A Legend of The Northland

AP 9th Class English Beehive 5th Poem A Legend of The Northland Questions and Answers

Thinking about the Poem : I.

Question 1.
Which country or countries do you think "the Northland" refers to ?

Answer: Northland refers to Norway, Canada, Greenland, Russia etc. which are in the earths northern polar region

Question 2.
What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for ? What was the ladys reaction?

Answer: Saint Peter asked the old lady for one of her baked cakes to satisfy his hunger. The lady was selfish. She felt that all the cakes she had baked were big ones. So, she made a tiny cake. But, when she baked it, she found it to be large. So, she decided not to give that one either. The lady went ahead and baked a small cake for him. At last, she did not give any piece of cake to Saint Peter

Question 3.
How did he punish her?

Answer: Saint Peter cursed the woman to become a bird. Like all other birds, she would also have to build her home. She will ges. little food to eat. She has to work hard throughout the day, and only then she would find some food to eat and dry wood to live on

Question 4.
How does the woodpecker get her food?

Answer: She has to work hard throughout the day, and only then she would find some food to eat and dry wood to live on

Question 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?

Answer: I think that the old lady would not have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was. She would have offered him as many cakes as he wanted

Question 6.
Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most important?

Answer: No, this is not a true story. it is a legend. It is a story of fiction. The third stanza of the poem is very important. In this stanza, the poet says that he doesnt think that the story is true, but if he tells the story to the reader, maybe the reader could learn a lesson from it. The story gives an important message

Question 7.
What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?

Answer: A legend is a story that was forwarded from ancient times. The title of the poem tells that this story is a legend. The poet himself says that he doesnt think that the story is true

Question 8.
Write the story of A Legend of the Northland in about ten sentences?

Answer: The poem is, a legend about an old lady who was a greedy person. Saint Peter asked the old lady for one of her baked cakes to satisfy his hunger. The lady was selfish. She felt that all the cakes she had baked were big ones. So, she made a tiny cake. But, when she baked it, she found it to be large. So, she decided not to give that one either

Saint Peter cursed the woman to become a bird. Like all other birds, she would also have to build her home. She would get little food to eat. She turned to a woodpecker and she was now destined to spend her life pecking into hard and dry wood to find food

II.

Question 1.
Lets look at the words at the end of the second and fourth lines, viz., snows and clothes, true and you, below and know. We find that snows rhymes with clothes, true rhymes with you and below rhymes with know. Find more such rhyming words?

Answer: The following are the rhyming words from the poem: Earth-hearth, done-one, lay-away, another-over, flat-that, faint-saint, form-worm, foodwood, same-flame

Question 2.
Go to the local library or talk to older persons in your locality and find legends in your own language. Tell the class these legends?

Answer: One story for Example : Once upon a time there lived a king in Central India. He was handsome but very vain. He looked at himself constantly in mirrors, in pools of water, even in other peoples eyes when they spoke to him. "I am the most handsome king on Earth." He said to his courtiers. He spent more time having his hair combed in different styles and his body oiled than in ruling his kingdom. As a result, his people grew poorer and sadder

But the king did not care. "Why!" he boasted one day in court. "I am probably more handsome than all the gods." Unfortunately for the king a bad-tempered god happened to be flying by and was very angry when he heard this

"Something will have to be done about this king." He searched in his mind for a suitable punishment. At that moment he saw a bull. "Horns!" the god clapped his hands in happiness. "Ill see how his handsomeness likes himself with horns."

When the king awoke the next morning he followed his normal routine. First he drew his mirror out from under his pillow and gazed thto it

Suddenly the guards outside the kings room heard a loud shriek. They came rushing in to find the king sitting straight in bed with a large pillow on his head

"Out....out .." he waved a trembling finger at them. As they backed away, he shouted after them, "Send for the royal barber immediately

The royal barber was a talkative little man. He came immediately. "Youre up early today, your Majesty, but why the pil...." The king broke in, "Stop your talk and come close to my bed."

As the surprised barber drew close, the king said in his most commanding voice, "Barber, I am about to show you something. But if you talk about it to anyone. I will have you beaten and hanged." The king slowty removed the pillow from his head

"Oh! The barber clapped his hands to his mouth in horror. "Well, dont just stand there," said the king impatiently. "Do something to cover them up."

The barber pulled the kings hair this way and that, and managed to cover the horns partially. The king put on his turban to hide the rest. "Now go and tell the court I am unwell. I will not see anyone." He sat up and looked angrily at the barber. "And remember my warning."

The barber ran out of the room. As soon as the door of the bedroom closed, he started laughing. The people in the palace stopped him and asked him why he was so happy. But he only shook his head helplessly and ran laughing through the halls

"Ill die if I dont tell someone." He said "My stomach is bursting with the secret."

He saw the Tamarind tree standing in the middle of the royal courtyard. He went up to it and whispered the secret to the trunk of the tree

That night there was a fierce storm and the Tamarind tree was blown down. The king was informed through the door, for he would not see anyone, and he commanded the tree to be given to the royal musician. "Let him make a drum from the trunk of the tamarind tree and play it outside my door."

Soon the drum made of Tamarind wood was ready. The courtiers gathered outside the kings door and the royal musician began to play. But instead of the thum thum thum that everyone expected, the Tamarind drum sang, "The Raja has horns on his head. The Raja has horns on his head." The courtiers burst out laughing and the king cried with anger

"I wont stay in the palace a moment longer," he shouted. "Ill go to the forest and live by myself." He tore the turban off his head and ran out of the palace, taking the drum with him

The king lived for many years in the forest. He gradually learnt about the beauty of the world around him. He learnt to care for creatures smaller than himself. He grew strong and wise and humble. His only companion was the Tamarind drum

When he beat it, it gave him good advice. He learnt to play it so beautifully that even the spirits of the trees were charmed, and they went to meet the god who had punished him with the horns

"Forgive him." they begged. "He has changed, Remove his horns and give him back his kingdom."

The god waved his hands and the horns disappeared. That day the king went down to a forest pool to drink water. While cupping his hands he saw his reflection in the water. His lean, suntanned face looked back at him, without any horns! And as he sat up in surprise, several horse-riders rode into the clearing and he saw his courtiers. They knelt before him. "Your Majesty, forgive us and come back, The kingdom needs you."

The king went back to his kingdom. He kept his Tamarind drum beside his always and he ruled wisely. And yes, the barber kept his head, but lost his job!

A Legend of The Northland Poem Summary in English

Once upon a time, in a very cold place called Northland, there lived a lady who was very selfish and always wanted more and more. She didnt care about other people and only cared about getting rich and having lots of things

One day, something important happened in the village. The people heard that Saint Peter, a very special person who was in charge of heaven, was going to visit them: When the selfish lady heard this news, she became curious and wanted to see him, but she had her own secret reasons for wanting to meet him

When the sun was shining brightly in the village, Saint Peter arrived. He looked very holy and wise. He started talking to the people, teaching them about the importance of being kind, generous, and caring towards others

The selfish lady was watching from her doorstep, where she had a warm fire and delicious-smelling food. Saint Peter, who was tired and hungry from his long journey, noticed her and politely asked if she could give him a small piece of cake to satisty his hunger

But the lady was too greedy. She looked at the cakes she had baked, which looked very tasty, and didnt want to share them. She thought they were too big to give away. Instead, she decided to bake a smaller cake just for herself, thinking it would be enough

To her surprise, even the second cake seemed too big for her to share. She didnt want to give it to Saint Peter because she was afraid she wouldnt have enough for herself. Saint Peter started to feel disappointed, but he remained patient and kind

Finally, feeling guilty but still worried about her own needs, the selfish lady made a tiny piece of dough. She rolled it very thin until it was as small as a water, but she couldnt bring herself to give it to Saint Peter. It was hardly enough to feed a : bird, but she kept it for herself

Saint Peter saw how selfish she was and felt sad. He spoke with a sorrowtul yoice and said, "Woman, your heart is full of selfishness and lacks compassion and kindness. You are not worthy of living among others and enjoying the blessings of food and warmth." His words were filled with judgment, and at that moment, a curse fell upon her

Suddenly, the ladys body started to change. Her human form turned into that of a small bird, a woodpecker. She was now destined to spend her life pecking into hard and dry wood to find food. She could no longer enjoy the abundance of food and comfort she had taken for granted

From that day on, the lady-turned-woodpecker flew around the trees. Her colorful feathers were a stark contrast to her cursed existence. She tirelessly pecked and bored into the tough trunks, searching for her meager food to survive

Glossary :

Northland : area near the north pole;

legend : an old traditional story;

reindeer : a large deer that has horns which look like the

branches of a tree;

sledges : vehicles on runners for carrying loads or passengers

over snow or ice, often pulled by draught animals;

to harness : to tie the reindeers with a rope to a sledge so that it

can be used for transportation;

swift : happening or moving quickly or within a short time;

curious : eager / strange;

Saint Peter : an apostle of Christ, a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ;

preaching : giving a religious talk;

hearth : fire place where you do cooking;

faint : be weak;

kneaded : made dough floor;

scrap : small amount;

provoke : cause to get angry;

dwell : live;

scanty : very little;

boring : make a hole in something with a tool or by digging;

scarlet : brilliant red colour;

country : belonging to the countryside, i.e. rural areas

woodpecker : a bird that uses its strong beak to make holes in

tree trunks in order to find insects and eat them