Short Question Answer: A Legend of the Northland

Q1. What is a legend? Why is this called a legend?

Ans: A legend is an old tale, often handed down over generations, that may mix fact and imagination and usually teaches a moral. This poem is called a legend because it tells an ancient tale from the Northland about a greedy woman who angers Saint Peter and is changed into a woodpecker. The poet also admits, "I don't believe it is true," which shows the account is meant as a traditional, myth-like tale rather than a literal report.

Q2. Why does the poet say that the hours of the day are few?

Ans: The poet is describing a place near the North Pole, where winters bring very short daylight and long nights. Because of that northern location, the days are brief and there are only a few hours of bright daylight.

Q3. 'And the children look like bears' cubs.' What have the children been compared to? Why?

Ans: The children are compared to bear cubs because they wear heavy, furry clothing to keep warm in the cold Northland climate, which makes them resemble young bears.

Q4. What does the poet tell us about the story she is about to narrate? Why does she want to tell the tale?

Ans: The poet says she will tell a strange tale from the Northland that she does not fully believe to be literally true. She nevertheless wants to tell it because it carries a clear moral lesson about generosity, and she hopes readers will learn from that lesson.

Q5. Who came to the woman's house, and what did he ask for?

Ans: Saint Peter came to the woman's cottage while he was travelling. He was tired and hungry and asked the woman for a piece of cake.

Q6. Why was Saint Peter tired and hungry?

Ans: Saint Peter had been travelling a long time to share his message, and on such journeys he often lacked adequate food and water. At times he also observed fasts, which left him particularly tired and hungry when he called at the woman's house.

Q7. What did Saint Peter ask the woman for? What was the woman's reaction?

Ans: Saint Peter asked the woman for a cake from her store. The woman, however, was very mean and unwilling to share. She kept baking ever smaller cakes until one was as thin as a wafer, yet she still refused to give any of it away and merely put it back on her shelf.

Q8. Explain: 'And surely such a woman was enough to provoke a saint.' Who was the lady, and how did she provoke the saint?

Ans: The lady was a miserly, selfish woman who refused to help a weary, hungry traveller. By repeatedly shrinking the cake but refusing to give even a tiny piece, she showed an extreme lack of compassion. Her behaviour angered Saint Peter, and that anger is what the line means by saying she could provoke even a saint.

Q9. Why did Saint Peter curse the woman? What did he turn her into?

Ans: Saint Peter cursed the woman because of her selfishness and unwillingness to share with someone in need. As punishment he turned her into a woodpecker, forcing her to live as a bird and spend her days pecking at hard, dry wood to find scant food.

Q10. Describe the theme of the poem 'A Legend of the Northland'.

Ans: The central theme is that greed brings its own punishment while generosity is the right and generous course. The poem shows how selfish behaviour leads to a harsh consequence and presents a clear moral: kindness and sharing are virtues; stinginess leads to suffering.

Q11. What is a ballad? Is this poem a ballad?

Ans: A ballad is a narrative song or poem told in short, simple stanzas, often originating in folk tradition and passed down orally. This poem qualifies as a ballad because it tells a traditional tale in a straightforward, song-like manner and reflects the kind of folk narrative that would be passed on from one generation to another.

Q12. What do you learn about the woman in the poem?

Ans: The woman is shown to be greedy and selfish. Although she has many cakes, she refuses to give even a small portion to a tired and hungry traveller, demonstrating her lack of compassion and generosity.

Q13. What do you learn about Saint Peter in the poem?

Ans: Saint Peter is portrayed as a travelling apostle who spreads God's message and often faces hunger and thirst while on his journeys. He sometimes fasts and therefore can be weak and tired. The poem also shows that, despite his holiness, he can be moved to anger when treated cruelly, reminding readers that even devout people have human feelings.