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Quiz about Legends Anecdotes and Other Apocrypha

Legends, Anecdotes, and Other Apocrypha Quiz

Many stories are pretty dubious as to their historic veracity, but have a good entertainment value. Some are mere legend. Some happen to be attested by historic research. See which of these you are familiar with.

A multiple-choice quiz by flem-ish. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
flem-ish

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
58,589

Updated
Oct 11 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
7002

Last 3 plays: griller (9/10), tiye (10/10), panagos (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. We all know the story of Lord Nelson dying aboard the HMS Victory at Trafalgar. What were the last words he is, according to legend, rumoured to have spoken to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, his flag captain? Hint

'Well done, Hardy. We got them.'

'Damn French.'

'Kiss me, Hardy.'

'Kiss Emma for me.'

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Who was the King of England who is famous for the way in which he rebuked his courtiers who were trying to flatter him by saying he could do anything, and gave them a demonstration that the rising tide does not stop for a King? Hint

Edward the Confessor

Canute

Ethelred the Unready

Harold the Pious

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Question 3 of 10

3. A legend about Hampstead-born highwayman Dick Turpin claims that he rode in one night from London to York. What was the name of his horse? Hint

Brown Bess

Flicka

Black Bess

Flash

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Question 4 of 10

4. In which popular English story is there a fat and jovial chaplain called Friar Tuck? Hint

Robin Hood

Piers Plowman

The Canterbury Tales

The Owl and the Nightingale

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Question 5 of 10

5. In which Scottish town is there a statue for a dog who is reputed to have watched for many years over the grave of his master in Greyfriars Kirkyard? Hint

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Aberdeen

Inverness

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Question 6 of 10

6. What is the name of the missing legendary character in these lines from Kipling's Barrack Room Ballads: 'Though I've belted you and flayed you, By the living Gawd that made you, You're a better man than I am, ____
____'? Hint

Old Gurkha

Old Genghis

Tom Atkins

Gunga Din

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Question 7 of 10

7. Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Lord of Coventry (11th century). She asked him to be less severe on his tenants. He agreed to do so -on condition that she ride naked through the streets. What was the name of the tailor who was struck blind for not having obeyed the instructions to turn a blind eye to the spectacle? Hint

Peeping Tom

Pip Thomas

Creepy Tom

Tom Peeps

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Question 8 of 10

8. Until Neil Armstrong there had always been a story of the Man IN the Moon, rather than a Man ON the Moon. He had been punished for not respecting Sunday's rest. Which of these items did his traditional representation NOT include? Hint

a bundle of sticks

a cat

a lantern

a dog

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Question 9 of 10

9. In the original version of the story, what is the name of the girl who Pygmalion falls in love with ? Hint

Galatea

Galaxy

Liza Doolittle

Galactea

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Question 10 of 10

10. What useless animal (but very expensive in upkeep) was the traditional poisoned gift, with which the Kings of Siam vexed those courtiers who they were mad at? Hint

a pink elephant

a white elephant

an albino tiger

a holy lion

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 25 2024 : griller: 9/10
Dec 25 2024 : tiye: 10/10
Dec 23 2024 : panagos: 9/10
Dec 18 2024 : Guest 184: 8/10
Dec 06 2024 : Guest 97: 6/10
Nov 24 2024 : Guest 174: 7/10
Nov 17 2024 : Guest 175: 6/10
Nov 06 2024 : Guest 68: 4/10
Nov 06 2024 : cinnam0n: 10/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: 'Kiss me, Hardy.'

The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on 21 October 1805, west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, between Cadiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. It established British naval supremacy for more than 100 years. The 'Kiss me, Hardy' story may be apocryphal. The real words he spoke may have been 'Kismet, Hardy' .Encyclopedia Brittanica acknowledges the kissing but does not mention the request.

Their story is much more sober: 'Thomas Hardy, his flag captain kissed his forehead in farewell and Nelson spoke his last words: 'Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I have done my duty.'

Answer: Canute

Many Harolds in English history, but never a pious Harold on the throne. Canute, King of England (1016-1035), of Denmark (1019-1035) and of Norway (1028-35). Among the Danish Kings there are some Canutes too, one of which was declared 'patron saint of Denmark'. Edward the Confessor, a saintly king indeed, but forgot to provide England with a royal descendant.

He ruled from 1042-1066. Another chap who tended to forget his duties was Ethelred the Unready (King from 978 till 1013). When in 1013 the Danish King Sweyn had taken over most of the country, Ethelred fled to France. Etymologically speaking his nickname 'unread' meant :who was not very wise in his decisions.

3. A legend about Hampstead-born highwayman Dick Turpin claims that he rode in one night from London to York. What was the name of his horse?

Answer: Black Bess

Turpin was born in a pub named 'The Bell' and became a butcher. In his spare time he was a footpad, a kind of mugger. After a life which was more and more criminal, he finally became a highwayman in 1735. His audacious robberies led to his downfall however, and in 1739 he was hanged outside the walls of York.

4. In which popular English story is there a fat and jovial chaplain called Friar Tuck?

Answer: Robin Hood

Another companion of Robin Hood was Maid Marian. There are no proofs there ever was a historical Robin Hood. The Canterbury Tales date back to the 1390s, a period during which their author, Geoffrey Chaucer, enjoyed the friendship of the Earl of Derby, then later Henry IV.

The Owl and the Nightingale, must have been written shortly after 1189. Piers Plowman is a dream allegory ascribed to William Langland (1300-1400). The Robin Hood stories are not based on real documents but on medieval ballads.

5. In which Scottish town is there a statue for a dog who is reputed to have watched for many years over the grave of his master in Greyfriars Kirkyard?

Answer: Edinburgh

Greyfriars Bobby is the name of the statue.

Answer: Gunga Din

Tom Atkins is the nickname of the British soldier. The Gurkhas are elite troops whose history is mainly linked with the British and Indian Armies. As a tribe, the Gurkhas are the ruling race of Nepal, an independent kingdom in the Himalayas. At one time they fought against the British, but since 1815 they have provided the British army with men renowned for their loyalty and courage. Genghis Khan is the famous ruler of the Mongols.

He was a warrior and ruler of genius, and consolidated the tribes to a unified Mongolia.

Answer: Peeping Tom

He may have been a creepy fellow, but they called him Peeping Tom. Must be the patron saint of peep shows. Pip is a character from Arnold Wesker's 'Chips With Everything'.

Answer: a cat

'The man with lantern, dog and bush of thorn Presenteh moonshine.'. -There is a reference to this story in Numbers 15:32-36. In the Christian tradition Sabbath was replaced by Sunday... and the punishment for the poor man was to have a perpetual MOON-day for having disobeyed the law regarding Sun-day.

9. In the original version of the story, what is the name of the girl who Pygmalion falls in love with ?

Answer: Galatea

In the original Greek version Galatea is a statue turned into a live milkmaid. Galaxy means Milky Way. Galactea is a mix up of both words. Liza Doolittle ...well Prof Higgins knew all about her.

10. What useless animal (but very expensive in upkeep) was the traditional poisoned gift, with which the Kings of Siam vexed those courtiers who they were mad at?

Answer: a white elephant

The white elephant was a sacred animal. It was a source of expenses and you could not employ it.

Source: Author flem-ish

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