Download norse mythology questions

FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
NORSE MYTHOLOGY QUESTIONS
• In the Norse Myth of Sif’s Golden Hair, Loki bet his head and lost. What was the bet,
and why wasn’t he decapitated by the dwarves?
 (2.5pts) In this Norse Myth, why was the handle of Thor’s hammer forged too short?
Name another story that features the theme of focus and concentration. (Hint:
Bellows could symbolize a type of breath.) What might these stories teach us about
the power of focused attention?
• In the tale of Baldur and the Mistletoe, why did the gods hurl weapons at Baldur,
even though he was their family member?
 (1.5pts) What does this tale tell us about the value of expressing grief for the dead
in ancient Norse society? What in the story tells us this?
• In the tale of How Thor Got His Hammer Back, what two things happened
that hinted that the person under the wedding veil was not the goddess Freya?
 Judging by the lies Loki told in this tale, what do you think the Norse people
think of the value of honesty? What happens in the story to support your ideas?
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
• What did Thor do to bring his two goats back to life?
 This story teaches its listeners about symbols. Name at least three symbols
in the story and what the wizard at the end of the story said they represented.
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
• In the Norse myth of Odin, name at least two things that were similar about
both of Odin’s quests.
• Compare the stories of Odin’s quests and the Tlingit myth about how fresh
water came into the word (that Craig told at camp). What is similar about
these two stories?
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
• In the Norse myth of Odin, name at least two things that were similar about
both of Odin’s quests.
• Compare the stories of Odin’s quests and the Tlingit myth about how fresh
water came into the word (that Craig told at camp). What is similar about
these two stories?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY QUESTIONS
• In the story of Why Cats Hate Rats, which animal won the race to be the first
celebrated on the Lunar New Year? Who helped that animal to win?
 (2pts) Dragons have been highly esteemed and respected in China for hundreds of
years. The Buddha bet the Dragon would win first place in the race. What place did
the dragon win? Why? What values might the dragon in this story teach us?
• In the story of Yi Shoots Down the Suns, what prevented the archer, Yi, from
shooting down all ten suns from the sky?
 (1.5pts) What genre of folktale is Yi Shoots Down the Suns? What in the story
supports that answer?
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY
• In the story of The Magic Paintbrush, how did the boy escape from the shack
where Moustache Sam held him captive?
 In The Magic Paintbrush, The Emperor painted certain things that turned
against him. What values does this part of the story teach us?
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY
• In the Chinese tale of The Flood, how did the eyes of the Lion statue turn
red?
• Name at least three values you think the original Chinese storytellers may
have wanted to teach the children who heard it?
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY
• In the Chinese tale of The Flood, how did the eyes of the Lion statue turn
red?
• Name at least three values you think the original Chinese storytellers may
have wanted to teach the children who heard it?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
GREEK MYTHOLOGY QUESTIONS
• In the myth of Eros and Psyche, why did Aphrodite send Eros to prick Psyche
with one of his arrows?
 (2pts) Do you think that the Greek tale of Eros and Psyche is a myth, a fairytale, or
both? Argue your position using two pieces of evidence from the story.
• What gift from the goddess Athena did Perseus use so that he could approach
Medusa without getting petrified himself? (Petra means “stone.”)
 (2pts) How many Graeae sisters did Perseus meet? How many Gorgons? Name
another story—from Greece or a different culture—that uses that same number. Why
do you think that number is significant to so many ancient cultures?
• In the myth of Eros and Psyche, why did the Goddess Aphrodite send her son
Eros to wound Psyche? What did he do that angered his mother even more?
 In many folktales like this one, a hero or heroine goes on a trip to the underworld
(or the land of the dead) to retrieve something of great value. What, in your life,
might this symbolize? What secret might these tales be trying to teach?
GREEK MYTHOLOGY
• What gift from the goddess Athena did Perseus use so that he could approach
Medusa without getting petrified himself? (Petra means “stone.”)
 How many Graeae sisters did Perseus meet? How many Gorgons? Name another
story—from Greece or a different culture—that uses that same number. Why do you
think that number is significant to so many ancient cultures?
GREEK MYTHOLOGY
• Why did Persephone have to remain with Hades for four months of the year?
• According to many Ancient Greeks, what is the cause of the four seasons?
GREEK MYTHOLOGY
• According to the Ancient Greeks, why did Hades take Persephone into the
underworld?
• Why did Persephone have to remain in Hades for four months of the year?
• According to many Ancient Greeks, what is the cause of the four seasons?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
RUSSIAN FOLKTALE QUESTIONS
• The Russian fairytale Fenist the Bright Falcon is full of beautiful symbols, such as
the feather which magically called Fenist. Name at least five other symbols that occur
in the story.
(2.5pts) This story used a certain number over and over again, in various forms.
What is that number? Name another story that you’ve heard or read in this class—from
Russia or a different culture—that uses that number. Finally, guess why this number is
so significant to many ancient cultures.
• The Russian fairytale The Firebird is full of beautiful symbols, such as the firebird’s
feather, which Dimitri finds in the beginning of the story. Name at least six other
symbols that occur in this tale.
 (2pts) In this story, Vassilisa is a woman (perhaps a goddess) of great beauty and
power that comes from the sea. She uses a boat, drinks from a goblet, and enchants a
cauldron (all symbols of femininity). Name a goddess from another story who
originates from the sea. How is the sea is also a symbol of femininity?
• The Russian fairytale Fenist the Bright Falcon is full of beautiful symbols,
such as the feather which magically called Fenist. Name at least four other
symbols that occur in the story.
This story used a certain number over and over again, in various forms. What
is that number? Name another story that you’ve heard or read in this class—
from Russia or a different culture—that uses that number. Finally, guess why
this number is so significant to many ancient cultures.
RUSSIAN FOLKTALES
• In the Russian trickster tale, The Doughnut, what three animals couldn’t
catch Doughnut, and which animal actually caught it?
This story used many storytelling techniques that help storytellers learn a
story and remember it. Name as many as you can. (I can think of three.)
RUSSIAN FAIRYTALES
• In the story of Vassilia the Beautiful, why did Vassilisa go into the forest to
visit Baba Yaga?
• In fairy tales, the main characters often begin in a disadvantaged position,
and rises slowly to a high position in society throughout the tale. They work
hard and are helped by magical forces. How was this true of Vassilisa?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
AFRICAN FOLKTALE QUESTIONS
• In the Congo story of A Bride for the Hare, what did Hare do to prevent Lion from
lifting him?
 (2pts) Name at least two values that, judging by this tale, might be considered
important in the Congo. Warnings can also be teachings. Also, name one warning this
tale teaches.
• In the Kenyan story of The Lazy Donkey, why did the second donkey have a more
difficult time after he knelt in the river?
 (2pts) What similarities does the second donkey in this story have with the tzar in
the Russian tale, The Firebird? Name at least two values that both of these tales
teach people through those characters—in both Kenya and Russia.
• In the Zulu story of Ntanjambli, why did the father of Demazana and Demania
try to drown his own children in the river?
What lessons or values do you think the story of Ntanjambli was intended to
teach Zulu people? What in the story tells you that?
AFRICAN FOLKTALES
• In the story of How Anansi Tricked Donkey, what did Anansi have Donkey do
to make the beautiful young woman believe that Donkey was his slave?
Compare Anansi’s tricks with the tricks Foxie pulled in The Doughnut: name
two things that are similar about those two characters. Also, name at least one
thing that is similar about the tricks they both played.
AFRICAN FOLKLORE
• In the West African tale about how Leopard got his spots, why did deer wake
up leopard in the middle of the night?
• Was deer ever punished for the tricks he played on cheetah and spider? How?
AFRICAN FOLKLORE
• In the West African tale about how Leopard got his spots, why did deer wake
up leopard in the middle of the night?
• Was deer ever punished for the tricks he played on cheetah and spider? How?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
HINDU MYTHOLOGY QUESTIONS
• In Hindu myths about How Ganesha Got His Head, Ganesha’s birth/creation is told
differently. How is his origin explained in the myth we heard in class?
 (2.5pts) In both this myth and in the Russian fairytale Marya Morevna, the hero is
killed. Compare what happens to the young hero in both tales after he dies. Do you
know of another story—from a different society—where a similar theme occurs? What
might this recurring theme teach us?
• In the Hindu fairytale, The Green Parrot, what did the parrot say to warn the
hero/king in the story about how his horse should be treated?
 (2.5pts) Compare the magic horses in the Russian fairytale Maria Morevna and
the in this Indian fairytale. What was similar about the way that Tzarevich Ivan’s
magic horse looked before he stole him and the way the horse in this Indian
fairytale looked before the king “fed him the finest grains”? What do you think
this similar theme is trying to teach us about ourselves?
• In the Hindu myth, The Churning of the Sea, why weren’t the demons upset
when they didn’t get to drink the elixir of immortality?
 Both the goddesses Laskshmi and Aphrodite rose out of the sea. What do
these two goddesses have in common? What do you think the sea symbolizes in
these stories?
HINDU MYTHOLOGY
• After suffering many penances and thus attracting the attention of the
creator god, Brahma, what was Mahisha’s first wish? What did Brahma tell him?
 How did the male deities who were unable to defeat the powerful demon,
Mahisha, summon the Great Goddess Durga?
HINDU MYTHOLOGY
• According to Hindu mythology, what can one do to attract the attention (and
the favors) of a god?
• How did the male deities who were unable to defeat the powerful demon,
Mahisha, summon the Great Goddess, Durga?
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS, 2002-2003
HINDU MYTHOLOGY
• According to Hindu mythology, what can one do to attract the attention (and
the favors) of a god?
• How did the male deities who were unable to defeat the powerful demon,
Mahisha, summon the Great Goddess, Durga?
• Name at least two reasons why the Hindu goddess Durga was able to defeat
Mahisha.