World Myth Trivia

1. With which natural phenomenon are foxes associated in northern Finland?

From Quiz Fox Haunting

Answer: Aurora borealis, or Northern Lights

The Finnish word for 'Northern Lights' is 'revontulet', which means 'foxes' fire'. In the folklore of northern Finland and Lapland, Tulikettu the firefox was a legendary giant fox who lived in the north, and it was every hunter's dream to catch him, as catching him would make them rich. However, he could not be caught because he was as fast as the wind. When Tulikettu ran through the snow, his fur touching the snow would create sparks, which became the Northern Lights. There's some truth in the myth - in freezing cold weather, when the air is dry, a fox's fur can become electrified and create tiny sparks.

From Quiz There Are Diamonds Dancin' in the Sky

Answer: Tanabata

Talk about star-crossed lovers! If you're a fan of the manga 'Bleach', you might associate the name Orihime with Ichigo Kurosaki's eccentric friend with fairies in her hair clips. 'Bleach' writer Tite Kubo named his heroine after the legendary weaver associated with Vega, the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra. Together with Altair and Deneb, Vega forms part of the Summer Triangle. Tanabata was introduced to Japan by the Empress Kouken in 755 and was based on the Chinese festival of Qixi. The festival increased in popularity during the Edo period (between 1603 and 1867), when the custom of writing wishes on strips of paper arose. The main story behind the Tanabata festival bears similarities to the Chinese folktale of the cowherd and the weaver girl; in the most popular version has Orihime, the daughter of Tentei (the Sky King), weaved clothes for her father, but she was sad and lonely because she spent too much time working to meet anyone. Tentei introduced her to Hikoboshi, a cowherd who lived on the other side of the Amanogawa River (aka the Milky Way), and the two fell in love at first sight; however, Orihime stopped weaving clothes and Hikoboshi let his cattle wander, so Tentei forbid the couple from seeing each other. Orihime cried and begged her father to reconsider, so Tentei made a compromise: if Orihime worked hard, she could see Hikoboshi on the seventh day of the seventh month. The first time they tried to meet, there was no bridge over the Amanogawa, and when Orihime cried, her tears summoned a flock of magpies, who made a bridge. Thus, when Vega and Altair can be seen in the sky, it means Orihime and Hikoboshi are meeting.

From Quiz Fascinating Mythology from the Ryukyuan Isles

Answer: Shirumichu & Amamichu

The legends differ about Shirumichu and the goddess Amamichu. In its basic form, the pair were instructed to descend from the heavens and build the island of Ryukyu, which, today, is Okinawa. They created the soil and the stones and then they added the flowers and the trees. So satisfied with their work they decided to live there as humans. Over time they raised five children with the eldest being declared king. The next two in line were established as warrior and priest. The fourth child was made a chief priest and a small village was granted to the youngest child to look after. With this arrangement they established the model that Okinawans would live by. This question was constructed by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19, who designed his own badge to read "god" but accidentally spelled it backwards.

From Quiz Gods and Pumas and Eggs, Oh My!

Answer: Viracocha

Viracocha, also known as Kon-Tiki and Apu Qun Tiqsi Wiraqutra, was an Inca creator god who created the universe, sun, moon, stars, and humanity itself, which he carved out of stone. He was depicted as wearing the sun for a crown and carrying thunderbolts. Inti, the god of the sun, and Mamaquilla, the goddess of the moon, were his children. His early creations were giants, but he was dissatisfied with them and broke them, and made smaller people instead. When the people started to forget Viracocha, he became angry and killed them, either by turning them into stone, drowning them with a massive flood, or making the ground swallow them; however, he spared three people so they could help him start again. He made a new set of people and animals and sent them out in the world, and traveled the world to see how they were getting on. In the village of Cacha, the people did not recognise him, so he set the village on fire. When the people panicked and promised to worship him, he stopped the fire but let one hill burn as a reminder. Viracocha finally went down to the ocean and told his people that he would be leaving them, but that he would send a messenger to watch over them, and walked away into the sea (hence the name 'Viracocha', which means 'sea spray').

From Quiz Figures from Celtic Folklore

Answer: Bran

Also known as Bran the Blessed, this hero also shares the name of the God of Regeneration, Bran Fendigaid. "Bran" means crow or raven in Welsh. He was so large that he was able to walk from Britain to Ireland while his forces sailed, when Bran's sister was in distress. Mortally wounded fighting the Irish, Bran tells the Welsh survivors of the battle to bury his head at the site of modern London, where it protects the island until disinterred later by King Arthur. Caradoc, also called Caradoc Vreichvras (Caradoc Strongarm), is an ancestor of the kings of Gwent (part of Wales). He is also known as a knight of Arthur's Roundtable. Taliesin is a great poet of Celtic Britain. Tanith is an ancient goddess of Carthage. Her name has also been used for several fantasy literary characters.

From Quiz Lesser Gods

Answer: Aurora

This name was shared by the princess in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". Ovid described this goddess as being forever young. Vesta, Minerva, and Juno are all other goddesses of the Romans.

From Quiz Myths and Legends of Scotland

Answer: Horse

Not to be confused with the Australian dog of the same name, the mythical kelpie is believed to inhabit many of the rivers and lochs of Scotland. It normally appears as a white horse and anyone who rides on it is doomed to die by drowning. The giveaway is that its mane continues to be wet, even when the rest of the horse is dry. Although it can take human form, the kelpie continues to have hooves, another sign of its origins.

From Quiz Genie Myths and Lore

Answer: Smokeless fire

Jinn are somewhat demonic creatures with free will. Sometimes the word jinn is interchangeably used with demon. The word jinn loosely means "to hide" referring to the fact that humans cannot see them, but genies can see humans.

From Quiz Giant Apes?

Answer: big elder brother

Often depicted as having dark reddish or dark brown hair, Bigfoot is also notable for its large eyes, well-developed supraorbital ridges and massive forehead. Footprints, left by this breather, are 60 cm long and 20 cm wide.

From Quiz A World Full of Myths

Answer: Bunyip

The Australian Aboriginals considered the bunyip an evil creature that lived in waterways, swamps, lakes and the like. The bunyip made terrible, frightening howls and would lay in wait for humans and animals to come too close to the water and then they would jump out and eat them. The Aboriginals avoided any water place where they thought a bunyip might be. There is some evidence that these creatures may have existed but most Australians believe it to be a myth.

From Quiz C'mon Baby, Light My Fire!

Answer: Volcanoes

Like a lot of mythical beings, Chantico had to pull double duty. She was the Aztec goddess of fires in the family home and of volcanoes. Aztec men would often pray to her before going into battle, so that upon their return they would still find their home fires burning. Chantico once angered the fertility god, Tonacatecuhtli, as she ate fish with paprika. The use of the spice was not allowed to break fasting rituals, and she was turned into a dog. This question was created by Phoenix Rising member zonko.

From Quiz Japanese Mythology - Gods to Men

Answer: He gets it drunk on sake

As mentioned in my previous quiz ("Japanese Mythology - The Creation"), there is much variation between sources. While some say that Susano was banished to the Underworld by his sister Amaterasu (goddess of the Sun), others say that Susano was simply banished from heaven and lived for a while on Earth. It was shortly after his banishment that Susano encountered the elderly couple, who told him that they once had eight daughters. Seven had been devoured by the dragon, Yamata-no-Orochi, and this serpent was soon to return to claim their eighth and final daughter, Kushinada-hime. Susano agreed to help in return for Kushinada-hime's hand in marriage, which was granted. The elderly couple brewed a strong sake on the orders of Susano, and the group waited for the dragon to arrive and devour the sake (according to Japanese mythology, no serpent can resist sake!). Once the inebriated dragon had collapsed, Susano cut him to pieces with his sword, and the blood which flowed turned the water of the Hii River red. This tale is similar in many ways to the story of Perseus and Andromeda in Greek mythology, though, granted, the idea of saving a damsel in distress from a monster is not unique to this story. Perhaps more uniquely similar is the story of how King Lludd of Britain filled a pit with mead in order to subdue the white dragon and the red dragon, whose war had caused much pain and suffering. Another time when alcohol came to the rescue in mythology is when the goddess of war and destruction in Egyptian mythology - Sekhmet - mistook beer for blood and became drunk, turning her into the more pacified deity, Hathor.

From Quiz Japanese Mythology - The Creation

Answer: Heavy particles sunk to form Earth, while lighter particles stayed on top to form the heavens

As is often the case in creation myths, there was no initial order to the universe in Japanese mythology. The stories of the beginning of the universe in this culture are ambiguous and inconsistent, much like Egyptian mythology (and to a lesser extent Norse and Greek mythology). Nevertheless, the idea of heavy particles forming the Earth and light particles forming the sky/heaven are often included in the re-tellings of Japan's mythology, and these are sometimes linked to Yin and Yang respectively, thus highlighting the influence of Shintoism on what were originally folktales used to explain nature.

From Quiz Hawai'ian Mythology

Answer: Kane

Kane was the creator. In some versions Kane alone breathed life into the first man and in others it was three gods together, but man was made in Kane's image. He was one of the more important gods.

From Quiz Gods and Goddesses of Japanese Myth

Answer: Kami

"Kami" or "Gami" literally means God, deity, spirit. "Shinigami" means Death God or Soul Reaper as in "Bleach" manga. As for "Tenshi", it means angel. "Tianzhu" is the Chinese word for God.

From Quiz Outstanding Ovarian Ogres of Old

Answer: Harpy

The Harpy was believed to look like a large bird, complete with claws, feathers, and wings but also had the head of an old woman. Their feathers could not be pierced by a man-made arrow and served as a coat of armor. While flying, the Harpy would swoop down and snatch up humans and carry them to the underworld. It was believed that you could tell when a Harpy had been near because of the stench they left behind.

From Quiz The Animals of Mesoamerican Myths

Answer: A long-tailed bird

Though originally a Nahuatl word, quetzal has come to be the common name of these beautiful colorful birds. Because they were held sacred to Quetzalcoatl their long tail feathers were used as a currency. Quetzalcoatl was originally believed to be a god of the Teotihuacan culture or possibly the Toltec empire. He was also related to the Mayan Kulkulcan. Since the Aztecs acquired much of their myths and culture from the Toltecs, he also became a major Aztec god.

From Quiz Japanese Mythology II

Answer: Shichifukujin

"Bosatu and Butsu" are sacred beings specifically from Japanese Buddhism, whereas Shinto gods, or kami, are from native Japanese mythology. Amatsukami are "heavenly kami" which rule over the celestial realms, while the "earthy kami", or kunitsukami, guard the country and the emperors. In Shinto mythology "obake" are angry ghosts who are vengeful spirits. It is believed that they were wronged in their lives or died in dishonorable circumstances.

From Quiz Australian Mythical Creatures and Cryptids

Answer: Animals, young children and women

One thing I find a little odd about the majority of Bunyip sightings, is that they were spotted by men walking home late at night (or early in the morning) from parties. These men were all quite drunk...

From Quiz Wee Scottish Beasties

Answer: Plesiosaur

The Plesiosaur is the only one of the options that would have spent its time in the water. Nessie also has a sister that resides in Loch Morar, called Morag. Theories on how they manage to keep the race of plesiosaurs going include a tunnel connecting the two lochs. Some of the more obscure appearances of the monster include the TV cartoon "The Family-Ness" and a "Nessie card" in the computer game "Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase."

From Quiz The Tales of Wales

Answer: A pig

Henwen is known for her strange offspring, giving birth to a grain of barley, three grains of wheat, a wolf pup, and three bees. The wheat and the bees were left in Gwent, and are said to be the reason for this county's fine honey and wheat.

From Quiz Slavic and Russian Mythology, Legend, and Folklore

Answer: bees

Not only is Zosim the Slavic god of bees, but he is also the god of mead.

From Quiz Layla and Majnun

Answer: The Middle East

Most sources agree Layla and Majnun lived on the Arabian Peninsula in the Umayyad era during the seventh century. Several versions (some say over a hundred) of the story were adapted into tales, legends, and songs by Persian and Turkish writers. The best known version was written by the twelfth century Persian poet, Nizami Ganjavi, who consolidated all of the stories into one poem.

From Quiz Kenya: Her Tales and Her People

Answer: Sun braved terrifying sights to woo a pretty bride, while Moon ran away.

In this narrative, Moon is the older brother, and he loves the pretty girl very much. However, the pretty girl lives deep in a frightening jungle, and Moon runs away in fear from illusions rising from an enchanted pond. Sun stands his ground, and the pretty girl claims him for her husband with her father's blessing. When Sun returns home with his new bride, Moon tries to kill him out of jealousy. Their mother stops him, however, and curses him to be forever smaller, dimmer, and afraid to come out in daytime.

From Quiz Prince Madoc

Answer: Civil unrest

After the death of his Father in 1169 Prince Madoc became entangled in the fight for power. Being a peaceful man he decided to set sail for more peaceful shores.

From Quiz Some Folks from Russian Folklore

Answer: Perun

Perun was the embodiment of thunder and war. Some evidence suggests that Svagrog, the keeper of fire, was actually head of the Russian pantheon, but this is not reflected in the "Primary Chronicle".

From Quiz Filipino Mythical Creatures

Answer: kapre

I wonder if the kapre has ever heard of lung cancer? He's usually depicted as a hairy naked giant sitting in a tree smoking a cigar. In fact the first indication that he's in the neighborhood is the glowing tip of his cigar. That, and the clouds of smoke arising from it!

From Quiz Ancient 'Poem of Aqhat'

Answer: Canaanite

The ancient Canaanites are also known to us today as the Phoenicians or Phoenikes (a Greek word meaning purple/red). The Phoenicians were a seagoing people who created settlements in various places around the Mediterranean, most famously in Carthage. The Romans transliterated the word Phoenikes to poenus, from whence we get the term 'punic' to describe the Carthage!

From Quiz Myths and Legends of Lithuania

Answer: Dievas

'Dievas' has a common root with the words of this meaning in many IndoEuropean languages. For example, latin 'deos', or 'devi' in Hindi. The goddess would be 'Deive'.

From Quiz Mayan Myth

Answer: Sacred text

Written in the sixteenth century, the "Popol Vuh" is a narrative that recounts the history and the mythology of the Quiche (also recorded as K'iche') peoples, Mayas that inhabited the areas around Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and the areas of Mexico encompassed by the states of Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo. Apart from their natural history the "Popol Vuh" details the creation of the world and the issues that the gods had in creating human beings - they stumbled on maize after their efforts with mud and wood failed. It also chronicles the lives of their hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque, two important cultural figures of the Maya. What could be seen as an equivalent of the Yucatan Maya was the "Chilam Balam" (Secrets of the Soothsayers), which was written during the 1600s.

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Last Updated Apr 22 2024 10:59 AM

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