Mythology & Legends Trivia

1. Zwarte Pieten's typical companion is St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey, but what is St. Nick's name when the two of them are together?

From Quiz 'Ware Zwarte Pieten!

Answer: Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas, a thin man dressed in a red robe who rides a horse named Amerigo, is a bishop from Turkey who seems to be very serious, carrying a big red book wherever he goes, and keeping track of everyone's behavior. Zwarte Pieten is his servant or slave - it is not exactly clear which. Some people believe that Zwarte Pieten was a slave and Sinterklaas purchased his freedom. Whatever is the case, Zwarte Pieten serves Sinterklaas. On the evening of December 5, which is called Sinterklaasavond, the two are seen in towns and villages together.

From Quiz It's Gonna Be Legen-Dairy

Answer: Norse

While the roots of the primeval cow are in Germanic mythology, Audhumla's specific link to Ymir is Nordic. The cow can be found in the "Prose Edda" written by Snorri Sturluson of Iceland. Ymir, a frost giant, was part of the origin legend of Norse mythology. According to the legend, the cow's four teats created four rivers of milk, which Ymir drank. Audhumla was also linked with the creation of Buri, the father of the gods. Over the course of three days, the cow licked salt blocks, which uncovered the god. The cow sustained herself by licking salt and frost from ice blocks. She was the only cow specifically referred to by name in the "Eddas".

From Quiz The Nine Worthies

Answer: Hector

I'm Hector, the first of the Nine Worthies: a set of nine men who were said to represent the ultimate chivalrous warriors. The concept was created by Frenchman Jacques de Longuyon in 1312 and became a popular touchstone among literate society for the next few hundred years. The Nine Worthies were divided into three triads: the good pagans, the good Jews and the good Christians. I am one of the three good pagans (you'll meet the other two soon!). My brother Paris initiated the Trojan War and eventually avenged my death by shooting Achilles in his one weak point: his heel.

From Quiz A Legendary Vacation--Imagine That!

Answer: Camelot

King Arthur is the figure at the heart of the Arthurian legends. He is said to be the son of Uther Pendragon and Ygraine of Cornwall. In early Latin chronicles he is portrayed as a military leader and in later romance he is presented as a king and emperor. One of the questions that has occupied those interested in King Arthur is whether or not he is a historical figure. The debate has raged since the Renaissance when Arthur's authenticity was vigorously defended, partly because the Tudor monarchs traced their lineage to Arthur and used that connection as a justification for their reign. Modern scholars have generally assumed that there was some actual person at the heart of the legends, although perhaps not a king with a band of knights in shining armor. If there is a historical basis to the character he probably would have gained fame as a warrior battling the Germanic invaders of the late fifth and early sixth centuries. Since there is no conclusive evidence for or against Arthur's existence, the debate will continue, but there is no denying the influence of the figure of Arthur on literature, art, music, and society from the Middle Ages to the present.

From Quiz Things That Give You Nightmares

Answer: vampire

Sunlight is no problem for the Dhampir. They have the power of a vampire but without any of their weaknesses.

From Quiz Rulers Of The Night

Answer: Ratri & Ratridevi

Ratri literally means night in the Indian languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Sanskrit. She also gives rise to the word 'Raat' in Hindi, meaning the same.

From Quiz Swimming With Sea Monsters

Answer: Heracles

According to Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was a many-headed sea serpent. If one of these heads was chopped off two more grew back and thus an exact count of the number of heads was impossible. Associated with the underworld, the Hydra was killed by Heracles during the second of his legendary "Twelve Labors". Hydra was believed to live in Lerna Lake and guarded an entrance into the underworld. Although there are variations to the story, Heracles managed to kill the Hydra by cauterizing each head after it was cut off. When he cut off the final head, the beast finally died.

From Quiz Numbers

Answer: Kauravas and Pandavas

Both factions belonged to the Kuru family. The kingdom had earlier been divided into two and each faction controlled one half. In a game of dice, the Pandavas lost their territories to the Kauravas and were forced to go into exile for thirteen years. They were promised that their land would be returned to them once the period of exile ended. However, when the Kauravas went back on their word at the end of the thirteen years, the cousins went to war over the throne of Hastinapur. The war lasted for eighteen days and was fought on the battleground of Kurukshetra with the Pandavas eventually emerging victorious.

From Quiz Horseshoes and Rabbit Feet

Answer: Breath of life

In carvings still in existence on ancient constructions in Egypt, the ankh is often shown in this manner. This is because it was believed to endow anyone passing into the afterlife with the necessary breath of life to exist there.

From Quiz Mission Impossible

Answer: Crete

The minotaur was a half man, half bull, creature who lived in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus for the king of Crete. The monster lived on a diet of young men and women, seven of each, who were chosen by lots to be sacrificed from among the residents of Athens. Theseus undertook the seemingly impossible task of killing the minotaur to prevent further loss of life. With the help of the king's daughter, Ariadne, who gave him a ball of twine to mark his way, Theseus succeeded in his mission. Having taken Ariadne with him, he then callously abandoned her on the island of Naxos. He then compounded his sins by forgetting to change the sail on his ship from black to white, leading his father to commit suicide believing his son was dead. Since Theseus then inherited his father's throne, the 'forgetting' might just have had an ulterior motive.

From Quiz Pot of Gold

Answer: Shoes

'Bragan' is derived from brogue, a type of heavy shoe that was worn in the rural highlands of Ireland and Scotland. Leprechauns are generally depicted busy at work mending or making shoes, thus leading to the name in Irish folklore.

From Quiz Heel, Achilles

Answer: His mother 's carelessness

Thetis held Achilles under the waters of the river Styx to make him invincible, but since she held him by his heel, it was the only place that remained open to injury. She should have noticed that slight detail! Thetis had told Achilles that he had to choose a long and peaceful life or a short and glorious one (as a warrior). Achilles chose glory and paid the price for his pride when Paris shot the arrow that hit Achilles in the heel and ended his life. The expression "Achilles' heel" to denote a weakness comes from this myth.

From Quiz It's Gonna Be Legen-Dairy

Answer: hot springs

Damona, a Celtic goddess worshiped primarily in Gaul (ancient France), was linked with Apollo Borvo and Apollo Mortasgus, both healing deities who were linked to hot springs. Damona has also been linked with the Irish goddess Boand. Damona was worshipped at Bourbonne-les-Bains and Saint Vulbas. Bourbonne les Bains is in the Haute-Marne in northeastern France, while Saint Vulbus is in southeastern France. Damona was the goddess of cows and her worship centered in Burgundy. Damona worship indicates the importance of cows to the development of agriculture and civilization in early France. Some of the earliest cave art in France depicts cattle. Groves of trees, especially willows, were common sites for Druidic and Celtic pagan rituals. Vineyards and mountains would be unusual sites for religious rituals.

From Quiz A Legendary Vacation--Imagine That!

Answer: El Dorado

El Dorado translated means "the gilded man." When the phrase was first used it referred to an individual. The El Dorado legend originated in the Muisca territory in the highlands of present-day Colombia. Treasures were thrown into the lake as offerings for the king. Neighboring tribes knew of the practice and told the Spanish. Attempts to drain the lake for unimaginable wealth took place but were abandoned after many of the workers died and no treasure was ever discovered. According to some theorists stories developed over the ages transforming the idea of discarded wealth at the bottom of a lake into an entire lost city of gold. El Dorado became a fixation for many explorers, some lost their own lives in pursuit of an epic treasure.

From Quiz Rulers Of The Night

Answer: Lady of the Night

Yohualticetl may also have been the same as Metztli and Coyolxauhqui and the male moon god Tecciztecatl. By the gods, HOW do they pronounce these names?

From Quiz Swimming With Sea Monsters

Answer: Hindu

The Hindu sea monster Makara is depicted in many ways. The front half of the creature is terrestrial, usually an elephant or deer, and the rear is depicted as having the tail of a fish or seal. The Makara was used by the river goddess Ganga and the sea god Varuna for transportation. The word "Makara" is a Sanskrit word for "water-monster", and is also applied to crocodiles. Depictions of Makara can be found in jewelry, pottery, and architecture throughout southeastern areas of Asia.

From Quiz Numbers

Answer: 18

Made famous through its association with the mystical form of Kabbalah, Gematria is a process of associating different words with different numbers. The word Chai meaning life is spelled using the letters Het and Yud. Based on the numerical values assigned by Gematria, both these numbers add up to 18, thus making 18 a lucky number for the Jews.

From Quiz Horseshoes and Rabbit Feet

Answer: Paradise

This symbol was once considered lucky in ancient Egypt as well, and spread from there to other Middle Eastern lands. With the birth of the Islamic faith, it evolved to have an especial significance. It was also believed the crescent endowed good fortune on mothers and small children.

From Quiz Mission Impossible

Answer: Chimera

The Chimera had the body of a goat, with the head of a lion and the tail of snake, and had the ability to breathe fire. Legend has it that Bellerophon managed to kill the Chimera by riding on Pegasus, who he managed to tame with a golden bridle. He then threw a spear into the beast's mouth and, as the metallic spear melted, the Chimera choked to death.

From Quiz Heel, Achilles

Answer: Kryptonite

Superman's planet, Krypton, exploded shortly after he was sent away in a rocketship by his parents to save his life. The pieces of the planet became meteorites of kryptonite, and they are the only thing to which Superman is vulnerable. Only lead can be used to isolate the element and protect Superman from its deadly effects.

From Quiz Those Naughty Tricksters

Answer: The first human

In Abrahamic faiths, Adam was the first man. Many years earlier, ancient Sumerian religion told the story of Adapa, the first man, who was created by the god Enki. Enki was one of the Annunaki, and started out as the patron god of the city of Eridu, but worship of him later spread across the Mesopotamian region. He was the consort of the fertility goddess Ninhursag, and also had incestuous relationships with his daughter Ninsar, the goddess of plants, and granddaughter Ninkurra. Enki created Adapa from a mixture of clay and the blood of Kingu, the son of the sea goddess Tiamat. He later tricked Adapa into refusing immortality by telling him not to consume any food or drink offered by Anu, god of the sky, claiming it would kill him.

From Quiz It's Gonna Be Legen-Dairy

Answer: Atlas

Dhol carried the world between her enormous horns, much as Atlas carried the sky on his shoulders. It is a common misconception that Atlas held the world upon his shoulders. Many statues help maintain the idea. Atlas was forced to hold up the heavens when he was on the losing side of a battle between the Titans and the Olympians. Atlas gave his name to the mountains in northwest Africa and indirectly to the Atlantic Ocean. Promethus, the half brother of Atlas, was a Titan who was punished for giving fire to mankind. Icarus, the son of Daedalus, perished when he flew too close to the sun. Achilles was a mighty warrior whose only weakness was his heel; he was killed by Paris during the Trojan War.

From Quiz 'Ware The Krampus!

Answer: Claw

"Krampus" is derived from the German word "krampen", which means "claw. Indeed, the Krampus does have claws. The better to scare you with! This is how he is able to catch bad little children to put in his sack or wicker basket. What happens to these children after they are taken by the Krampus? No one knows for sure. He may eat them or throw them in the river. Some say he takes them to his lair and scares them into being good. One thing I know is that I don't need a visit from the Krampus to insure my good behavior! The ornament on the tree is enough!

From Quiz The Nine Worthies

Answer: Julius Caesar

After my death, the republic quickly fell apart, with my adopted heir Octavian assuming power as the first emperor of Rome, taking the regnal name Augustus.

From Quiz A Legendary Vacation--Imagine That!

Answer: Agartha

Agartha is related to the belief in a hollow earth. The concept of a hollow earth recurs many times in folklore. Shamballa (also known as Shambalah or Shangri-La) is sometimes said to be its capital city. According to the legend the nation was believed to be a kingdom of harmony, contentment and spiritual power. It was thought to have been situated somewhere beneath Asia and linked to the other continents by a network of tunnels. Some believe vast lengths of the tunnels still exist today.

From Quiz Things That Give You Nightmares

Answer: Nephilim

Nephilim have been mentioned in many popular TV shows and video games. They were in episode 114 of the "X-Files", episode 22 of the eightth season of "Supernatural", and the main character in the game "DMC: Devil May Cry" is a Nephilim.

From Quiz Numbers

Answer: Chinese

These five elements are believed to represent the harmony of the world and are found in varied Chinese traditional fields. For instance, in traditional Chinese medicine, various parts of the body are linked to these five elements and the inter-relationships between them are understood through the effect of these elements.

From Quiz Horseshoes and Rabbit Feet

Answer: Fist

The fingers had to be curled over the top of the thumb for this to work most effectively. A similar amulet they wore had the index finger stretched forward. This was thought to ward off the influence of bad luck or danger. Interestingly, Muslims countries also believed the hand symbol meant good luck. The hand was wide open however. The first finger portrayed Muhammad, the second finger was his favourite daughter Fatima, and the remaining fingers were her husband and two sons. Fatima was believed to be one of only three women considered suitable enough to go to heaven. Hmmm.

From Quiz Mission Impossible

Answer: Venus

Cupid's mother, Venus, was jealous of Psyche's beauty. Venus sent Cupid to pierce Psyche with one of his arrows so that she would fall in love with some unsightly being. Instead Cupid fell in love with her himself (he actually pierced himself with his own arrow). Psyche was able to complete the four tasks, which included sorting out a huge pile of seeds and obtaining water from the river Styx, and eventually become immortal.

From Quiz Pot of Gold

Answer: Banshee

The Banshee is a female spirit whose cry is an omen of the impending death of a person. The spirit may appear in the form of a young woman, an old hag or a middle aged matron. At times, she is depicted washing the blood from the clothes of the person(s) about to die. This form is referred to as 'bean-nighe' which means washing woman.

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Last Updated Apr 22 2024 10:57 AM

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