Worldly Spirits Trivia Quiz

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.

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.

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).

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.