A Legend of the Northland is a ballad written by Phoebe Carry. Question-answers from this chapter are given below.

1. 1. Which country or countries do you think ‘the Northland’ refers to?

The Northland refers to Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.

2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s reaction?

Saint Peter asked the lady for a cake. She was reluctant to part with her cakes. She thought her cakes were too big to be given away and so she baked very thin and small cakes and yet she couldn’t give them to Saint Peter.

3. How did he punish her?

Saint Peter became angry when he saw that the lady was reluctant to give him the single cake he asked for. He said that she was too selfish to dwell in the human form and enjoy comforts like food, shelter and warmth. Saying this, he cursed her to be a bird that would get its scanty food by boring and boring.

4. How does the woodpecker get her food?

The woodpecker gets her food by boring trees.

5. Do you think the old lady would have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was? What would she have done then?

If she knew who Saint Peter was, it is very unlikely that she would refuse to give him a cake. In all likelihood, she would have received him with great warmth and offered him the best of her cakes because no one wants to invite the wrath of holy people.

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

This is not a true story. It is a legend. In my opinion, the part where Saint Peter curses the woman is the most important one.

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

A legend is a popular story that people often regard as historical but is not authenticated. This poem is called a legend because lots of people in the Northland believe it to be true; however, there is nothing to verify that claim.

8. Write the story of ‘a Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.

A Legend of the Northland tells the story of an ungenerous woman who was cursed to be a bird by Saint Peter. Once when Saint Peter was traveling around the world preaching the gospel, he saw a little woman baking cakes on a hearth. He was too hungry and tired because he had been fasting for a while. So, he asked the woman to give him a cake from her store of cakes. Instead of giving him one from the cakes she had already baked, she started baking a very small cake. Once, it was baked, she felt that it was too big and started baking an even smaller one. She could not part with that cake too. This made Saint Peter angry and he said that she was too selfish to dwell in a human body and enjoy comforts like food, shelter and warmth. So, he cursed her to be a bird that would have to bore trees for food. Thus, the woman became a woodpecker and flew out of the chimney. Till this day, her descendants live in woods boring trees for food.