An Odd Couple - The Owl and the Pussycat Quiz

Answer: Pea Green

On the spectrum of visible light, green is the colour between blue and yellow. Because it is the colour of grass and leaves, it is quite often associated with springtime, growth and nature. The English word "green" used today comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "grene".

There are so very many different shades of green. For example, just to name a few: fern green, forest green, jungle green, light green, moss green, mint green, tea green, army green, bottle green, bright green, emerald green, jade, Kelly green, sea green and many, many more, including of course, pea green.

"The owl and the pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat ..."

Answer: Honey

On the journey in their little pea green boat they took some honey. According to old records, humans have been hunting for honey for over 8,000 years. In the country Georgia, archaeologists unearthed honey remains inside clay vessels found in an ancient tomb which are estimated to be between 4,700 and 5,500 years old.

The ancient Egyptians used honey as a sweetener in cakes and biscuits, and it was also used for embalming the dead. Bee-keeping in China has existed for thousands of years.

"They took some honey ..."

Answer: A five pound note

The Bank of England first issued bank notes in 1694; however they were written for differing specific amounts (and not for generic values) up until 1745. During the Seven Years' War a ten pound bank note was issued, and in 1793 the first five pound note was issued, with one and two pound notes following in the next four years. The first five pound note was known as the "white fiver" because it was made with black printing on white paper.

"... And plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note."

Answer: A small guitar

The guitar is classed as a string instrument and can have from four to eighteen strings, but normally six. Guitars and their forerunners, the chordophones, have been around for a few thousand years.

These days guitars are divided into two categories, acoustic and electric. Acoustic guitars fall into subcategories such as classical, flamenco, steel, and twelve-string.

"The owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'Oh lovely pussy! O pussy, my love,
What a beautiful pussy you are,
You are,
What a beautiful pussy you are."

Answer: A year and a day

In the Gregorian calendar, also known as the Christian or Western calendar, which was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, a year has either 365 or 366 days (every fourth year, leap year). The earth takes one year to orbit around the Sun. The seasons (summer, autumn, winter and spring) are a result of the Earth's axial tilt and take one year to complete.

"Pussy said to the owl, 'You elegant fowl
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O! let us be married, too long have we tarried
But what shall we do for a ring?"

Answer: Bong tree

The "Bong tree" is fictional and has been used by other authors as well as Edward Lear. Beatrix Potter referred to a "land where the Bong tree grows" in her book "The Tale of Little Pig Robinson". "Bong Tree Land" is mentioned in the "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Author James Ramsey Ullman wrote a book titled "Where the Bong Tree Grows" which recounted his travels to some remote islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

"They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong Tree grows ..."

Answer: Piggy-Wiggy

Pigs belong to the genus Sus, which includes the domestic pig and the wild boar. They are also related to the peccary, the warthog and the babirusa. Baby pigs are called piglets. It is estimated that at any given time, there are one billion domesticated pigs. They are omnivores and quite intelligent.

It is suggested by archaeological evidence that pigs have been domesticated for thousands of years.

"... And there in the wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose".

Answer: One shilling

The shilling was first minted as the "testoon" in the reign of Henry VII. Prior to Britain changing to decimal currency in 1971, there were 240 pence in one British pound with 12 pence making one shilling, and 20 shillings in one pound. Today the shilling has been replaced by the 5 new pence piece.

"'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' said the piggy 'I will'."

Answer: The turkey who lived on the hill

Turkeys are large birds which are native to the Americas. The wild turkeys and domestic turkeys are found in the forests of the United States and Mexico. The male turkey is distinguished by its fleshy wattle hanging from the top of its beak. The male is also more colourful than the female, which is the norm for birds. Turkey fossils are known from the Early Miocene (around 23 million years ago).

In the United States the First Thanksgiving meal, between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, consisted of beef and fowl, which was most likely turkey. Turkey is traditionally served at Thanksgiving today.

Domestic turkeys cannot fly, but wild turkeys can, and turkeys can run up to 20 miles an hour.

"So they took it away and were married next day
By the turkey who lived on the hill."

Answer: Mince and slices of quince and a runcible spoon

Mince is meat that has been finely chopped by a meat grinder, and can be beef, pork, lamb or chicken (also other meats such as goat), and can be served in many ways. Some of the most popular uses of mince is to make hamburgers, meatballs, lasagne, and many varieties of "savoury mince".

A quince tree grows from 5 to 8 metres tall (16 to 26 feet) and bears a fruit similar in shape to a pear, which is a bright golden yellow when mature. The fruit is 7 to 12 centimetres (3 to 5 inches) long. The quince tree comes mainly from south-west Asia, especially Turkey and Iran. Quinces are usually used to make jam or jelly, or they are baked or stewed, as the raw fruit is hard and sour. The flesh turns red after cooking.

It is reputed that Lear made up the word "runcible". This word has crept into modern English and is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "a fork curved like a spoon, with three broad prongs, one of which has a sharpened outer edge for cutting." In some of his other works, Lear refers to a "runcible hat", a "runcible cat", a "runcible goose" and a runcible wall".

"They dined on mince, and slices of quince
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon."