The Magic Pudding Trivia Quiz

Answer: Australia

A bunyip is a mythical creature that lives in Australia just like the Yeti is supposed to live in the Himalayas and The Loch Ness Monster lives in a Scottish lake. In this case, Bunyip Bluegum is a koala. Koalas only live in Australia. Bill Barnacle is a sailor and Sam Sawnoff is a penguin.

Answer: Yes

Norman Lindsay wrote and illustrated "The Magic Pudding" in 1918. He was an Australian author who wrote mainly for adults. This was his first children's book He only wrote one other children's book, which was called "The Flyaway Highway" (1936).

Mem Fox wrote another 'magical' children's book, "Possum Magic", in 1983.

Answer: Slices

The book is divided into four "slices". There are also songs listed and little stories told in rhyme, as well as verses of a sea song. It was a big book for a children's book. The original printing made the book over 170 pages long.

Answer: It grows back when you eat some of it

The pudding, which is called Albert, recreates itself after some of it is eaten. Albert has arms and legs and can walk, but he is bad tempered (which is important later in the book). Bill explains how he and Sam were shipwrecked on an iceberg once and the ship's cook created them the magic pudding. Bunyip is invited to join them for lunch, which is pudding, of course.

Answer: A wombat and a possum

Bill and Sam bravely fight off the wombat and possum thieves while Bunyip sits on the pudding so it does not run away. Sam and Bill are pleased that Bunyip helped them, so they ask him to become a member of the Noble Society of Pudding Owners like them.

Answer: Yes

Yes, but Bunyip is clever and leads the Pudding Thieves into a trap where Sam and Bill fight the thieves and get the pudding back. Later the thieves approach again, saying they have gifts in a bag. When they look inside the bag the thieves pull the bag over their heads and tie them up. They escape with the pudding.

Answer: Dog

Now there are four pudding owners and they go after the thieves. Once again Bunyip is clever, and tricks the thieves into a trap when Sam and Bill win the fight to get the pudding back.

Answer: Pinches him

The pudding is bad-tempered but it had no need to pinch the mayor. The mayor and the constable were trying to see what all the fuss was about and they would have helped the pudding owners, until the pudding pinched the mayor.

Answer: They decide to stay in one place with the pudding rather than to keep travelling

By stopping the travelling and building a house in Bunyip's tree the four pudding owners thought they would be safe from thieving raids. They were safe as no one ever tried to steal the pudding again and they remained happy together.

Answer: True

"The Magic Pudding" is considered an Australian literature classic. The book has rarely been out of print. In 2008, to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the publication of the book, a special edition was produced which introduced a whole new generation to the delights of this story. Most Australian children would have had this story read to them by their parents or at school. An animated movie about the pudding was made in 2000 starring John Cleese and Hugo Weaving.

In 2013 Victorian Opera presented their adaptation of the book for the first time.