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Question I:

1.                 Which country or countries do you think "the Northla nd" refers to?

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

3.                 How did he punish her?

4.                 How does the wood pecker get her food?

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?

6.                 Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most importa nt?

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

8.                 Write the story of 'A Legend of the Northla nd' in about ten sentences.

Answer I:

1.                 "The N orthland" could  refer  to a very cold country  in  the  Earth's north  -pole region,  such as Greenland, the northern regions of Russia, Canada, Norway etc.

2.                 Saint Peter asked for a baked cake from the old lady to satisfy his hunger. The lady did not refuse and tried to bake a small cake for the saint.

3.                 He punished the old lady by changing her into a wood pecker that would build "as birds do" and gather scanty food by boring the holes in the "hard, dry wood" all day long.

4.                 The wood pecker gets her food by boring holes into trees.

5.                 No, had the old lady known Saint Peter prior she would not have been so ungenerous. Instead, she would have tried to please him with her cakes for the fulfilmen t of her greedy desires.

6.                 No, it is not a true story; it is a legend.

1.                 The point in the story where the old lady is changed into a woodpecker is the most importa nt. This is because the punishment she got teaches us the value of generosity and charity.

7.                 A 'legend' is a famous story from the past which is believed to be true by many but one cannot certainly prove whether it is actually true. It usually contains a message or a moral learning and is narrated to children.

2.                 The poet himsel f mention s that he doesn't believe this story to be true. This poem is called a 'legend' because it preaches generosity towards fellow beings.

8.                 Once Saint Peter stopped by an old lady's cottage because he was feeling very hungry and weak after a day's fasting. The lady was baking cakes on the hearth. Since he was exhausted because of fasting, he asked her for a baked cake from her store of cakes. The lady was very selfish and tried to bake small cakes but each time they seemed too big for her to give it away to the saint. Finally, she baked one that was as thin as a wafer. Unwilling to give away with the small one too, she put it on a shelf and did not give any cake to the Saint. Seeing her behaviou r Saint Peter became very angry and said that she was too selfish to live as a human being and have food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm. He punished her by changing her into a wood pecker that would have to build a nest on her own to live in, bore for food in the hard dry trunks of trees. Her clothes were burned and she was left with her scarlet cap on her head as she flew out through the chimney.

Question II:

1.                 Let's look at the words at the end of the second and fourth lines, viz., 'snows' and 'clothes', 'true' and 'you', 'below' and 'know.' We find that 'snows' rhymes with 'clothes', 'true' rhymes with 'you' and 'below' rhymes with 'know'.

Find more such rhyming words.

2.                 Go to the local library or talk to older persons in your locality and find legends in your own language. Tell the class these legends.

t:.Answer II:

1.                 The rhyming words are:

'Few' and 'through' 'Earth' and 'hearth' 'Done' and 'one' 'Lay' and 'away'

One' and 'done' 'Flat' and 'that' Myself and 'shelf 'Faint' and 'saint' 'Form' and 'wa rm' 'Food' and 'wood' 'Word' and 'bird' 'Same' and 'flame' 'Wood' and 'food'

2.        Shaun was a nymph who talked way too much. He was fond of having the last say in     everything. One day she spoke rudely to the great Albert, who punished him for this offence. Shaun was never use his voice again, unless to repea t what he had just heard, but since he was so very fond of last words, he might repeat the last words of others.

This was very embarrassing as it felt that Albert had changed him into a parrot. Shaun was very much ashamed, and hid himself in the forest. Max, a young man used to hunt in the forest where Shaun was hiding. While peeping out shyly from caves or from behind a tree, Shaun often saw Max, and he admired him very much. One day Max became separated from his friends, and hearing something rustle among the leaves, he called out, "Who's here?"

"Here," Answered  Shaun. "Here I am. Come!" said Max.

"I am coming," said Shaun; an d, as he spoke, he came out from among the trees.

When Max saw a Shaun and couldn't recognize him and took him as a stranger, instead of one of his friends as h e had expected, he looked surprised and walked quickly away.

After this, Shaun never came out and allowed himself to be seen again, and in time he faded away

till he became only a voice.