Don't Stop the Weaving Trivia Quiz

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.

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.

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!

Answer: Trolls

And these aren't your typical bridge trolls demanding to eat crossing goats. The trolls of Norse and Scandinavian folk tales are evil little guys. Shorter than humans and much uglier than most, trolls live in the wilderness, usually in caves, and only venture out at night. Sunlight will turn a troll to stone while lightning will frighten them out of their wits. For the most part, trolls strive to remain hidden but their brains seem to be dim enough not to notice a difference between any two things.

'Troll' also a very modern term for a person who goes out of their way to cause trouble. This derives from the troublesome nature of these creatures, of course.

Answer: Money

The story of the Tooth Fairy is often told by parents to their kids around the world. In Spain, France, and Scotland, the figure takes on the appearance of a mouse; in the Middle East, the rituals of the Tooth Fairy are more religious-- the tooth is offered to Allah.

In Finland, a troll (go figure) supposedly steals teeth by destroying them; he doesn't leave a dime. His name is Hammaspeikko. In many countries, when a child loses a baby tooth, they place it under their pillow and it's replaced with money.

The tale is often as famous as the stories of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny in Western culture.

Answer: Werewolf

Loup-garou is French for werewolf, a figure which dates all the way back to Ancient times in Greece. Transforming under the full moon, a werewolf is a shapeshifter capable of spreading its powers of lycanthropy through bites and scratches, though there have been dozens of other methods of becoming a werewolf in the past (wearing wolfskin, for example). In modern renditions of the were-tale, the creature is killed by silver bullets.

A similar creature is the Caribbean Lagahoo, a shapeshifter which can transform into nearly any other animal on a whim. Like the werewolf, the lagahoo is a ravenous, meat-eating creature.

Answer: Water

A combination between the Kelpies of Scotland and the Trolls of Scandinavia, the Japanese Kappa is a reptilian creature known for wreaking a bit of havoc around the water. The story of the Kappa was passed down over the years in order to warn children against the dangers below. As such, Kappas are associated with deaths at sea or in the cold lakes of the Japanese countryside.

An odd feature of the Kappa, however, is its occasional consideration of humans. If one is polite to a Kappa it will return the politeness, even going so far as to help Japanese countrymen with agriculture, errands, and medicine. The Kappa will always stay true to its vows.

Answer: Will-o'-the-wisp

The Will-o'-the-wisp is a ghostly figure known for its presence in the swamplands of the world. Storytellers associate the natural luminescence of swamp gases with ghostly lanterns used to pull people deeper into the dangers of the marsh, ultimately to their deaths. In India, it's called the Aleya; in Japan it's a Hitodama; the Amazon Rainforest is home to the Boi-tatá.

Will-o'-the-wisps transcend oral folktales as well; classical works by Dante, Romantic era poetry by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and even J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" allude to these phenomena, and while the settings of these works are fictional, they show the far reach of such a mystifying, dangerous apparition.

Answer: UK

The Red Cap is a creature said to inhabit the region in the north of England and the south of Scotland. Goblin-like in appearance, the Red Cap, like other small creatures with claws and red eyes, has a tendency to be an angry little critter. Why exactly? They require sustenance in the form of blood, almost like a vampire. Red Caps have characteristic red eyes.

The Red Cap has many variations around Europe, even within the UK. In Germany, for example, Kobolds are very similar in appearance. These creatures have found a great deal of popularity in video games specifically, mostly in fantasy-based role-playing games.

Answer: Bunyip

The Bunyip is quite the odd combination of ideas. Originally created (or seen?) by natives in Australia before the colonization of the island nation, the Bunyip is a mish-mash of different animal figures. Written and artistic renditions of the Bunyip feature everything from beaks and bills to flippers and tentacles. Some consider the Bunyip to be similar to a seal but those who claim to have seen it (or friends of friends who have) would state otherwise. Even fossils have led investigators to dead ends.

Despite these ambiguities however, Bunyips have been popular creatures for Aussies appearing in films, TV shows, and literature for over a hundred years.