A Legend of the Northland
Class 9 CBSE English | Notes, Summary, and Study Material
📑 Table of Contents
📖 Summary
“A Legend of the Northland” by Phoebe Cary is a ballad that narrates the story of a greedy old woman who angers Saint Peter. The poem is set in the Northland, a cold region with long winters and short days. Saint Peter, while traveling on earth, asks the woman for a small cake, but she is too selfish to give him even a tiny portion.
Despite her attempts to give only the smallest pieces, she refuses to part with any cake. Saint Peter becomes angry and punishes her by transforming her into a woodpecker. From that day onward, she lives as a bird, boring into hard wood to get her scanty food. The poem teaches a moral lesson about greed and selfishness through a mix of narrative and folklore style.
👤 Character Sketches
- The Old Woman: Greedy and selfish, her unwillingness to share even a small cake leads to her punishment.
- Saint Peter: Kind and hungry, he tests the generosity of people and punishes the greedy.
- The Woodpecker: Represents the transformation of the old woman, surviving by boring into wood for food.
🌟 Themes
- Greed and selfishness lead to consequences.
- Moral lessons are conveyed through folklore and legends.
- Transformation and punishment as a natural result of wrongdoing.
🎯 Moral / Message
The poem teaches that greed and selfishness are harmful. Generosity and kindness are rewarded, while selfish behavior brings punishment.
📌 Important Question-Answers
Q1. What did Saint Peter ask the old woman for?
👉 He asked her for a single cake because he was hungry and faint from fasting.
Q2. How did the old woman react?
👉 She was greedy and tried to give cakes as small as possible but ultimately refused to give any.
Q3. What punishment did Saint Peter give her?
👉 He transformed her into a woodpecker, forcing her to bore into wood to find food.
Q4. What lesson does the poem teach?
👉 The poem teaches that greed and selfishness have consequences, and generosity is virtuous.
Q5. Is this poem a true story?
👉 No, it is a legend, a story passed down orally to teach moral lessons.
✨ Quick Revision Points
- Poem: A Legend of the Northland
- Author: Phoebe Cary
- Key Characters: Old Woman, Saint Peter, Woodpecker
- Theme: Greed leads to punishment; generosity is virtuous
- Important Idea: Legends convey moral lessons through storytelling