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Fables and Folklore Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Fables and Folklore Quizzes, Trivia

Fables and Folklore Trivia

Fables and Folklore Trivia Quizzes

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Folk lore refers to the oral traditions of a society, which are often passed down virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Quizzes about traditions which have been written down by collectors can be found in the Literature category.
18 quizzes and 185 trivia questions.
1.
  Don't Stop the Weaving   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Throughout history, different cultures have spun folk tales, enriching their societies with fictitious oral stories. This quiz will take a look at ten different countries' folk tales and prove why they shouldn't stop weaving oral tales.
Average, 10 Qns, kyleisalive, Dec 06 11
Average
kyleisalive editor
5433 plays
2.
  Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long-Legged Beasties   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night, good Lord deliver us." (Old Cornish prayer.) What do you know about the good, the bad and the ugly faeryfolk?
Difficult, 10 Qns, Cymruambyth, Jan 31 09
Difficult
Cymruambyth gold member
3093 plays
3.
  PDAZ and the Mysterious Mandrake editor best quiz   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
PDAZ's attempts to snag George Clooney have failed miserably, and thanks to the restraining order, her options have been severely limited. She's ready to call it a day and settle for Vince Vaughn when she learns about a plant with mythical powers.
Average, 10 Qns, PDAZ, Sep 04 09
Average
PDAZ gold member
1788 plays
4.
  Swallow Your Pride and the Consequences   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
In fables and folktales, invariably, someone learns a lesson or moral the hard way. Can you determine the moral from these fables by the renowned fabulist Aesop?
Average, 10 Qns, reedy, May 26 12
Average
reedy gold member
1176 plays
5.
  Great Legends    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here are some of the great legends that have come down to us.
Average, 10 Qns, robert362, Feb 06 23
Average
robert362
Feb 06 23
6176 plays
6.
  What's Your Elemental IQ?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Elementals are mythological beings whose origins trace back before the days of written history. How many can you identify?
Average, 10 Qns, CmdrK, Oct 03 13
Average
CmdrK gold member
1186 plays
7.
  Banshees, Boggarts, and Kelpies   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
15 questions on creatures and people from the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.
Average, 15 Qns, ironikinit, Feb 27 15
Average
ironikinit
3292 plays
8.
  The Wee Folk    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about Hobgoblins, Brownies, Portunes, Leprechauns, and all manners of inhabitants of the Faerie Realm. Have fun!
Tough, 10 Qns, LindaC007, Feb 27 15
Tough
LindaC007
3551 plays
9.
  There Are Fairies At The Bottom Of My Garden    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden? And, if so, what kind are they?
Average, 10 Qns, Flamis, May 26 22
Average
Flamis
May 26 22
819 plays
10.
  Will the Real Robin Hood Please Stand Up?   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Here's a quiz on the myths and legends of Robin Hood: heroic heroes, and villainous villains.
Tough, 10 Qns, Englizzie, May 17 10
Tough
Englizzie
1036 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Who is the cannibal hag said to be the reason Leicestershire cottages have small windows, so that she could only get an arm inside?

From Quiz "Banshees, Boggarts, and Kelpies"




11.
  Appalachian Folklore    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The Appalachian Mountains have been the birthplace of many wives' tales and much folklore. See how much you know about folk wisdom.
Tough, 10 Qns, apologetic_cynic, May 15 22
Tough
apologetic_cynic
May 15 22
2954 plays
12.
  A Tooth on the Looth   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz about the origins of the tooth fairy.
Tough, 10 Qns, kino76, Mar 18 17
Tough
kino76 gold member
218 plays
13.
  Animal Folklore and Myths of Britain   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Many creatures feature prominently in the folklore of the British Isles, so here's a few questions about some of our rather strange beliefs over the years.
Difficult, 10 Qns, rattleheaduk, Nov 27 06
Difficult
rattleheaduk
2119 plays
14.
  Faerie Lore Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz on faerie lore, the stuff people actually believed.
Tough, 10 Qns, Vwondola, Mar 29 13
Tough
Vwondola
2585 plays
15.
  Scottish Folklore    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Scottish history is full of all kinds of strange myths and legends. Test your knowledge or just educate yourself on the numerous Scottish beasties.
Tough, 10 Qns, mehdi, Sep 12 09
Tough
mehdi
1291 plays
16.
  Trinidad Folklore    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A glimpse of Caribbean folklore and all its spooks.
Average, 10 Qns, grabs, Aug 10 17
Average
grabs
Aug 10 17
1217 plays
17.
  Bad Faeries    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about faeries found in "Good faeries, bad faeries" by Brian Froud. If you like it, check out my "Good faeries" quiz!
Tough, 10 Qns, basilikus, Apr 27 23
Tough
basilikus
Apr 27 23
1182 plays
18.
  Good Faeries    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is on some of the faeries and faerie companions found in Brian Froud's "Good faeries, bad faeries". Enjoy!
Difficult, 10 Qns, basilikus, Jun 26 07
Difficult
basilikus
1102 plays
Related Topics
  Fables [Entertainment] (9 quizzes)

  Fables and Fairy Tales [Literature] (62 quizzes)

  Grimm [For Children] (5 quizzes)


Fables and Folklore Trivia Questions

1. In American folk tales, what giant lumberjack was accompanied by a blue ox named Babe?

From Quiz
Don't Stop the Weaving

Answer: Paul Bunyan

American folklore and tall tales usually relate to the founding of the nation and independence. Paul Bunyan is a unique figure because he actually originated in Canada. The Bunyan figure ended up moving southward around the time of independence and made its way from oral story to paper at the turn of the twentieth century. Bunyan is the ideal figure for a tall tale. Unrealistically tall and followed by a giant blue ox, Bunyan is said to have carved out the Grand Canyon and formed parts of the Cascades. Many statues of Bunyan can be found all around the western and central United States from California to Michigan and everywhere in between.

2. PDAZ hears about mandrakes and naturally assumes they are male ducks. However, they are plants with legendary roots. What is one possible source of their scientific name "mandragora"?

From Quiz PDAZ and the Mysterious Mandrake

Answer: It's Ancient Greek for "harmful to cattle".

Most sources list Ancient Greek as the source of the term, but the meaning is unclear. It has also been suggested that the name is derived from the name of a Greek physician or that the term "mandragora" is a corruption of Persian or Sanskrit words related to the plant. Another theory is that it is a combination of "man" and "dragon"; this theory may have some substance since "drake" is an archaic word for "dragon". As for the "harmful to cattle" allegation, all parts of the plant are toxic (although sources vary on the potency of the toxins) so grazing on it is not recommended.

3. Lets start with a creature that everyone knows, the Mermaid. Scottish mermaids are different from the stereotypical mermaid; do you know the difference?

From Quiz Scottish Folklore

Answer: They are human in shape but covered with silvery scales.

Scottish mermaids, unlike other mermaids, do not sing to lure sailors to their doom, but they are noted for their lovely singing.

4. The aughisky of Ireland were similar to the each uisge of Highland folklore. Both were water creatures that could take the form of land animals, but an aughisky could be caught and tamed by humans. What form did they take on land?

From Quiz Banshees, Boggarts, and Kelpies

Answer: horses

Catching an aughisky would gain the person a fine mount, but if the creature came within sight or sound of the sea again, there would be trouble as the aughisky would gallop into the sea, rider and all. The each uisge, on the other hand, would take the form of a horse and offer itself to be ridden. If someone did, it would race into the water and eat the rider. Amphibious spirits that take the form of horses are generally called kelpies.

5. Which faery makes an appearance at moments of poetic remembrance?

From Quiz Good Faeries

Answer: Oboe faery

6. A period of unusually warm weather following the first frost in autumn is called what?

From Quiz Appalachian Folklore

Answer: Indian Summer

Although this phenomenon is uncomfortable, it is actually called Indian Summer.

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

From Quiz Great Legends

Answer: Robert Bruce

The story holds that Bruce, hiding in a cave while on the run, 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?

8. What is the name of the wailing fae whose cries foretell death in a household?

From Quiz Faerie Lore Quiz

Answer: Bean Sidhe (Banshee)

She spent all her time washing the blood-stained clothing of the dead. I'd be wailing, too.

9. In Medieval Europe, children were advised to burn their teeth for two reasons. The first was so that they did not spend their afterlife trying to locate their teeth and what was the second?

From Quiz A Tooth on the Looth

Answer: Fear of witches

Due to superstitions about witches being able to control you upon obtaining a piece of your body (tooth, fingernail, hair), children in Medieval Europe would throw their milk teeth into a fire. Fear of witches was rife in early Europe and spread well into the Middle Ages. By 1450 it had turned into a fear-filled frenzy which lasted over 200 years and culminated in a slew of witch trials.

10. All the Germanic peoples have heard of me. Some thought they saw me as a dragon, others saw a water spirit that you might call a mermaid. Do you know my name?

From Quiz What's Your Elemental IQ?

Answer: nixie

Nixies are often thought of as being shapeshifters, so one could appear as a dragon or a mermaid. There are also similar figures in England and Scandinavia. A nixie named Melusine, seen in some German coats of arms, is depicted as a mermaid

11. Scottish folklore includes the figure of a particular 'monster' dwelling in a lake in the Highlands. In what lake does this creature, derived from tales of Scottish Kelpies, reside?

From Quiz Don't Stop the Weaving

Answer: Loch Ness

The Loch Ness Monster has been a part of Scottish folklore for centuries and while its size, shape, and species has varied from several different accounts, one thing can be said for certain: people don't know if it's real. Though much debate has been held over the years as to what 'Nessie' actually is, early storytellers considered the monster to be a variation of the Scottish Kelpie, a creature which could haunt Scottish lakes and eat children. Although 'Nessie' is a monster, many attempts have been made over the years to make the creature friendly in film. The Loch Ness Monster's existence is still highly debated.

12. Initially, PDAZ has little interest in mandrakes as the first thing she reads about them is that they have medicinal properties. For what purpose did early doctors use the root?

From Quiz PDAZ and the Mysterious Mandrake

Answer: As an anesthetic for surgery

The Greek physician Dioscorides described mandrakes as being "given to those who are going to be cut or burnt (cauterized) and wish to have anesthesia". This property of mandrakes has a basis in truth. Being a member of the nightshade family, the roots contain a narcotic alkaloid. Mandrake was used to treat a wide variety of ailments including melancholy, rheumatism and convulsions. In large doses, it was alleged to cause madness and delirium, which earned it one of its nicknames, "Satan's Apple". Conversely, it was also alleged to be useful in treating demonic possession. PDAZ interprets this to mean that, if a large dose resulted in madness and delirium, the symptoms were treated with another dose...

13. Tradition accuses which bird of not wearing full mourning at the Crucifixion?

From Quiz Animal Folklore and Myths of Britain

Answer: The Magpie

Often perceived as a bird of ill-omen, in Scotland it is said that the Magpie carries a drop of the devil's blood underneath its tongue. Many people (myself included!) still salute or tip an imaginary hat to magpies even to this day.

14. According to legend the west of England was infested with nasty little creatures who committed all kinds of crimes. What were they called?

From Quiz Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long-Legged Beasties

Answer: Spriggans

Spriggans were malicious little creatures, well-known for their criminal behaviour. They were known to blight crops, destroy fields of corn, rob the homes of humans and kidnap human babies (leaving an ugly little Spriggan in the baby's cradle). They had the ability to puff themselves up to enormous size, and they must have been a terrifying sight. They were also footpads, waylaying travellers and robbing them. Spriggans were, however, trusted by their fellow faeryfolk to guard the faery gold buried in the hills of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

15. Bad faeries love to steal a human _________, substituting a changeling in its place.

From Quiz Bad Faeries

Answer: baby

Protection can be gained by reciting an incantation or carrying Saint John's Wort or daisy chains.

16. From whose hands pour the wise waters of faeryland?

From Quiz Good Faeries

Answer: The White Lady

By rinsing your eyes in the faery well, you open the eyes of your soul to see clearly into other levels of consciousness.

17. Similar to question 1, what is a period of unusually cool weather in late spring or early summer called?

From Quiz Appalachian Folklore

Answer: Blackberry Winter

Blackberry Winter generally is not freezing weather. It usually just a period of cooler than usual weather.

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

From Quiz Great Legends

Answer: 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.

19. How do you recognise a La Diablesse?

From Quiz Trinidad Folklore

Answer: one cow hoof

She is very beautiful, dressed in French Creole clothing.

20. What is the name of the mischievous sprite made popular by William Shakespeare?

From Quiz Faerie Lore Quiz

Answer: Puck

He is a character in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'

21. References in the "Eddas" (Medieval Icelandic literary works) suggest that traditions of money for tooth transactions took place in what is now known as Scandinavia. What were these transactions referred to as?

From Quiz A Tooth on the Looth

Answer: Tooth fee

The tooth fee or tand-fé was an old Norse tradition mentioned in the "Eddas" in the 13th century. This was money which was paid to children on the loss of their first milk tooth. Today the Norwegian tooth fairy is known as "Tannfe". The Norwegian tradition differs from the conventional idea of leaving your tooth under your pillow, in that Norwegian children leave their tooth in a glass of water on the nightstand. This is to aid the tooth fairy to see the tooth clearly instead of rooting around under pillows.

22. In the Alps, the Krampus is a creature known to accompany which famous saint?

From Quiz Don't Stop the Weaving

Answer: St. Nicholas

Krampus is a figure from tales of myth and legend in the Alps (Switzerland, Austria, Germany, etc.) known for being somewhat of a fiend and a demon. While St. Nicholas hands out presents for Christmas, the Krampus punishes naughty children...almost as though Santa only does half the job. Krampus appears in the weeks before Christmas. While the figure of Krampus predates Christianity, groups of people in some regions still include it in their traditions-- some even dress up and roam their towns annually. Krampus isn't the only one to accompany St. Nicholas though; other folk tales from this area speak about the furry Belsnickel and the seemingly-vengeful Knecht Ruprecht, a figure who either rewards good children with food or beats naughtier kids. Yikes!

23. PDAZ's interest in mandrakes is piqued when she learns that one of its numerous nicknames is the "Love Apple". Why does it have this nickname?

From Quiz PDAZ and the Mysterious Mandrake

Answer: It's alleged to be an aphrodisiac.

The mandrake's reputation as an aphrodisiac has also resulted in it being called "Aphrodite's Plant" and "Circe's Plant". It was alleged to be used in this capacity by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, among other cultures. Apparently, this benefit is also known to elephants; legend has it that they consume mandrakes for this purpose.

24. In the middle ages, on days when sunshine and rain coincided, what was said to be happening?

From Quiz Animal Folklore and Myths of Britain

Answer: Foxes were getting married

Strange but true. Foxes were long associated with witchcraft and trickery and in Lincolnshire it was well known that their bite was always fatal.

25. The Kelpie is another obscure Scottish tale. This fabulous immortal beast is to be avoided at all cost. But do you know what everyday animal the Kelpie looks like?

From Quiz Scottish Folklore

Answer: A Horse

The Kelpie looks like a noble stallion with a glossy coat. It appears to have a placid nature and can be found next to rivers and lochs. The Kelpie seems almost to invite the weary traveler to ride upon its back but if you do it will ride into the loch then drown and devour you (a common theme in Scottish folklore!).

26. Which benevolent hobgoblins (or goblins, or elves, depending on the source), called bwca in Wales and bodach in the Highlands, are said to be invisible to disbelieving adults?

From Quiz Banshees, Boggarts, and Kelpies

Answer: brownie

Brownies were helpful little men, hairy, naked and rough. They would help out around the house if given a regular ration of good quality food. Spying on them (er, who'd want to spy on little naked hairy dudes?), criticizing their work, and giving them inappropriate gifts (such as clothing) would drive them away.

27. Any unaccountable bruising can be attributed to this faery.

From Quiz Bad Faeries

Answer: pixie pincher

28. Science teaches us the four elements are earth, air, fire, and water. What's the fifth element of faery?

From Quiz Good Faeries

Answer: moonlight

29. Mountain lore says that if a fire makes a sound like someone walking, or if the smoke travels down the side of the chimney and clings to the ground, then the weather will do what soon?

From Quiz Appalachian Folklore

Answer: It will snow soon.

The sound made by the fire is called "tramping". It supposedly sounds like a man crunching through the snow. Also a ring of light encircling the moon is an indication of precipitation soon. The ring is caused by moonlight refracting off of ice crystals in the cold air. If you count the stars inside the ring, that is the number of days until the precipitation arrives. This actually works!

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