Worldly Spirits Quiz | The Unexplained

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In Ireland, the banshee is thought to be the spirit of a woman which has attached itself to a specific family. How does she supposedly signify the death of a family member?

Answer: She keens.

Banshees are as common in Irish folklore as leprechauns and fairies. Originally, it was thought that they keened whenever an important personage died. Later it was said that their keening presaged a death in a family. So, if you hear a keening noise outside your home and you belong to one of the families of Ireland, there is a possibility that someone will die.

2. The Acheri is a ghostly apparition that appears as a young girl who spreads disease to other children. In which country did this myth originate?

Answer: India

According to myth, this ghostly young girl leaves her mountain haunt to spread disease. You can stop her by wearing a bright red thread/ribbon around your neck.

3. In which mythology will you meet Ankou, the personification of death?

Answer: Breton

A collector of myths and legends, Anatole Le Braz wrote this statement about the Ankou in "The Legend of the Death": "The Ankou is the henchman of the Death. The last dead of the year, in each parish, becomes the Ankou of this parish for all of the following year. When it has been, in a year, more death than usual, one says about the Ankou: on my faith, this is one nasty Ankou" (1893).

4. As some believe there are spirits in human form, others believe in spirits in animal form. One such is the kelpie, which originated in British folklore. Kelpies apparently inhabit the waterways of Britain. What animal form does a Kelpie take?

Answer: Horse

The Kelpie is supposed to be dangerous to strangers visiting the waterways of Scotland. Its main guise is reputedly that of a beautiful tame horse. Once someone starts to ride it, the keplie will race to the nearest river and drown the rider.

5. The Keres are thought to be female spirits who bring death and doom wherever they appear. In Greek mythology, they were believed to be vengeful spirits of the dead. What is the name of the festival that is held to drive out these avenging spirits in Greece?

Answer: Anthesteria

Like All Soul's Day and Carnival, the Anthesteria has a festival of the dead. The Keres are entertained during the festival, and then expelled from the city once the festival is over.

The three other words are all festivals for the dead in their respective societies: Japanese (Obon), Incan (Ayamarca), and Western Civilisations (All Soul's Day).

6. In the Algonquin-speaking tribes of the United States and Canada, there is a legend about a supernatural being called the Wendigo. It is believed that a human being can turn into a Wendigo by committing which terrible act?

Answer: Cannibalism

The Wendigo is a cannibalistic spirit that is part of Algonquin mythology. This malevolent spirit can possess a human, or a human can become a Wendigo by eating human flesh. There is even a culture-bound disorder called Wendigo Psychosis, in which the sufferer has an intense craving for human flesh and the fear of turning into a cannibal.

7. In Slavic mythology there is a spirit called Rusalka. She appears in the form of a drowned female who lures young men to their deaths in rivers. To combat the Rusalka, a festival was created called Rusalka Week (Rusal'naia). In which month does this festival take place?

Answer: June

According to legend, Rusalka were women or girls who committed suicide because they were pregnant and unmarried. Their spirits would apparently climb out of waterways at night and go up trees to sing songs. The spirits would entice young men into their embraces and carry them to a watery grave.

There are also baby Rusalkas, which are said to be children who died unbaptised, or who were unwanted and killed by their mothers. They wander the forests, begging to be baptised so that they can be put to rest.

Rusalka Week occurs in June, and during this period all waterways and rivers are to be avoided.

8. In one ancient religion, there was a festival for the dead called Lemuralia, or Lemuria. This festival was held to exorcise evil spirits of the dead away from homes. The festival occurred in May. In which ancient civilisation was this festival observed?

Answer: Roman

Also known as Larvae, the Lemure were said to haunt their living relatives, causing them harm. These malignant spirits were said to belong to people who were not given decent burials. They could be put to flight by banging pots together.

9. In Indonesia and Malaya there is supposedly a spirit called a Pocong, which is a ghost that is trapped within its suit. What is a "Pocong suit" in Western society?

Answer: A shroud

When Muslims die in Malaya or Indonesia, they are covered in white shrouds which are tied at the head, the neck, and the feet. According to Islamic beliefs, the soul of the dead person stays on Earth for forty days. If the ties are not released after the forty days, the body will jump out of the grave to warn people that the bonds need to be released. Because the "Pocong" is tied at the feet, the ghost of the dead cannot walk but instead it must hop.

10. In Chinese mythology there are many forms of ghosts and spirits, but there is also a "vanquisher of ghosts". What is the name of this character who is depicted as a fierce man with a black face and a comic beard?

Answer: Zhong Kui

According to legend, this ghost was once a man who failed to reach first place in an exam and committed suicide. Another legend states that even though the man got first place in the Imperial Examinations, he was humiliated by the Emperor because of his disfigurement. He is reputedly armed with a sword to combat and exorcise the demons and evil spirits that roam the land.

Source: Author martinjudo

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Worldly Spirits Trivia Quiz

After reading Michael Cox's book "Ghost Stories", I decided to see which other countries had supernatural entities. I hope you enjoy my selection.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>