Quiz about Waltzing Matilda Anatomy of a Song

Waltzing Matilda: Anatomy of a Song Quiz

In Australia waltzing is a slang term for travelling alone by foot. Matilda is a particular name for the items carried by the traveller in a roll called a swag. Hence the song 'Waltzng Matilda' and hence this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by Serenesh. Estimated time: 2 mins.

Author
Serenesh

Time
2 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
406,551

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
9 / 10

Plays
152

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. What kind of jolly person camped by a billabong? Hint

Swagman

Farmer

Shepherd

Squatter

NEXT>

2. What was the name given to the animal who came to the billabong and was grabbed and stowed in the swagman's bag? Hint

Kangaroo

Wombat

Goat

Jumbuck

NEXT>

3. What did the swagman do as he put the jumbuck in his tucker bag? Hint

Whistled

Sang

Scratched

Danced

NEXT>

4. Who came up mounted on his thoroughbred? Hint

The rancher

The farmer

The police chief

The squatter

NEXT>

6. What was said to the swagman? Hint

What have you got in your bag?

Whose is that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?

Do you have permission to camp here?

What are you doing here?

NEXT>

7. What did the swagman do? Hint

He ran away?

He jumped into the billabong

He started shouting at the troopers?

He got out a knife.

NEXT>

8. What did the swagman cry out as he jumped in? Hint

Leave me alone

I'm no thief

I haven't got your jumbuck

You'll never catch me alive

NEXT>

9. What can be heard as you pass by that billabong? Hint

Crickets singing

His son

His ghost

Sheep bleating

NEXT>

10. What is 'Walzing Matilda' sometimes known as. Hint

The bushman's anthem

Australia's favourite song

Australian soul song

Australia's unofficial national anthem.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What kind of jolly person camped by a billabong?

Answer: Swagman

A swagman is an Australian term for a person of no fixed abode who travels around doing what work is available where he goes. A billabong is a pool of water that was formerly part of a river. It only fills up with water from the river at the time of a flood.

2. What was the name given to the animal who came to the billabong and was grabbed and stowed in the swagman's bag?

Answer: Jumbuck

A jumbuck is an Australian name for a sheep. The name was made famous in the original "Waltzing Matilda" poem by Banjo Patterson.

3. What did the swagman do as he put the jumbuck in his tucker bag?

Answer: Sang

The swagman sang "You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me". He must have been very pleased to get the jumbuck which would provide him with several good meals even though he had stolen the sheep.

4. Who came up mounted on his thoroughbred?

Answer: The squatter

The squatter was the person who had squatted on the land when it was offered free to those who worked it. Some of these people became very rich as the years went on, which explains why he was mounted on a thoroughbred.

5. How many troopers came up?

Answer: 3

The troopers were there protect the squatter's rights as the legal owner of the land and what was on it. The troopers were mounted policemen.

6. What was said to the swagman?

Answer: Whose is that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?

there are various variations of how the question is asked. In the original poem by Banjo Patterson "Whose is" is used. In most sung versions this is replaced with "Where".

7. What did the swagman do?

Answer: He jumped into the billabong

In the swagman's eyes there wasn't many options for him. He could not have got past three troopers and the squatter if he had run away, and sheep stealing attracted a large jail sentence in Australia.

8. What did the swagman cry out as he jumped in?

Answer: You'll never catch me alive

Many people in Australia in the 19th century received the death penalty for the theft of a sheep. Suicide appeared to be the better option.

9. What can be heard as you pass by that billabong?

Answer: His ghost

In Australia crickets, grassoppers and katydids all feature and the order is called ortoptera. A feature of all of them is their ability to produce sounds by rubbing together certain parts of their body. This is known as stridulation. However it would be difficult to mistake this sound for that of a ghost speaking.

10. What is 'Walzing Matilda' sometimes known as.

Answer: Australia's unofficial national anthem.

Australia's national anthem is called 'Advance Australia Fair'. It was adopted in 1984 when it controversially replaced 'God Save the Queen'. It was much less well known than 'Waltzing Maltilda' when the national anthem referendum was held in 1974.

Source: Author Serenesh

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor 1nn1 before going online.
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