Mythical Creatures | Answers

Flag of Wales. Image Wikipedia
  1. The image shown above is the flag of…
    • Wales—The flag of Wales features a red dragon on a green and white field, with the colours representing the Tudor family. The Red Dragon, a vexilloid—a flag or standard—possibly invented in Persia, was introduced to Britain during Roman rule and became a symbol for local rulers, including King Arthur and kings of the Wessex Saxons. It was traditionally associated with King Arthur and was officially recognised as the badge of Wales in 1801; the flag was officially recognised in 1959.
      Horus. Image Wikipedia
  2. The ancient Egyptian deity, normally depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon’s head, is…
    • Horus—an ancient Egyptian deity, was worshipped as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and the sky. He was depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon head and was associated with the ruling pharaoh
      Albrecht Dürer, Saint George Killing the Dragon. Image Wikipedia
  3. What links the royal arms of Aragon, the coat of arms of Moscow, Russia, and the coat of arms of Reggio Calabria, Italy?
    • Saint George and the dragon—The legend of Saint George slaying a dragon, originating in Cappadocia, was attributed to him in the 11th century and quickly spread through the Byzantine cultural sphere, reaching Western Christian tradition during the Crusades. This story became a popular subject in literature and art. Saint George, an early Christian martyr, is the patron saint of England and Georgia, depicted as a warrior-saint who famously saved a princess by slaying a dragon.
      The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom features two versions. The Scottish version, on the right, has the lion and unicorn swapped, with both crowned. Image Wikipedia
  4. The unicorn is the national symbol of…
    • Scotland—The unicorn, a symbol of purity and power in Celtic mythology, has been Scotland’s national animal since the mid-1500s and is depicted as the natural enemy of the lion, representing England. The royal arms of the United Kingdom feature both a unicorn and a lion, with variations highlighting Scottish or English elements. Initially, the Scottish royal coat of arms was supported by two unicorns, but after the Union of the Crowns, one was replaced by a lion. Scottish unicorns in heraldry are shown with gold chains, symbolising the power of Scottish kings.
  5. Finally, from Australia, a drop bear is a…
    • Carnivorous marsupial—In a hoax, drop bears are a ravenous species of koala attracted to foreign accents. They drop from trees to pounce on tourists, stunning them with the initial impact.
Koala, not a drop bear. Image Wikipedia

Mythical Creatures

See #1 below. Wikipedia
  1. The image shown above is the flag of…
    • Brunei
    • Uzbekistan
    • Wales
    The gods Osiris, Anubis and Horus in the
    Tomb of Horemheb (KV57) in the Valley of the Kings.
    Wikipedia
  2. The ancient Egyptian deity, normally depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon’s head, is…
    • Anubis
    • Horus
    • Osiris
  3. What links the royal arms of Aragon, Spain; the coat of arms of Moscow, Russia and the coat of arms of Reggio Calabria, Italy?
    • Saint Corbinian and the bear
    • Saint George and the dragon
    • Saint Jerome and the lion
  4. The unicorn is the national symbol of…
    • San Marino
    • Scotland
    • Spain
  5. Finally, from Australia, a drop bear is a…
    • Carnivorous marsupial
    • Strangling vine
    • Venomous plant

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Mysteries and Meanings: A Trivial Journey Through Alfa-Foxtrot—Answers

Aardwolf at Buffalo Springs NP, Kenya
Wikipedia
  1. A is for Aardwolf. African wild dog—is NOT an another name for the Aardwolf. The other two maanhaar-jackal and termite-eating hyena are such alternatives.
  2. B is for Bacchus. Dionysus—is the Greek god of wine making
  3. C is for the Chrysanthemum Throne. Naruhito—is the current emperor of Japan. In a metonymic sense, the “Chrysanthemum Throne” also rhetorically refers to the head of state and the Japanese monarchy itself.
  4. D is for Drouthy. Thirsty—the line “And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet;” translates to “And thirsty neighbours, neighbours meet;”
  5. E is for Elephant. Mahout—a mahout is a trainer, keeper or rider of an elephant. A howdah is related; it is a seat for carrying people on the back of an elephant or camel. Burlak was the occupation of a person who manually hauled river boats or barges in the Russian Empire.
  6. F is for the Fortingall Yew. Pontius Pilate—An article in the New York Times on 15 January 1899 explored the possibility of Pontius Pilate having Scottish origins. It suggested that during the period between the Romans’ initial and later invasions of Britain, Caesar Augustus sent envoys to establish relations with British and Caledonian chieftains, including Metellanus of Glen Lyon. A Roman envoy fathered a child with a Caledonian woman, who later returned to Rome with him and was raised as Pilate. Although there is no definitive record of Pilate’s birth or parentage, this story is as plausible as other theories suggesting he was born in Tarragona, Spain, or Forchheim, Germany. If true, Pilate would be one of many Scots who have historically achieved high positions in foreign empires.
One trunk of the Fortingall Yew. The original size of the trunk is marked by the wooden poles.
Wikipedia

Mysteries and Meanings: A Trivial Journey Through Alfa-Foxtrot

Chrysanthemum
Wikipedia
  1. A is for Aardwolf. Which of these is NOT an alternative name for an aardwolf?
    • African wild dog
    • Maanhaar-jackal
    • Termite-eating hyena
  2. B is for Bacchus. Commonly known as Bacchus by the Greeks—a name later adopted by the Romans—for a frenzy he is said to induce called baccheia, who is the Greek god of wine-making?
    • Dionysus
    • Marsyas
    • Uranus
  3. C is for the Chrysanthemum Throne. Who currently sits on the Chrysanthemum Throne?
    • Akihito
    • Fumihito
    • Naruhito
  4. D is for Drouthy. What does the word “drouthy” mean in this line from Robert Burns’s Tam o’Shanter? “And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet;”
    • Testy
    • Thirsty
    • Trusty
  5. E is for Elephant. Which of these is a trainer, keeper or rider of an elephant?
    • Burlak
    • Howdah
    • Mahout
  6. F is for the Fortingall Yew. Estimates place the age of this tree in Perthshire, Scotland between 2,000 and 5,000 years. Which biblical figure does local legend say was born in its shadow?
    • Andrew the Apostle
    • Herod Agrippa
    • Pontius Pilate
Fortingall Yew
Wikipedia

Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.