Fruits of the Gods Trivia Quiz

Answer: China

The fruit of the cherry tree is held in high regard in many countries in Eastern Asia. To the Chinese, the cherry is symbolic of eternal life. In Japan, the cherry represents modesty, courtesy and femininity. In many Oriental countries it is customary to place carved cherry wood statues in front of homes to protect them and bring prosperity. Cherries of many types have been cultivated all around the world for many thousands of years.

There are some cultures that believe that a cherry orchard will have an abundant crop if the first ripe cherry is eaten by a woman that has just given birth to her first child.

Answer: The head of an eel

Coconuts have been vitally important to many tropical cultures around the world. In Tahiti, the first coconut is said to have come from the head of an eel named, believe it or not, Tuna! Hina, the goddess of the moon, fell in love with Tuna. Her brother Maui killed Tuna and instructed Hina to plant his head in the ground.

The very first coconut tree grew from the coconut that was inside the eel head. The coconut is symbolic of life, fertility, and birth, very possibly because of the physical resemblance of coconut milk to mother's milk.

Answer: Fig

For Buddhists, the fig tree is a symbol of enlightenment for its role during the enlightenment of Buddha. In the Christian Bible (Genesis 3:7), Adam and Eve are said to have used leaves to cover their nakedness, and these leaves are usually said to be fig leaves. Islamic versions of this story tell of two forbidden trees in the Garden of Eden. One was a fig tree and the other was an olive tree.

In Greek and Roman mythology, the fig is associated with the satyr Priapus, who symbolized sexual desire.

It is also associated with the god Bacchus (Dionysus to the Greeks) who symbolized drunkenness, madness and ecstasy.

Answer: Seneca

All of these tribes are located in the southwestern areas of the U.S. except the Seneca. This northern tribe esteemed the strawberry. Because it was one of the very first plants to blossom in spring, it symbolized birth and fertility. They believed it ensured good health, and that strawberries lined all paths to heaven and were consumed by those in heaven.

Answer: Pomegranate

The goddess Demeter was the protector of crops. When her daughter Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, the king of the underworld, Demeter refused to allow the crops of the earth to grow. With the world facing starvation, Zeus ordered Hades to let Persephone go. Before she left the underworld, Hades gave her a meal of pomegranate seeds. Once she had eaten these seeds when was fated to remain in the underworld for a part of every year.

It is at this time that the earth does not produce crops. Once she returns to her mother the earth produces grain, fruit, and flowers for those who inhabit the earth.

In other cultures, the many small seeds of the pomegranate give rise to the belief that this fruit is associated with marriage and fertility, and is often used in wedding ceremonies.

Answer: Blackberry

This legend states that blackberries that are still on the vine after Michaelmas Day should never be eaten, as they have been marked by the devil who has urinated on them. This legend is believed to have arisen because of a variety of molds that tend to grow on blackberries after the weather has cooled and turned wet.

Answer: Peach

According to Chinese Taoist mythology, the pantao was a peach that grew in a garden known as Xiwangmu. This peach was very rare and ripened only once every 3,000 years. It was believed that anyone who ate this peach was granted immortality.

Answer: Apple

According to Greek myth, Hercules stole some of the goddess Hera's apples for his 11th great labor. With the assistance of the giant, Atlas, he entered Hera's garden, and strangled the dragon standing guard. These apples were believed to be magical, were described as golden in color and were said to be as sweet as honey.

It was said that they were able to regenerate themselves if they were eaten. If thrown as a weapon they would always hit the target and would then return to the thrower. In both Celtic and Norse mythology, apples are a symbol of eternal youth and were considered to be a food of the gods.

Answer: True

At this time in history, ships sailing long distances would stop at tropical islands to pick up extra food and water. The problem with bananas was that the crates of bananas that could be bought at these locations were frequently full of snakes, spiders and rats. Ship captains starting circulating this rumor to protect their ships from infestation and within 30-40 years this myth had taken a firm hold in the mind of many European sailors.

Another more recent myth about the banana took place in the late 20th century when it was rumored that bananas were being genetically altered so that they grew straight instead of curved.

Many tropical cultures believed the banana to be an aphrodisiac, for obvious reasons.

Answer: False

The coffee bean is not a fruit. It is the pit inside the fruit of the coffee plant. It is not a bean, nor a fruit, but a seed. There is a lot of mythology about the coffee bean including modern urban myth, one of which is stated in this question.