What's Your Elemental IQ? Trivia Quiz

Answer: fairies

Fairies are generally considered to be human-like creatures with magical powers. Though now considered to be very small, they were originally said to be as big as humans. One common Celtic theme is that they were forced into hiding by invading humans. Sometimes considered malevolent, they are at the least considered mischievous.

Answer: nixie

Nixies are often thought of as being shapeshifters, so one could appear as a dragon or a mermaid. There are also similar figures in England and Scandinavia. A nixie named Melusine, seen in some German coats of arms, is depicted as a mermaid

Answer: brownie

Brownies are related to hobgoblins. Though considered an evil spirit they don't usually perform malevolent deeds and can be useful around the home; they can be petulant and will storm off in a huff if they feel misused. They inhabit the British Isles where, incidentally, the Brownies of the Girl Guides do not sell cookies as a fund raising device as do the Brownies of the American Girl Scouts.

Answer: knocker

Knockers are earth spirits from Welsh and English lore. They dress as miners and might steal miners' food or tools. They may knock on mine walls to warn of impending collapse. In America they are known as tommyknockers.

Answer: salamander

The salamander fire spirit may be contrasted with the small lizard of the same name, although the amphibian Salamandra salamandra is known as the fire salamander. The salamander fire spirit has been commented on by Pliny the Elder, Aristotle and Leonardo da Vinci. Pope Alexander III was said to have a tunic made from supposedly fireproof salamander skins. The Talmud mentions that anyone smeared with salamander blood will be immune to fire and alchemists thought a fire salamander could put out a fire with coldness emanating from its body.

Answer: dryad

Dryads are female tree spirits, or nymphs. They are considered minor deities who animate nature. Beautiful and shy, they are considered friends of the goddess Artemis and will punish any human who damages a tree without first appeasing the tree-nymph who lives in it.

Answer: sylph

Three of these are water spirits, the sylph is the elemental of air. Pope, in his poem "The Rape of the Lock", was poking fun at Paracelsus and alchemists in general. While sylphs don't have a substantial mythology, Rosicrucianism mentions sylphs in its hermetic philosophical writings.

Answer: kobold

Kobolds are sprites of Germanic mythology, appearing as a human, an animal, a candle or fire. They will help around the house unless insulted (much like their brownie brethren) or they may be found in mines. The element cobalt comes from their name; miners blamed kobolds for the poisonous ores (usually arsenic) that contained cobalt. Another kobold, the German Klabautermann, spends its time aboard ships.

Answer: kelpie

Kelpies are water spirits who take the form of a horse. They will let someone climb on their back, which then becomes sticky and they drown the rider at the bottom of a river or pool. Or they may shapeshift into the form of a young woman to lure men into the trap.

Answer: tatterdemalion

Tatterdemalions are creatures of air and light. They have little substance and cannot engage in physical contact. They can relay information or offer counsel and have an urgency about them because they are short-lived.