Mythical N Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: Serpent

The Norse spelling is Níðhöggr, but I've used the English version in the question due to problems with diacritics on the site. According to Norse myth, the nine worlds are supported by a tree named Yggdrasil. Nidhoggg is a serpent, sometimes described as a cross between a dragon and snake, which is constantly tearing at the roots of the tree, trying to destroy it and the worlds with it. Nidhogg is expected to play a role in Ragnarok, the final battle which will bring an end to the world as seen in Norse mythology.

Answer: Noah

Flood myths are common to many countries and Hawaiian myth is no different, since Nu'u is described as having built a large boat, complete with a house on it, to escape a flood. Like Noah, he landed on a mountain too, in his case Mauna Kea, and there is even a rainbow involved, when the creator god Kane came to visit Nu'u to explain he was attributing his survival to the wrong god.

The similarity of the stories, and the names, has led some to believe that the Biblical story inspired the Hawaiian one. On the other hand, flood myths are so widespread, and Hawaii would have been no stranger to tsunamis, that it could well be independent.

Answer: Argonauts

Jason's search for the Golden Fleece involved a group of around fifty crew members, made up of noble heroes. The lists of names vary, but Nestor appears on two of the sources and is considered to be one of the men on the Argo. The task of retrieving the Golden Fleece was ultimately successful and Nestor became king of Pylos following the deaths of his brothers, killed by Hercules for reasons which vary depending upon which source is consulted. Nestor also appears in the 'Iliad', written by Homer, in which he is an old man telling tales of his exploits during the Trojan War.

Answer: Anubis

Not all sources agree that Nephthys is the mother of Anubis, but it is widely accepted. They do agree that her parents were Geb and Nut and that her name means 'mistress of the house' She is often depicted with a basket containing a house on her head.

The name doesn't mean she is related to the home, though - it is interpreted as meaning she is a sky goddess as the sky reaches over the world. Nephthys is also linked to vultures and, by extension, to death and mourning.

Answer: Catfish

Namazu was meant to be guarded by the god of thunder, Kashima, who kept him quiescent most of the time. During moments of distraction, Namazu was able to thrash about to deadly effect causing the earthquakes to which Japan is prone. Namazu has been depicted in Japanese art, particularly following the 1855 earthquake which killed nearly 7,000 people.

Answer: Nemesis

The name of Nemesis means 'to give what is due' in the original Greek version, and the goddess dealt with those who failed to give due reverence to the gods or displayed too much regard for themselves. It was Nemesis who punished another N named mythological character in Narcissus, causing him to fall in love with his reflected self and pine away from unrequited love.

The word has passed into common usage to denote the person who will cause someone's downfall and was used by Agatha Christie as the title of one of her novels, when Nemesis, in the form of Miss Marple, brought a murderer to justice.

Answer: Australian Aborigines

This is one of the Creator Ancestors of the indigenous Australians and is depicted as a perentie, a type of monitor lizard. Aborigine myth is referred to by westerners as the 'Dreamtime' or 'Dreaming', with peoples from different areas of Australia having their own versions. Ngintaka is associated with theft, in particular that of a grindstone to replace his own. During his return journey, he created various mountains. South Australia's Mount Woodroffe, in this mythology, is believed to be the body of Ngintaka.

Answer: True

Neptune was originally associated only with freshwater, as a minor god, with his festival falling in July when water in the Mediterranean area is harder to find than at other times of year. The Romans did not have a sea god as such, so Neptune was later linked to the Green god Poseidon and is now more often regarded as a sea god. According to some sources, both Neptune and Poseidon should be considered as gods of all types of water, both inland and the seas.

Answer: Lion

Nemea is located in Greece, on the Peloponnesian peninsula, and ancient remains can still be seen there. The Nemean lion, with its golden fur, was impervious to human weapons but Hercules managed to trap it and strangle the monstrous beast with his bare hands. Skinning the animal proved more challenging though as Hercules was unable to cut through the hide even though the creature was dead. Fortunately, the goddess Athena was on hand to recommend the use of the lion's own claws.

Hercules is said to have made good use of the hide by turning it into a coat, thus protecting himself from anything the weather and his enemies could throw at him.

Answer: Hindus

Naga is the Sanskrit word for a serpent, and nagas are the male version, a cross between a human and a cobra. The females are called nagis or nagini. They were sent to an underground realm by Brahma with instructions to attack only evil people. Nagas are part of Hindu mythology and also appear in Buddhism and Jainism.

In the Harry Potter series, J K Rowling used the name Nagini for the snake owned by Lord Voldemort. Although snakes inspire fear in many people, they are revered in eastern cultures as symbols of strength and rebirth.