Deck 25: African and African-American Trickster Stories

Question 1

John Roberts, an expert on African and African-American folktales, says that _______________ form the bases of both traditions.

A) song and dance
B) scarcity and hardship
C) good and bad
D) men and gods

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Roger Abrahams believes that the reason the trickster is so successful is that he ________________________.

A) upholds the morals of the community.
B) is very persuasive.
C) is unusually intelligent.
D) lives on the edge of society.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

At the wake in St. Vincent, the old woman entices all to join in singing. And then she _____________________________.

A) tells them to listen quietly
B) reads a story from an old book
C) lets others take over
D) leads them in a dance

Answer 3

D

Question 4

"How and Why" tales, such as "Why the Hare Runs Away," result in an explanation of a feature of our world. This is the __________ aspect of myths.

A) psychological
B) aetiological
C) sociological
D) cosmological

Question 5

_____________ was the Hare's most serious transgression against society.

A) Running away
B) Making noise with his calabash
C) Staying in the grass
D) Bathing in the drinking water

Question 6

In "The Ant's Burden," the ______________ causes rain by singing.

A) dwarf
B) ant
C) spider
D) hare

Question 7

______________ is the trickster figure and also the dupe in "The Ant's Burden."

A) Kweku Tsin
B) Kweku Anansi
C) The ant
D) The dwarf

Question 8

The box that Mr. Ant is obliged to carry contains ________________________________.

A) the body of the dwarf
B) grain from Anansi's fields
C) the king's scepter
D) cowrie shells

Question 9

Master King will declare that all stories are to be called "Anansi Stories" if Anansi can ___________________.

A) measure Blacksnake with a string
B) kill Blacksnake and bring him back
C) trick Blacksnake into returning
D) bring Blacksnake back on a pole

Question 10

_____________ is the real trickster in "Tricking All the Kings."

A) Lion
B) Rabbit
C) Spider
D) Shark

Question 11

A significant number of African and African-American tales involve a hero who succeeds by ________________.

Question 12

The victim of a hero's trick is called a ________________.

Question 13

Many African-American folktales are adaptations of _________________ tales.

Question 14

John Roberts contrasts the reasons for shortages and privation: in Africa, they are due to natural disasters or war; in America they are due to ___________________.

Question 15

The story told by Nora at the wake in St. Vincent was about Nanny and her _________________.

Question 16

"________________________" trick is the term used to bring an unexpected or artificial resolution to a problem, such as Nora's ending her story with "Her husband came down with his cutlass and ax and all, and cut down all the trees and gave that old lady a whoppu!"

Question 17

_________________ is the name of the West African trickster in the form of a spider.

Question 18

In "Tricking All the Kings," ______________ stops trying to eat the lady who untied him because all the trees and all the stones cry "Shame."

Question 19

_______________ is the character who recognizes that Massa King's daughter's suitor is actually a boarhog.

Question 20

In "Tricking All the Kings," a king tricks the water thief by constructing a ________________.