Mushroom, Mushroom Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse

Alice was eventually allowed to sit down at the table. She was asked the riddle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" and was rather annoyed to learn that her questioners didn't know the answer either. Later critics have suggested two answers - 1) Poe wrote on both; 2) Both have inky quills.

Elsie, Lacie and Tilly are the three little girls that are later mentioned as living at the bottom of a treacle well.

The Dormouse is asleep for most of this encounter and is eventually stuffed into the teapot by the other two.

Answer: One side will make her grow taller; one side will make her grow smaller.

Alice's height is variable throughout the story and she adjusts it in various ways. Sometimes she drinks from a little bottle she finds and sometimes she finds little cakes which carry the written message "Eat Me".

Her encounter with the caterpillar is in Chapter 5 and, after some difficulty in achieving her normal size, she proceeds to the house of the Duchess, in Chapter 6.

Answer: The 4.50 from Paddington

The alternative title for this book is "What Mrs McGillycuddy Saw". Miss Jane Marple, in her first Christie appearance, solves the mystery.

Critics have pointed out that this is not a usual Christie detective novel, since their is little detection or following up of clues. The police discover nothing and one critic points out that the mystery is apparently solved by Divine Intervention.

Christie declares in this book her support for capital punishment.

Answer: Farmer Maggot

Hobbits love mushrooms almost as much as pipe weed or ale. When setting out on his adventure with Merry and Pippin, Frodo finds himself in Farmer Maggot's field and is very afraid that the farmer will set his dogs on him, since as a young boy he was caught stealing mushrooms, and the farmer threatened him with the dogs if he ever came back. Maggot is very forgiving, however, and presents him with a big basketful of fresh mushrooms.

When speaking to Maggot, Frodo learns that the Black Riders of Mordor are already in pursuit of him and the ring.

The hobbits manage, however, to get to Bucklebury safely, only to learn that the Riders have been there too.

Answer: Mr Alfred Jingle

Mr Jingle is a very plausible conman, who has an endless fund of highly doubtful anecdotes, delivered in a staccato rapid rattle. His audacity lands Mr Pickwick in some very ambiguous and embarrassing situations. On one occasion Jingle's antics cause Mr Pickwick a great deal of embarrassment in a young ladies' boarding school. Later, however, when Jingle is in distress and Pickwick finds him in prison, Pickwick forgives him and is very kind to him.

Answer: John Ford

The quotation is from a play called "The Broken Heart." Ford was one of the last of the Jacobean dramatists, together with Marlowe and Jonson. His plays are mostly concerned with human dignity, courage and endurance. T.S. Eliot thought highly of him.

Of his other plays, probably the best known is "'Tis a pity she's a whore".

Answer: A Vision of Judgement - Lord Byron

Byron's poem was published in 1820. On the death of George III in that year, the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey, wrote of the royal reception into Heaven. Byron's poem was written in response to this - a good comment on the fatuous nature of much Laureate poetry.

Answer: A lack of sulfur

The book is set in a beach community in California and a tiny alien habitable moon called Basidium (The Mushroom Planet). Two boys build a rocket and fly there with a hen as a mascot. The little green (yes, really!) inhabitants are becoming ill from a lack of sulfur. The boys have a hen whose eggs are rich in sulfur. Crisis over!

Re habitable moons - they do exist. Habitability depends on liquid water, orbital stability and atmosphere.
Europa, Calisto and Io are moons of Jupiter and meet the criteria. Enceladus and Titan are moons of of Saturn. Triton, a moon of Neptune, and Charon, a moon of Pluto, are all possibilities.

Answer: Prospero

This quotation is from Act 5 Scene 1 of the play.

Ariel tells Prospero that it is time that he, Ariel, should rest. In response to Prospero's questions he reveals that Prospero's revenge on the Usurper of his kingdom is now complete and the plotters are in a satisfactory state of repentance. Prospero then commands Ariel to bring them to him and, while he is gone, addresses the elves and spirits in this way. He announces that he intends to give up his witchcraft, break his staff and cast his spells into the sea.

Critics think it may also be Shakespeare's farewell as a sole playwright.

Answer: Sue Grafton

In the 2006 film "Stranger Than Fiction", one character on lifeguard duty is seen reading a plastic wrapped copy of this book!

David Barney has been acquitted of the murder of his wife but his wife's previous husband is questioning the verdict and is seeking to prove Barney's guilt. Kinsey is called in and after very intricately constructed plot details - among which is the discovery that her predecessor on the case was murdered - she finally realizes that Barney was guilty of his wife's murder. He is finally shot dead in a confrontation with Kinsey.