A Legend of the Northland
Poet: Phoebe Cary
Summary (English)
"A Legend of the Northland" is a ballad based on an old legend from the cold northern regions. The poem tells the story of a selfish old woman who lived in the Northland.
One day, Saint Peter came to her door while travelling and asked for a piece of cake because he was hungry. The old woman started baking a cake for him, but each time she thought the cake was too big to give away. Finally, she baked a very small cake but still felt it was too large to part with. She kept it for herself and refused to give anything to Saint Peter.
Saint Peter became angry at her greed and selfishness. As punishment, he changed her into a woodpecker. Since then, she has had to bore into trees to find food and lives by gathering insects from tree trunks.
The poem teaches that greed and selfishness lead to punishment, while generosity and kindness are always rewarded.
সাৰাংশ (Assamese)
"এ লেজেণ্ড অৱ দ্য নৰ্থলেণ্ড" কবিতাটো উত্তৰ দেশৰ এটা জনপ্ৰিয় কাহিনীৰ ওপৰত আধাৰিত। ইয়াত এজনী লোভী আৰু কৃপণ বৃদ্ধাৰ কাহিনী কোৱা হৈছে।
এদিন সন্ত পিটাৰে ভোকত কষ্ট পাই বৃদ্ধাগৰাকীৰ ওচৰলৈ আহি অলপ কেক বিচাৰিলে। বৃদ্ধাগৰাকীয়ে কেক বনাবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰিলে যদিও প্ৰতিবাৰেই কেকটো বেছি ডাঙৰ বুলি ভাবি দিবলৈ অস্বীকাৰ কৰিলে।
শেষত অতি সৰু কেক এটা বনোৱাৰ পিছতো তাই তাক দিবলৈ মান্তি নহ'ল। সন্ত পিটাৰে তাইৰ লোভ আৰু কৃপণতাত খং কৰি তাইক কাঠঠোকৰা চৰাইলৈ ৰূপান্তৰিত কৰিলে।
তেতিয়াৰ পৰা কাঠঠোকৰা চৰাইয়ে গছত ঠোকৰ মাৰি খাদ্য বিচাৰি ফুৰে। কবিতাটোৱে আমাক উদাৰতা আৰু দয়াৰ মূল্য শিকায়।
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning (Assamese) |
|---|---|
| Legend | জনশ্ৰুতি / উপকথা |
| Northland | উত্তৰ অঞ্চল |
| Saint | সাধু/সন্ত |
| Fasting | উপবাস |
| Greedy | লোভী |
| Scarlet | উজ্জ্বল ৰঙা |
| Woodpecker | কাঠৰোকা চৰাই |
| Fur | নোম |
| Bake | সেকা / বনোৱা |
| Ungenerous | কঠোৰ/ উদাৰতাহীন/ কৃপণ |
Thinking About the Poem
I. Answer the Following Questions
1. Which country or countries do you think "the Northland" refers to?
Answer: "The Northland" probably refers to the cold northern countries such as Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and regions near the North Pole.
2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady's reaction?
Answer: Saint Peter asked the old lady for a piece of cake because he was hungry after fasting. The old lady was selfish and unwilling to give him any cake.
3. How did he punish her?
Answer: Saint Peter punished her by changing her into a woodpecker. He cursed her to bore into trees for food throughout her life.
4. How does the woodpecker get her food?
Answer: The woodpecker gets her food by pecking at tree trunks and finding insects hidden inside the wood.
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: No. If she had known that he was Saint Peter, she would probably have treated him respectfully and given him the best cake she could make.
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. The most important part is the punishment of the old woman because it teaches a moral lesson against greed and selfishness.
7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?
Answer: A legend is a traditional story passed down through generations. This poem is called a legend because it explains through a folk tale how the woodpecker came into existence.
8. Write the story of "A Legend of the Northland" in about ten sentences.
Answer:
An old woman lived in the Northland. One day Saint Peter came to her house feeling hungry. He asked her for a piece of cake. The old woman baked cakes but felt each one was too large to give away. Finally, she made a tiny cake but still refused to part with it. Saint Peter became angry at her greed. He cursed her and changed her into a woodpecker. Her clothes turned into feathers and her cap became red. She flew away through the chimney. Since then, woodpeckers have lived by pecking trees for food.
II. Answer the Following Questions
1. Find more such rhyming words.
Answer:
- few – through
- same – came
- lay – away
- food – wood
- done – one
- face – place
2. Go to the local library or talk to older persons in your locality and find legends in your own language.
Answer: Students should do this activity themselves. Examples may include local folk tales and legends from their region.
Important MCQs
1. Who wrote "A Legend of the Northland"?
A. Phoebe Cary
B. W.B. Yeats
C. Robert Frost
D. Coates Kinney
Answer: A. Phoebe Cary
2. Who visited the old lady?
A. A king
B. Saint Peter
C. A farmer
D. A priest
Answer: B. Saint Peter
3. Why did Saint Peter ask for food?
A. He was poor
B. He was hungry after fasting
C. He was tired
D. He was sick
Answer: B. He was hungry after fasting
4. Into what was the old woman changed?
A. Crow
B. Sparrow
C. Woodpecker
D. Parrot
Answer: C. Woodpecker
5. What is the main message of the poem?
A. Hard work is important
B. Greed leads to punishment
C. Nature is beautiful
D. Birds are useful
Answer: B. Greed leads to punishment
Additional Questions and Answers
1. Why did Saint Peter become angry with the old woman?
Answer: Saint Peter became angry because the old woman was extremely greedy and refused to share even a small piece of cake with a hungry person.
2. What happened to the old woman's clothes after the curse?
Answer: Her clothes turned into feathers, and her red cap remained on her head as a red patch.
3. Why is the old woman called selfish?
Answer: She is called selfish because she cared only about herself and refused to help a hungry traveller.
4. What moral lesson does the poem teach?
Answer: The poem teaches us to be kind, generous and helpful. Greed and selfishness ultimately bring suffering.
5. Why is the poem still relevant today?
Answer: The poem reminds us that generosity and compassion are important values in every age and society.
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