Francis Ford Coppola's "The Black Stallion" Quiz

Answer: The Drake

Alec and his father were in India for almost a month, when they headed home on The Drake. A few days after leaving India, The Drake made a stop at an Arabian port to pick up passengers and cargo. 12 year-old Alec was on deck on the starboard side of the ship, when he first spotted a beautiful and fierce black stallion.

The stallion had a white scarf covering its eyes, but it was fighting the Arabs that were forcing it onto the ship. After several long minutes, the Arabs finally succeeded in bringing the stallion on board.

They led him to an unoccupied stable, where he was tied down. Of course, Alec, being a horse lover, was instantly attracted to the beautiful stallion. Alec was curious about the stallion on board the ship, and tried his best to see it up close, but the Arabs kept chasing him away.

Answer: Playing poker

After several failed attempts to see the stallion, Alec decided to entice the horse to the stable's porthole. Alec carefully placed 4-6 sugar cubes on the rim, then waited for the stallion to make an appearance. Alec was ecstatic to see the horse's head and he smiled with happiness when the stallion began eating the cubes. But, just as he was feeling happy, an Arab grabbed him by his ear, yelled at him, and made him leave the area.

Then, the Arab ate the last sugar cube that was sitting on the rim. Alec ran as fast as he could to where his father was playing poker.

He tried to tell his father what happened, but his father was too interested in the card game. His father told him to go back to his room and go to sleep. Alec listened to his father and went to his room.

A while later, Alec's father came to the room. Alec woke up and he and father looked over the winnings of the poker game. There was money, jewels, a pocket knife, and a little figurine of black stallion. Alec's father gave him the figurine and a pocket knife, telling him to always keep it with him because "it might come in handy someday."

Answer: Alexander the Great

According to Alec's father, the figurine represented Alexander the Great's black stallion. His father told Alec that Alexander was just about his age when he won the stallion in a battle. After that, Alexander was never apart from his horse, and that the stallion was with Alexander when he won his greatest battle and became known as Alexander the Great. Alec really didn't believe his father, but he appreciated the story.

Answer: Lightning struck the ship

Sometime after midnight, Alec and his father were awaken by noise in the corridor. His father found out what was wrong and handed his son a life jacket. Not having time to change, Alec and his father were in their pajamas when they went to the deck. Alec's father went to help to try to put the fire out, and he told Alec to stay put.

After his father left him, Alec heard screams coming from the stallion's hold. He raced toward the stable, and unlatched the door, freeing the stallion. The passengers on The Drake became even more frightened when they saw the horse running around with fear.

The stallion and Alec were on the deck, when an Arab, seeing Alec and the horse, grabbed Alec and began pushing him toward the side of the ship in an attempt to throw the boy overboard. Alec began yelling, and that fast his father came to his rescue. Alec's father and the Arab began fighting, and as this was going on, the stallion, with rope attached to his halter, jumped overboard.

But as the stallion did so, he knocked Alec into the Indian Ocean. Alec fought to stay afloat, but kept going under.

Then he noticed the stallion's halter rope and grabbed on to it. He tied it around his waist and let the stallion bring him to safety. As Alec turned around, he saw The Drake sink into the ocean, including his father.

Answer: Snake

After being in the Indian Ocean all night, the stallion pulled Alec and himself toward a deserted island. Alec found himself in harm's way when he realized he was about to be dragged across the hot sand at the full speed of the horse. He quickly went to the pocket of his pajama bottoms to see if the knife his father gave him was still there. Luckily for Alec, the knife was still in his pocket.

He used it to cut the rope that he tied around his waist. Alec then realized that the stallion had taken off and was somewhere on the island. Following the stallion's spoor, Alec traveled almost the entire island when he heard the stallion's screams. Running toward the stallion, Alec realized that the horse's rope was caught and that he was trying to free himself.

He eased his way over to the frightened stallion and cut him loose. The stallion took off, and never looked back. For days and days afterward, Alec saw the horse on the rocky terrain. One day, Alec tripped and fell, and landed in front of a King Cobra.

The snake was hissing and spitting, but Alec didn't move. All seemed hopeless for the boy, until the stallion galloped over and began pouncing on the snake, killing it. It seemed, to those who watched the movie, that the stallion was repaying Alec for setting him free. After that, Alec began calling the horse, The Black.

Answer: Carrageen

Alec was hungry and he knew The Black was hungry, so he tried to get some fish, but he just couldn't get any. After not eating for several days, Alec came across some edible seaweed, known as carrageen. Carrageen could be eaten raw or cooked, and Alec ate it both ways.

He tried to give some to The Black, but the stallion was still leery of the boy. Alec, knowing the horse was starving, and thinking of the horse instead of himself, enticed The Black with a piece of carrageen in his hand. The Black overcame his fear and ate out of Alec's hand.

After that, Alec began petting him and finally rode the giant stallion on the beach. The two became fast friends, and the boy's love for the stallion was unlimited.

Answer: Henry Dailey

After being rescued by four Italian sailors, Alec brought The Black home to Farmingdale, New York. His mother was shocked to see the giant horse that her son had brought home. One day, Alec and The Black were in the backyard, when The Black heard a strange noise.

The noise was a trash truck. When the trashman opened the door to the backyard to get the trash, The Black reared on his hind legs and ran out the door and down the street. Of course, Alec was chasing his horse. After searching all day and all night for his horse, Alec was about to give up hope when he saw an elderly black man and a white horse.

The man, whose name was Snoe, introduced Alec to Nappy, short for Napoleon. Snoe asked Alec what was wrong and Alec said he was looking for his horse. Snoe thought about it and then said that he might have seen the horse, and asked if the horse was a big black stallion. Alec said yes that that was his horse, and Snoe told Alec where he could find the stallion. Alec followed the directions and found his horse in the stable of Henry Dailey, a former jockey.

Henry and Alec made a deal, which allowed The Black to have the stable and the run of the property. Henry, sensing that the stallion was a racer began showing Alec how to ride, but only after Alec heard on the radio about a great upcoming match race between Sun Raider and Cyclone, the two fastest horses in America.

Answer: Belmont

Henry brought Alec and The Black to the Belmont racetrack to workout. Henry's idea was to time The Black to see just how fast he could go. Henry was in for a shock when The Black was faster than Sun Raider and Cyclone. But the only problem was that The Black had unknown parentage, and that he would not be allowed to race at all.

Henry's idea was for his friend, news radio commentator Jim Neville, to see The Black in action. Henry knew that his friend would then do all he could to see to it that The Black raced alongside Sun Raider and Cyclone. On the night that Henry's plan went into action, it was raining. Jim Neville saw The Black speed around the racetrack, going faster then he ever imagined, even faster than Sun Raider and Cyclone. Neville was amazed and commented that if the stallion could do that with a kid, what would he do with a real jockey.

The next morning, as promised, Neville began his crusade to get The Black entered into the match between Sun Raider and Cyclone. He called The Black the Mystery Horse. Neville created such a racket, that Sun Raider's and Cyclone's owners laughingly said that they would allow the Mystery Horse to race against their horses. Of course, they figured it was a joke.

Answer: Chicago

Henry, Alec, Alec's mother, and The Black traveled to Chicago for the match race. Henry helped Alec to get ready, and when Alec went to get weighed in, he only weighed in at 98 pounds. The other two jockeys laughed and made comments about Alec and his masked costume.

Answer: Sun Raider and Cyclone

Henry helped Alec onto The Black, who was wearing a black blanket that read "The Black" in purple lettering. Then Henry led The Black to the gates, but before he got to the gates, The Black and Sun Raider had a confrontation. The two horses went at it, and The Black wound up with a deep cut on his right front leg.

The horses were seperated and led to their gates. There, Alec noticed that The Black was bleeding and was getting ready to get off the horse when the bell rang and the gates opened. Sun Raider and Cyclone bolted out, but The Black was fighting Alec as they made their way down the track.

But Sun Raider and Cyclone were far ahead, and all seemed hopeless. Then, Alec decided against trying to make The Black stop, and the stallion raced around the track.

He was far away, but made up the distance fast. The Black raced ahead of Sun Raider and Cyclone and defeated them. Then, Alec and The Black went to the winner's circle where a horseshoe of roses was draped around the stallion's neck, while the veterinarian bandaged the bleeding leg.