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Quiz about The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

"The Black Cauldron," by Lloyd Alexander Quiz

Taran of Caer Dallben, this time a little wiser, again sets off with his companions. Gwydion wants to find and destroy the Black Cauldron, the maker of Cauldron Born, the deathless warriors.

A multiple-choice quiz by Arget_Aiedail. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Arget_Aiedail

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
230,010

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
634

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What is Taran doing at the beginning of the book? Hint

Mucking out Melynlas's stall

Washing Hen Wen

Cleaning out Hen Wen's sty

Taking fighting lessons from Coll

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Question 2 of 20

2. What does Eilonwy have in hand when she runs up after Ellidyer throws Taran to the ground? Hint

A bouquet of pink and yellow wildflowers

A cooking pot

Her bauble

A dagger in a leather sheath

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Question 3 of 20

3. Who rules over Cantrev Cadiffor? Hint

King Smoit

Prince Eddilyer

King Morgant

Adaon

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Question 4 of 20

4. What prompts Eilonwy into agreeing to gird Taran's new sword on him even though he was, at least in Eilonwy's opinion, rude? Hint

Taran says he'll try to talk Gwydion into letting her come

Gurgi begs her not to be mad at his "kindly master"

Dallben tells Hen Wen that, "To err is human, to forgive divine" but really means for Eilonwy to hear it

Taran promises to tell her what was said in the council

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Question 5 of 20

5. Ellidyer lifts Melynlas with Taran in the saddle, and that is how he shows his true strength

True

False

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Question 6 of 20

6. Who is it that Taran mistakenly waves his sword at while they're camping in the clearing?

Answer: (One Word-name)

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Question 7 of 20

7. Gwystyl's hair looks like which of the following? Hint

Cobwebs

Grass

Mold

Pale, sparse roots

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Question 8 of 20

8. How does Adaon become fatally wounded and die? Hint

One of the Cauldron Born slashes him down the middle

A Huntsmen of Annuvin throws a knife into his heart

His horse throws him

A gwythaint cuts him badly

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Question 9 of 20

9. There is a run-down building next to Orwen, Orgoch, and Orddu's house. It is described as "Something that looked like __________." Hint

A dilapidated dovecote

A barn on its last legs

A crumbling brush pile

A demolished chicken coop

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Question 10 of 20

10. When Orddu first speaks to the companions, what kind of animal does she threaten to turn them into? Hint

Ducks

Chickens

Lambs

Toads

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Question 11 of 20

11. Which of the following is NOT true about any of the enchantresses from the Marshes of Morva? Hint

All of these

They turn themselves into beautiful maidens at night

Orddu has exceptionally small feet

Orgoch makes it difficult to keep pets around

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Question 12 of 20

12. The only way the Black Cauldron can be shattered is for a living human being to climb into it of his or her own free will.

True

False

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Question 13 of 20

13. Who is it that finds the companions while they are trying to "fish that vile pot out of the river"? Hint

King Smoit

Doli

Ellidyer

Huntsmen

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Question 14 of 20

14. Does King Morgant save the day after Ellidyer takes the Cauldron?

Yes

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Question 15 of 20

15. Which of the friends does Morgant have gagged once he captures them? Hint

Gurgi

Fflewddur

Taran

Eilonwy

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Question 16 of 20

16. The first warrior to ride into the clearing after Ellidyer leaps into the Cauldron is Gwydion.

True

False

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Question 17 of 20

17. Does Islimach throw herself off a cliff once Ellidyer is dead?

Yes

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Question 18 of 20

18. What does Gwystyl give to Taran when he sees him again at the end of the book? Hint

A hunting horn from the Fair Folk

Some magic herbs

Kaw

A new, non-magical brooch

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Question 19 of 20

19. What does Gywdion say to Taran when they part: "Farewell, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper-and ______"? Hint

Man

Friend

Companion

Prince at heart

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Question 20 of 20

20. Eilonwy's parting quote is, "That's worse than starting a journey and forgetting to put on your shoes!"

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is Taran doing at the beginning of the book?

Answer: Washing Hen Wen

Though she is usually happy to have a bath, Hen Wen is being troublesome this time. Taran is paying attention to her, so he doesn't notice Prince Ellidyer, Son of Pen-Llarcau, ride up. Since Ellidyer is such a snob, these are not the best circumstances for Taran to meet him in. For a long time afterwards, Prince Ellidyer calls Taran "pig-boy."

2. What does Eilonwy have in hand when she runs up after Ellidyer throws Taran to the ground?

Answer: A cooking pot

Everyone comes running out because of the commotion, Eilonwy from the scullery with a cook pot still in hand. After letting out a cry of alarm, Eilonwy, with the assistance of Coll, helps Taran to his feet and then chides him for making a fool of himself yet again.

3. Who rules over Cantrev Cadiffor?

Answer: King Smoit

Jolly King Smoit is a large man, but "there's not a grain of harm in him," to quote Fflewddur. Smoit is at least mentioned in each book in the rest of the series, and he later offers to make Taran his heir. Adaon is another bard (though he's better than Fflewddur).

4. What prompts Eilonwy into agreeing to gird Taran's new sword on him even though he was, at least in Eilonwy's opinion, rude?

Answer: Taran promises to tell her what was said in the council

Though at first she says she doesn't want to know, and that she couldn't be less interested, Elionwy does gird the sword on Taran. She must be very curious about what was said in the council because it usually takes her quite a bit longer to forgive the blundering Taran. If you're wondering who really said, "To err is human, to forgive divine," it was Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744) in "An Essay on Criticism."

5. Ellidyer lifts Melynlas with Taran in the saddle, and that is how he shows his true strength

Answer: False

Ellidyer and Taran are trying to best each other - once again - by seeing who can keep in the front of their party, and Melynlas slips down a steep slope and lands on a ledge below the trail. Taran is left hanging off the edge of that same ledge and Ellidyer lifts him up to where he can stand, and then eases Melynlas up until he, too, can scramble back onto the trail.

6. Who is it that Taran mistakenly waves his sword at while they're camping in the clearing?

Answer: Eilonwy

Taran hears a twig crack and draws his blade, only to hear a squeal and have a bauble flash in his eyes.

7. Gwystyl's hair looks like which of the following?

Answer: Cobwebs

Gwystyl is a wreck. He is taller than Doli, but extremely thin, his hair is long, stringy, and scant, and he seems on the verge of bursting into tears at any moment.

8. How does Adaon become fatally wounded and die?

Answer: A Huntsmen of Annuvin throws a knife into his heart

Before he was even wounded, Adaon foresaw his death with the powers of his brooch, and told Taran to take it "if" anything should ever befall him and he should die.

9. There is a run-down building next to Orwen, Orgoch, and Orddu's house. It is described as "Something that looked like __________."

Answer: A demolished chicken coop

After using Adaon's brooch to guide their way through the Marshes of Morva and drown the Huntsmen, Taran nearly misses the enchantress' house because it's cleverly concealed with sod and branches.

10. When Orddu first speaks to the companions, what kind of animal does she threaten to turn them into?

Answer: Toads

The first thing Orddu says to them is, "How would you like it if you were turned into a toad? And stepped on?" And she isn't even the nastiest of them!

11. Which of the following is NOT true about any of the enchantresses from the Marshes of Morva?

Answer: Orddu has exceptionally small feet

All of those are true except that at least Orddu has exceptionally large feet, not exceptionally small ones.

12. The only way the Black Cauldron can be shattered is for a living human being to climb into it of his or her own free will.

Answer: True

Orddu tells them this when Gurgi is nearly inside!

13. Who is it that finds the companions while they are trying to "fish that vile pot out of the river"?

Answer: Ellidyer

Ellidyer finds them after days of living in the woods while trying to find the Marshes of Morva. When he sees that they have the Cauldron he gets angry, thinking that the "pig-boy" is trying to steal his honor again.

14. Does King Morgant save the day after Ellidyer takes the Cauldron?

Answer: No

Taran and his friends think that they will be saved, sheltered, and fed by Morgant and his men, but Morgant has actually turned to the dark side. He has ambition to become "greater" than Arawn himself.

15. Which of the friends does Morgant have gagged once he captures them?

Answer: Eilonwy

I guess because Eilonwy is so talkative. She is mad at Morgant and he gets annoyed at her for saying that he will be defeated. But Eilonwy will not be silenced, once the captors leave, she works furiously at the gag until she can speak again.

16. The first warrior to ride into the clearing after Ellidyer leaps into the Cauldron is Gwydion.

Answer: False

It is King Smoit with a "naked sword" in his hand and no longer looking like a teddy bear.

17. Does Islimach throw herself off a cliff once Ellidyer is dead?

Answer: Yes

She is so attached to Ellidyer that she wants to die, also. Taran tries to stop her, but he can't reach her in time.

18. What does Gwystyl give to Taran when he sees him again at the end of the book?

Answer: Kaw

The lugubrious Gwystyl sighs about Kaw wanting to go with Taran, but I think he really meant to give Kaw to Taran in the first place. Gwystyl is a very good actor.

19. What does Gywdion say to Taran when they part: "Farewell, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper-and ______"?

Answer: Friend

Taran has finally entered the world of men, which he has longed to do, but he realizes friendship is more important.

20. Eilonwy's parting quote is, "That's worse than starting a journey and forgetting to put on your shoes!"

Answer: True

Eilonwy is talking about her and Gurgi leaving in such a hurry that she didn't take time to straighten up the scullery.

Source: Author Arget_Aiedail

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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