefore giving us the measure by the compass (circumference) and the foot (measurement). The measure becomes important in the other puzzles, i.e. in the riddle 500: "560.606 measures, it's far." To find the distance multiply 560.606 by 0.33 = 185,000 m or 185 km. However besides this it is still widely debated what the ross and coachman represent.