Piano Puzzle (School)
Location: Midwich Elementary, Music Room 2F
Requires: The Gold Medallion must be inserted into the Clock Tower for the piano key cover to be opened.
If you check the piano you're able to press a selection of keys, some which work and play a tune and some that are broken and sound like a thump. Let's turn to the riddle posted on the chalkboard to understand what we must do here:
'A Tale of Birds Without a Voice'
First flew the greedy Pelican,
Eager for the reward,
White wings flailing.
Then came a silent Dove,
Flying beyond the Pelican,
As far as he could.
A Raven flies in,
Flying higher than the Dove,
Just to show that he can.
A Swan glides in,
To find a peaceful spot,
Next to another bird.
Finally out comes a Crow,
Coming quickly to a stop,
Yawning and then napping.
Who will show the way,
Who will be the key,
Who will lead to
The silver reward.
So this riddle appears to describe the order that we must press a number of piano keys. Note that there are five birds, all known to be either black or white just like the keys of a piano. Let's review them just to be sure:
- Pelican = White
- Dove = White
- Raven = Black
- Swan = White
- Crow = Black
Note that some pelicans may be slightly grey with even some black flashes, but they are most commonly white and the one in this puzzle is specifically described as having white wings. Doves may also come in a slightly brown colour, and sometimes even referred to interchangeably with pigeons, but doves are more known as pure white birds.
Checking the piano, there are 12 keys in total, some working and some broken. You may first think you need to press the working keys in a certain order, but the first sentence of the riddle may have flown right over your head. "A Tale of Birds WITHOUT a Voice". You may also remember the Reception note that said:
A silver guidepost is
untapped in lost tongues.
Awakening at the ordained order.
Lost tongues, eh? And you may also notice that there are seven working keys and precisely five broken keys, the same number of birds in the riddle. And thus we have unlocked the first key to the puzzle. Don't say you weren't given enough clues cause they were all there if you paid any attention.
Now we must determine the order these five broken keys are pressed by reading the posted riddle. Let's get started.
First flew the greedy Pelican,
Eager for the reward,
White wings flailing.
So the Pelican, which clearly represents a white key with its "White wings", represents the first key to be pressed. "Eager for the reward" doesn't help us exactly situate it just yet, while "White wings flailing" suggests it probably didn't get too far. But we'll need to keep reading to be sure.
Then came a silent Dove,
Flying beyond the Pelican,
As far as he could.
This means the Dove, another white bird, takes the final broken white key on the right, key 10, as far beyond the Pelican as possible. Note that it being "silent" is just another hint to use the broken keys that have no voice. And with no other clue for left or right direction, we must assume beyond means farther right, as one would read a book or perhaps a music sheet. We'll still have to wait to exactly place the Pelican.
A Raven flies in,
Flying higher than the Dove,
Just to show that he can.
So the Raven, a black bird, one-ups the white Dove even further. Note the double or even triple entendre of "Flying higher", signalling a higher up black key while also applying to music and thus a key farther right. And while the Dove could only go as far as key 10, there is one broken black key just past it as key 11, which was obviously off limits to the Dove as a bird of the wrong shade.
A Swan glides in,
To find a peaceful spot,
Next to another bird.
And here's our final white bird. Since the Swan must sit beside another bird and is also white, it has to take key 8 beside the Dove in key 10, the only spot two broken keys sit directly next to each other. The fact that it's "a peaceful spot" should also clue you to that spot since the Dove, which sits beside it, is known as a symbol of peace. That also locks in the Pelican at key 3, which is the only remaining broken white key.
Finally out comes a Crow,
Coming quickly to a stop,
Yawning and then napping.
Our last bird the Crow just wants to nap and takes the first open key he can find to do so, which is key 2, the first broken and black key. And thus we are left with the following solution.
1. Pelican
2. Dove
3. Raven
4. Swan
5. Crow
Once correctly pressed, "The silver reward" (Silver Medallion) will drop from above the chalkboard. |
