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Nursery Rhymes 101 #4 Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

TyOcci: Sorry to disable this cache, I moved this weekend and don't think the future owners would care for a geocache on their front porch(then again I could be wrong :])

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Hidden : 10/15/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Cache is a ammo box hidden under something somewhere. Wow imagine
that! :]

Cache is located on the front porch of a very geocaching friendly house. Great spot to be able to sit on the steps and enjoy trading and or discovering track-able items. There is also some great swag items for kids to enjoy trading.
Below are a couple of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes along with a short history lesson.

"Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose, Have you any feathers loose? Truly have I, pretty fellow, Half enough to fill a pillow. Here are quills, take one or
two, And down to make a bed for you."

"Old Mother Goose When she wanted to wander Would fly through the air On a very fine gander. Mother Goose had a house; It stood in the wood Where an owl at the door As sentinel stood."

The other Goose nursery rhymes content tends to fall into four instinct categories:

• The first category of Mother Goose nursery rhymes includes lullabies such as Rock a bye baby
• The second type of Mother Goose nursery rhymes was for
infant amusement and education where many of the counting and alphabet rhymes originate
• The third section of Mother Goose nursery rhymes would include riddles for example As I was going to St. Ives
• The fourth, lesser known, category of Mother Goose
Nursery Rhymes contains the Secret History of the Nursery Rhyme - reflecting the actual historical events and culture of the day and also used to spread subversive messages!

The words of the original Old Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme can be interpreted to find a darker meaning to the identity of ' Mother Goose'! The title ' Mother Goose ' probably originates from the 1600's - the time of the great witch hunts. Comparisons can be made between the Mother Goose in
the above children's poem and the popular conception of a witch during this era! ? Witches were able to fly ( the broomstick has been replaced by a goose, hence the name - Mother Goose ) ? A witch was often portrayed as an old crone ( with no man to defend her against accusations of witchcraft) ? Witches are closely associated with living alone ( house in the wood) ? Witches were known to a have 'familiars' (most often cats but also owls! Just like the modern wizard Harry Potter whose owl is called Hedwig!) ? The identity of the Mother Goose in the Nursery Rhymes was therefore a witch! Witches, Familiars and Nursery Rhymes! Animals like the Cat, Frog, Pig, Raven, Goat, Wolf, Goose, Crow, Bat and Mouse were believed to be the forms adopted by a Witches Familiar (an evil spirit, in animal form, who was used by the witch to perform evil deeds and cast malevolent spells). People were obsessed with
witches during the 16th and 17th centuries when there was limited understanding of the cause of devastating events, such as storms, drought and disease. The disasters were believed to be brought about by supernatural forces which resulted in scapegoats (witches) being blamed. A book called the 'Malleus Maleficarum' was published in 1486 as guide used for the torture and persecution of witches -
a best selling book of those times, only being out-sold by the Bible! Witchcraft was outlawed in England in 1563 and a Witchcraft Act was passed in 1604. The witchcraft hysteria grew and eventually led to the Parliamentary appointment of Matthew Hopkins as Witch finder General in 1644. His task was to seek out witches (he was vigorous in his work as he was said to have been paid twenty shillings for each witch he condemned!) During his interrogations he was guided by books like the 'Malleus Maleficarum' which stated that an animal Familiar “always works with the witch in everything” . Many Nursery Rhymes originated in the 16th and 17th centuries and the children of these era's would have been familiar (sorry about the pun!) with stories of witches and witchcraft. Just look at the image of Mother Goose portrayed a witch with her familiar (the goose)! Is it therefore just a coincidence that so many of the Nursery rhymes of the periods featured the Cat, Frog,
Pig, Goose, Raven, Goat, Wolf, Bat and Mouse?

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qhpx Qhpx TBBFR :]

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)