The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus: Youth Quiz

Answer: Fairies, Knooks, Ryls, and Nymphs

Although all of these appear in the book, the first chapter only mentions these four living in Burzee. According to this chapter, nature peopled the forest with them in the beginning. The chapter ends by saying that civilization hadn't reached Burzee and the narrator wonders if it ever will.

Answer: Ak

Ak was on his way to meet with the Nymphs when he heard a newborn baby crying. When he finds the baby, he sees that the lioness Shiegra about to make a meal out of it. Not having much time to do anything to help the child, he orders Shiegra to lie with it and nurse it. And to send word to the other animals of the forest not to harm the child.

Though Ak knows that human life is one in which a suffering is a part as long as it's in moderation, he believes that that suffering should be born on the shoulders of men and women. Infants and innocent children have, according to Ak, a right to be happy until they reach an age where their old enough to bear the burden of humanity.

Answer: Necile

Necile breaks the law both by leaving the depths of the forest and by bringing the child into it. But with little to do anymore, Necile wanted something young to take care of and nurture. With the help of Queen Zurline, she manages to convince Ak to let her keep the baby.

Answer: Eyes blue in sunlight and purple in shade

Baum is trying to paint a picture of beauty when describing Necile. She was radiant, lovely, straight and slim at her birth, with hair the color that lines a chestnut-bur, the aforementioned eyes, red pouting lips, and cheeks tinted the same shade of pink as the clouds at sunset.

Answer: Neclaus, given by Queen Zurline

Necile wishes to name the child Claus, which means "a little one", and loves to call him Claus. However, it is Queen Zurline who actually names the baby. Taking Necile's name for the child, she names him Neclaus which then means "Necile's little one."

Answer: Ak

Ak, also known as the Great Ak, is one of three truly great figures of the world among the immortals, figures so great that even the immortal kings and queens show them reverence. The other two are Kern, the "Master Husbandman of the World," and Bo, the "Master Mariner of the World." Ak rules forests, orchards, and groves. Kern rules grain fields, meadows, and gardens. Bo rules the seas and all craft that sail upon them.

Tlaus is the name little Mayrie calls Claus when she and her brother visit his house.

Answer: He was off visiting all his forests

Once again, the Great Ak was the "Master Woodsman of the World," the immortal who ruled the forests, orchards, and groves of the world. As such he had many forests to visit while Claus was growing up. It was only upon returning to Burzee that he remembered he'd allowed Necile to adopt Claus.

Answer: All of these

One of the first laws of the Forest of Burzee is obedience, so Claus had no thought of disobeying Ak when he instructed him to grab his girdle. Ak initially told Claus to grab hold of his girdle as they were going to journey the air on a journey around the world to see where mankind lives.

He would then go on to explain that while Claus held his girdle, he would be unseen by man, though able to see the humans going about their lives. However, if he let go of the girdle, he'd be separated from Ak and Burzee forever. Most likely this was due to the fact that Ak would remain invisible and Claus would not be able to find him again.

Answer: The Laughing Valley of Hohaho

Coming to the eastern edge of the Forest of Burzee, Claus discovers the Laughing Valley of Hohaho. The valley was boarded by Burzee on one end and a broad plain at the other. On each side of the valley were rolling green hills with a brook midway between the hills. It was here that Claus would make his home.

Answer: The servant of the Great Ak

Nelko is first mentioned in the second chapter of the book's first part. Here Ak tells the nymphs of how he came upon four young children freezing to death in a wooden hut. Their parents had gone to a neighboring village, leaving a fire burning in the hut to keep them warm. Judging by what the Ak says, the parents probably did not expect to be gone long enough for the fire to go out. But a snow storm delayed their return and the fire in the hut had burned itself out. So Ak called upon Nelko and had him not only fetch firewood for the fire but blow on it until it caught fire.

It's not until the first chapter of the second part of the book that Baum reveals Nelko is actually the Great Ak's servant and not merely just some immortal who happened to be close by when he discovered the children. Here Nelko, who is described as being old, brings Claus an ax with which to cut logs for his house.

And here ends the first of my quizzes on L. Frank Baum's "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus." I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe learned something if you've never read the book. If you haven't read the book, please try to get your hands on a copy either at or local library or bookstore and read this charming story.