A Legend of the
Northland
1. Which country or countries do you think “the
Northland” refers to?
Ans: “The Northland” refer to any extremely cold country in the Earth’s
north polar region, such as Greenland, the northern regions of Russia, Canada,
Norway etc.
2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for?
What was the lady’s reaction?
Ans: Saint Peter asked the old lady for one of her baked cakes to satisfy
his hunger. The lady tried to bake a small cake for the saint.
3. How did he punish her?
Ans: He punished the lady by changing her into a woodpecker that built nests
and gathered scanty food by boring in the hard, dry wood all day long.
4. How does the woodpecker get her food?
Ans: The woodpecker gets her food by boring holes into trees.
5. Do you think that the old lady would have
been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was? What would she
have done then?
Ans: No, the old lady would not have been so ungenerous if she had known who
Saint Peter really was. Instead, she would have tried to please him with her
cakes for the fulfilment of her greedy desires.
6. Is this a true story? Which part of this
poem do you feel is the most important?
Ans: No, it is not a true story; it is a legend.
I feel that the point in the story where the old lady is changed into a woodpecker is the most important. This is because the punishment meted out to the lady teaches us the value of generosity and charity.
I feel that the point in the story where the old lady is changed into a woodpecker is the most important. This is because the punishment meted out to the lady teaches us the value of generosity and charity.
7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?
Ans: A ‘legend’ is a popular story from the past which is believed by many
but one cannot prove whether it is true or not. It usually contains a message
or a moral and is narrated to children.
The poet himself says that he doesn’t believe this tale to be true. This poem is called a ‘legend’ because it preaches generosity towards fellow beings.
The poet himself says that he doesn’t believe this tale to be true. This poem is called a ‘legend’ because it preaches generosity towards fellow beings.
8. Write the story of ‘A Legend of the
Northland’ in about ten sentences.
Ans: Once Saint Peter stopped by an old lady’s cottage because he was
feeling hungry and weak after the day’s fasting. The lady was baking cakes on
the hearth. Since he was weak with fasting, he asked her for a cake from her
store of cakes.
The selfish lady tried to bake small cakes but each time they seemed too big for her to give away. Finally, she baked one that was as thin as a wafer. Unable to part with it too, she put it on a shelf and did not give any cake to the Saint.
Saint Peter was very angry with her behaviour and said she was too selfish to live as a human and have food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm. He punished her by changing her into a woodpecker that would have to build a nest to live in, bore for food in the trunks of trees. Her clothes were burned and she was left with her scarlet cap on her head as she flew out through the chimney.
Even today she still lives in the woods and is seen by all the country school boys.
The selfish lady tried to bake small cakes but each time they seemed too big for her to give away. Finally, she baked one that was as thin as a wafer. Unable to part with it too, she put it on a shelf and did not give any cake to the Saint.
Saint Peter was very angry with her behaviour and said she was too selfish to live as a human and have food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm. He punished her by changing her into a woodpecker that would have to build a nest to live in, bore for food in the trunks of trees. Her clothes were burned and she was left with her scarlet cap on her head as she flew out through the chimney.
Even today she still lives in the woods and is seen by all the country school boys.
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