Special Sub-Topic: Great Legends Click Here To Play: Great Legends

According to legend, this imprisoned leader was inspired by a spider to 'try, try and try again' to secure independence for his country.

Robert Bruce. The story holds that Bruce, while in prison, watched a spider repeatedly try to climb a wall and fail - just as Bruce had repeatedly failed in his attempts to secure independence for Scotland from England. The spider tried again - and succeeded, thus inspiring Bruce to do the same. Bruce was real enough, but was the spider?

Legend has it that William Tell became a hero by resisting tyranny. What was the name of the tyrant that he opposed?

Gessler. Forced to shoot an arrow off his son's head, this expert archer took out two arrows. He told Gessler that if he had missed once, he would not have missed a second time (meaning the second arrow was intended for Gessler). It appears to be legend only; the existence of a great archer named Tell is not substantiated.

There is a colorful legend surrounding the 'Flying Dutchman' ship. Where did it sink?

Africa, near the Cape of Good Hope. It was apparently a real ship that went down several centuries ago in a storm around the Cape of Good Hope at the tip of Africa. They say that you can still see it there on a stormy night ...

Speaking of a 'dutchman', the 'Lost Dutchman Mine' may - or may not - exist. Where is it believed to be?

Southwest U.S.. Jacob Waltz may have made a big strike in the middle part of the 19th century in Arizona's Superstition Mountains. Everyone has looked for it since. Is it real? If so, where is it? No one knows. The secrets - such as they were - died with Waltz.

According to Arthurian legend, which is NOT true?

Arthur's key allies were Morgan Le Fay and Modred. The story of Arthur, Camelot, Lancelot, the Round Table, Merlin, Galahad, Gawain and all the rest are embellishments - or outright fictions. Modred and Morgan Le Fay were enemies.

Which is NOT true of Atlantis?

Its truth or falsity has been decisively established. Plato discussed it in 'Critias' and 'Timaeus'. Cayce predicted its reappearance - that might have happened. Another theory says that it was located at the Greek island of Santorini (Thera).

Robin Hood is one of the most famous and most enduring legends. Who were the feuding brothers who wanted the throne of England at the time?

John and Richard. There is no evidence of a benevolent Sherwood Forest outlaw.

Roswell may have been the site of the most famous legend of modern time: the crash of a UFO. How did the government first try to deny the event?

They said it was a weather balloon. The first story was the weather balloon story. Give me a break: there are too many people who saw something unusual.

The 'eleusinian mysteries' are associated with what ancient culture?

Greece. What 'exactly' went on? It's uncertain.

It is said that this substance may have special powers for healing (and for other uses, too).

Crystal. Crystal gazers (and crystal balls) have been around for a long time.