Exam-oriented note for Poem 5: A Legend of the Northland from English Beehive – Class IX, with a point-wise summary and detailed Q&A:
Poem 5: A Legend of the Northland
Poet: Phoebe Cary
Point-wise Summary
- The poem tells a traditional story (legend) from the Northland, a cold snowy region.
- A holy man (saint) was once wandering for food and shelter.
- He reached a cottage where a greedy old woman was baking cakes.
- She offered him only the smallest cakes, unable to part with a larger one.
- Her selfishness angered the saint, and he cursed her.
- She was turned into a woodpecker, doomed to search for food forever by boring into hard trees.
- The poet ends the poem by suggesting it is just a legend, meant to teach a moral lesson.
Theme
- Greed and selfishness lead to punishment
- Importance of charity and compassion
- Transformation as a symbol of moral consequence
- A moral tale wrapped in folklore
Word Meanings
- Legend – Traditional story passed down through generations
- Northland – Snow-covered, cold northern region
- Hearth – Fireplace used for cooking
- Glimpse – A quick look
- Scanty – Very small or insufficient
- Curse – To wish evil upon someone as punishment
- Boring – Making holes (like a woodpecker does)
Literary Devices
- Ballad Form: The poem is written as a narrative ballad in rhyming quatrains.
- Repetition: Used for emphasis, e.g., “She gave him…”
- Alliteration: “Little live,” “black as a coal”
- Imagery: Visual images of the cold region, the cakes, and the transformation.
- Rhyme Scheme: abcb in each stanza
Important Questions and Answers
1. What is the story told in the poem?
It tells of a selfish woman who refuses to share food with a holy man and is punished by being turned into a woodpecker.
2. Why did the saint curse the woman?
He asked for food, but the woman, despite having enough, gave only the smallest portions out of greed. Her selfishness angered him.
3. How was the woman punished?
She was cursed and transformed into a woodpecker who would forever peck for food in hard trees.
4. What qualities of the woman are highlighted in the poem?
She is portrayed as greedy, selfish, and lacking compassion for others, even those in need.
5. What lesson does the poem teach us?
It teaches that selfishness is a vice and one should be kind and generous, especially to those who are needy.
6. What does the poet mean by calling it a “legend”?
By calling it a legend, the poet suggests the story may not be literally true but carries a strong moral lesson.
7. How is the Northland described in the poem?
It is depicted as a very cold, snowy region where days are short, nights are long, and people wear furry clothes to survive.
8. What does the transformation into a woodpecker symbolize?
It symbolizes a punishment that reflects the woman’s sin—now she must work hard for every bit of food because she once refused to share it.
9. What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is simple and narrative, like a folk tale, with a moral ending. It’s slightly cautionary but not harsh.
Would you like me to continue with Chapter 6: My Childhood next?
