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Fun Trivia : Barron, T. A. Encyclopedia FunTrivia

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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information

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Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

    Barron, T. A.

    At the front of the first book "The Lost Years Of Merlin" there are a few lines of a famous ballad, namely titled 'Of Arthour And Of Merlin'. What century was this ballad written (yes it is states there)?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Thirteenth. "He that made with his hond Wynd and water, wode and lond; Geve heom alle good endyng That wolon listne this talkyng..." A little confusing, this is a little of the ballad 'Of Arthour and Of Merlin' dated back to the thirteenth century. It is seen in the front of the first book of the series "The Lost Years of Merlin."

    Throughout the first book our hero, Merlin isn't called Merlin and instead is called by the name his mother gave him. What is that name?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Emrys. He is called Emrys even though he somehow doesn't feel it is his true name. At the end of the first book he dubs himself Merlin after his friend, a hawk. Merlin isn't his "true name" either (rather confusing) but what it is we will find out in the later books.

    Branwen (or Ellen of the sapphire eyes) has been accused of being a what in their small village?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Sorceress. Branwen (as she calls herself at first) is Merlin's mother and in their small village she has been accused of being a sorceress because she is a "healer". Although her son seems worried about that she herself brushes it off with "Yet they still come here to be healed."

    In trying to save Branwen, Merlin calls upon his power and commands a tree to crush the flames. He rescues his mother but the one who started the fire is trapped under the tree in the burning flames...who is this unfortunate person?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Dinatius. Dinatius had started to burn Branwen when Merlin caused the oak tree to fall ontop of the flames. Although she was rescued, the boy was trapped under the branches.

    Dinatius (the boy trapped in the flames by the tree Merlin caused to fall) gave out a "spine-shivering scream" causing Merlin to plunge into the "roaring flames" after him. That rescue cost Merlin what precious thing?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      His sight. The hot flames blinded Merlin and cast him into a realm of constant darkness. It affected his life so much he started to starve himself.

    Merlin was so depressed afterloosing his sight that he and his mother had a fight in which Branwen prayed to God to "restore his sight, even a little, even for a while..." Supposedly (I don't want to offend anyone out there so you decide for yourself) God heard her prayer and gave him the "second-sight" in return for what?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      His powers. The prayer Branwen uttered to God stated that if he were given his sight back "He will never use his powers again if that is what it takes!" Even though the promise had been made by her Merlin was so grateful for sight he decided to uphold it and never use his powers again.

    Merlin decides to leave his mother after he receives the second sight to look for his past. When he leaves Branwen she gives him two things...what are they?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      A satchel and the Galator. "This might help you live a little longer," his mother says as she put a satchel of herbs into his hand. Branwen also gives him her precious jewel tied with a leather cord; a token of high importance called the Galator.

    Merlin leaves home and sails across the sea. He lands on a foreign bank and to make a long story short he picks up a shell...in essence what does the shell do to him?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Tells him to beware. The voice inside this shell certainly isn't the sound of the ocean and it whispers in his ear to "bewaaare...bewaaare."

    Rhia, the girl of the Druma Wood befriends Merlin when he calls out to her "In the name of the Galator!" She starts to take him to her garden and on the way she is walking so terribly fast that Merlin states that she reminds him of which heroine in Greek mythology?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Atalanta. "You're like...Atalanta...a heroine...in a Greek legend...who could run...so fast...nobody could...catch her...until somebody...finally tricked her...with some...golden apples." Although he was panting hard to keep up with her, he managed to sum up the story of Atalanta for her since she reminded him of her.

    Not surprisingly, Rhia lives in a very old tree who she claims is part of her family. What is the tree's name?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Arbassa. Along with her other friend Cwen, Rhia makes her home in Arbassa. An interesting thing that is very important in the next of the Merlin novels is that on his way into Arbassa Merlin notices "intricately carved script that flowed over the inner walls."

    Rhia had a dream that the whole Druma was bleeding to death and she couldn't stop it. It upset her very much although her dream revealed that there was one person who could save it. Who does she think this person is? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Merlin. "A stranger came into the forest. A stranger who knew no one at all. He had some sort of power...and he, only he, could save the Druma." Merlin denys being her savior but eventally agrees to go on the quest with her to save the Druma.

    Merlin and Rhia join up with Shim (a rather short giant) and they drop in on the Grand Elusa (a huge and very hungry spider). To help them she recites a little prophecy of the flaw in the castle. A part in this ryhme states "Only when ________ make dance in the hall Shall every barrier crumble and fall." What needs to make dance for the Shrouded Castle to fall? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      giants. "Where in the darkness a castle doth spin, Small will be large, ends will begin. Only when GIANTS make dance in the hall Shall every barrier crumble and fall." The meaning of this will come true in the end although the three friends doubt it since they believe no giants are left.

    Merlin, Rhia and Shim are captured by goblins who strangely knew just where they were going and that Merlin held the Galator. The only way they could have known this is that someone betrayed them. Who was it? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Cwen. Cwen, the treeling betrayed them to the goblins because they promised to make her young again (she just ended with getting her hand cut off though). But they jumped into the River Unceasing and were swept from danger.

    Sadly, as soon as they get out of the river they are attacked by goblins again. This time Merlin is captured but a chapter later wakes up free...someone had taken his place in the sack the goblins had thrown him in, who made this sacrifice? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Rhia. Rhia took Merlin's place in the sack and the goblins carried her off to the Shrouded Castle. Shim goes along with Merlin not really to save the island but to rescue his friend even more.

    Merlin and Shim meet up with an old bard named Cairpre on their journey who gives Merlin some information about his past along with vital details about his quest. According to the bard, Stangmar isn't really the man in charge...who controls Stangmar? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Rhita Gawr. Rhita Gawr is the evil influence behind the king; he plays with Stangmar like a little puppet. Earlier we learned that Merlin had met up with a boar who had tried to kill him and this animal is now discovered to be the evil spirit Rhita Gawr.

    Merlin and Shim set out to find another person to help them. "She is neither good nor evil, friend nor foe. She simply is." What is this being's name? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Domnu. Merlin and Shim do perchance to find the lair of Domnu, who liking games of chance plays with him a weird sort of chess. They ask her for help to get to the Shrouded Castle and in return for a wager she agrees.

    Domnu in return for a wager gives Merlin and Shim a ride to the castle on what? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      A hawk. They are shrunken down to size and are given a ride on the back of Trouble, the hawk friend of Merlin's. After another almost near death experience they arrive at the castle.

    Rhia is found by Merlin, Shim and Trouble but they don't escape the castle then and instead come face to face with the evil king, Stangmar who in confonting Merlin, shocks him with the news that they are related. How are they related? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Father-Son. Stangmar introduces Merlin as "The last Treasure" who he says is his son.

    Even though Merlin is his son, Stangmar orders him thrown into what? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      The Cauldron of Death. In order to keep a promise to Rhita Gawr, Stangmar ordered Merlin thrown into the Cauldron of Death.

    As Rhia is about to be killed Merlin saves her by using his powers and making a sword fly to him. What is the sword's name? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Deepercut. Summoning his powers, Merlin orders Deepercut to fly off the wall and into his hand. Deepercut, a special sword has two sides, one can heal and the other can kill.

    Stangmar (after he was wounded with Deepercut) told Merlin that he had promised Rhita Gawr he would throw him in the cauldron to save whom? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Elen. It was a law in Fincayra that no one of human birth could be born on the island but Elen, Merlin's mother had done so. The law continued that the half human child would be exiled forever but the human parent would be thrown into the Cauldron. Stangmar, who loved Elen promised to thrown Merlin in instead if his wife was spared.

    Who gave his life to destroy Rhita Gawr?The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      Trouble. The hawk attacked the evil spirit and although the spirit smothered the bird as they both disappeared, Rhita Gawr was taken with him.

    Even though the castle was collapsing, Merlin managed to save what from being lost forever in the rubble? The Lost Years of Merlin Book One

      The remaining treasures. Shim helped him to bring out the rest of the precious treasures of Fincayra from certain destruction. They included the Caller of Dreams, Deepercut, The Orb of Fire, The Flowering Harp among others.

    What is the name of Merlin's giant friend?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Shim. Merlin meets a very unlikely friend, a small giant named Shim. He is part of an old legend and soon fulfills that legend, making him a giant when saving the lives of his friends. He is a good friend to Merlin through and through.

    What is Merlin’s father's name?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Stangmar. The Evil King (Stangmar) who is a follower of Rhita Gawr, is the father of Merlin and Rhia. He tried killing his son and then saved both him and Merlin's mother in the last book. I cried!

    What is the name of Merlin's poet friend?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Cairpré. Cairpré is his mentor and much more to him than that. He is a kind friend to Merlin. He holds him in high esteem as a close friend and one who took him in like a real father.

    What is the name of the sword which is part of the Treasures?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Deepercut. Deepercut has the power of showing your deepest emotions of whoever gets hurt from it. This was one of the Treasures found in The Shrouded Castle.

    What is the name of the land on which Merlin lands?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Fincayra. Fincayra a land in a "place between" as Merlin's mother says. I guess it's a land between life and death - a place in the mists.

    Where does Rhia reside after Merlin leaves Fincayra?The Lost Years of Merlin

      The Forgotten Island. Once Merlin is gone on his own adventure she stays on The Forgotten Island where Merlin planted a little seedling. (Hint Hint.)

    Where must Merlin and Hallia go through to get to the Mirror?The Lost Years of Merlin

      The Haunted Marsh. The eerie Haunted Marshes of Fincayra. Where ghouls run wild, and other things, which I dare not mention, live freely. I would certainly not like going through there!

    Who does Merlin find across the Mirror?The Lost Years of Merlin

      Himself. Himself!?! Yep, behind that Mirror is Merlin in his old age. He is with Arthur and gives a few hints to Merlin about his life to come. He is still his kind self and even kinder with Arthur around.

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