It is a Tale Told By ... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Darkie

"Black Beauty" is the only book written by Anna Sewell; it was first published in 1877. The horse, who narrates the story of his life, was first called Darkie; when he was sold to Squire Gordon, the squire's wife gave him the name Black Beauty. On being sold to Earl W-, his name was changed to Black Auster.

After a spell as a livery horse in Bath, the horse was sold to a London cab driver who called him Jack. After further troubles working for a carter and other cabbies, the horse was sold again to a kind man who looked after him well and then sold him to two sisters.

Their groom recognised the horse as one he looked after in the past; Black Beauty was given his old name again, and assured of a good home for the rest of his life.

Answer: John Ridd

"Lorna Doone" is probably the most well-known book by R. D. Blackmore; it was first published in 1869. It is set mainly on Exmoor in the county of Devonshire. John Ridd tells the story of how he rescued Lorna from the clutches of the notorious Doone family; how it is discovered that she is not a Doone but a wealthy heiress; and how he eventually gained his status as a free man and was finally able to marry Lorna, and what happened on and after their wedding day.

Answer: Peter Moran

"So Disdained" was the second novel by Nevil Shute; it was first published in 1928. In the United States it was called "The Mysterious Aviator" - a title described by the author as 'somewhat uninspiring'. It tells the story of what happened after Peter Moran stopped to give a lift to a pedestrian walking along a road in the South Downs in England late at night in the pouring rain.

It transpired that the two men knew each other from their days in the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. Maurice Lenden was in a bit of bother, and Peter Moran found a way to help him.

Answer: Richard Hannay

"The Thirty-nine Steps" by John Buchan was first serialised in "Blackwood's Magazine" in 1915 before appearing as a book later that year. It was the first novel to feature Richard Hannay - the others are "Greenmantle", "Mr. Standfast", "The Three Hostages" and "The Island of Sheep". Richard Hannay found a dead man in his London flat with a knife through his heart skewering him to the floor.

He had to flee from the police and hide in Scotland before he could warn the government of an assassination plot that could lead to war.

Answer: John Watson

"The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Arthur Conan-Doyle first appeared as a serial in "The Strand" magazine from 1901 to 1902. It was the third of his novels featuring the well-known detective, Sherlock Holmes; it was first published as a book in 1902.

It is set mainly on Dartmoor in the south-west of England. The legend of the supernatural hound dated from the English Civil War in the seventeenth century. However, Sherlock Holmes was able to prove that the hound was far from supernatural, and to explain who had tried to murder the latest heir to the Baskerville estate and title. Dr. John Watson wrote accounts of many investigations undertaken by his friend, Sherlock Holmes.

Answer: James Sheppard

"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie was the third of her novels to feature Hercule Poirot, the retired Belgian detective. Poirot was living quietly in the country growing prize vegetable marrows when his friend, Roger Ackroyd, was found dead. Naturally Poirot was called in to investigate.

The account of that investigation was told by Dr. James Sheppard, who was the local doctor, and lived next door to Hercule Poirot.

Answer: Rudolf Rassendyll

"The Prisoner of Zenda" by Anthony Hope was first published in 1894. Rudolf Rassendyll had travelled to Ruritania to see the coronation of his distant cousin, King Rudolf; the two cousins bore a remarkable resemblance to one another. The King's brother, Prince Michael, had drugged the king on the eve of the coronation in an attempt to claim the throne for himself. Rudolf Rassendyll was persuaded to impersonate the king for the coronation thus thwarting Prince Michael's plan.

His adventures didn't end there, since he fell in love with the king's fiancée, Princess Flavia, and then he had to help rescue the king from the castle of Zenda.

Answer: Carruthers

"The Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers, first published in 1903, was one of the earliest spy novels. Carruthers' holiday plans had fallen through, so he agreed to join his friend, Davies, on a sailing trip to the Baltic. He was expecting a luxury yacht, plenty of company and a bit of duck-shooting. What he actually got was a small boat with just the two of them trying to find out what the Germans were doing near the island of Mermet. On discovering German plans to invade the east coast of Britain, they returned home to alert the government.

Answer: Old J

"Three Men in a Boat" was written by Jerome K. Jerome and first published in 1889. The author, referred to by his friends as 'Old J.', tells of a trip he took with his dog, Montmorency, and his friends George and Harris. They were all in need of a holiday, but decided that the country would be too boring.

They contemplated a sea-trip; although each of the three claimed to be an excellent sailor, they were all convinced that the other two would succumb to seasickness. The final decision was to take a camping skiff up the River Thames from Kingston to Oxford.

Answer: Jim Hawkins

"Treasure Island" was written by Robert Louis Stevenson and first published as a book in 1883. It was originally serialised in the children's magazine "Young Folks" from 1881 to 1882 with the title, "Treasure Island, or the mutiny of the Hispaniola". Jim Hawkins tells the story of an eighteenth century voyage to recover lost treasure from a faraway island.

It is told in six parts and begins when Jim, an inn-keeper's son, and his mother discover a treasure map in the sea chest of a dead sailor.

At the end Jim, now an adult, states that there is probably more treasure left on the island, but nothing would induce him to go back again to look for it.