Class 9 English — Chapter 10: A Legend of the Northland

What you'll learn

• ▸The Narrative of the Legend
• ▸Central Theme: Greed and Punishment
• ▸Character Analysis
• ▸Genre: The Ballad
• ▸Understanding 'Legend'
• ▸Poetic Devices: Rhyme Scheme and Repetition
• ▸Symbolism of the Transformation
• ▸Setting and Atmosphere

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- A Legend of the Northland This poem narrates the legend of an old lady who angered Saint Peter because of her greed. Away, away in the Northland, Where the hours of the day are few, And the nights are so long in winter That they cannot sleep them through; Where they harness the swift reindeer To the sledges, when it snows; And the children look like bear's cubs In their funny, furry clothes: They tell them a curious story — I don't believe 'tis true; And yet you may learn a lesson If I tell the tale to you. Once, when the good Saint Peter Lived in the world below, And walked about it, preaching, Just as he did, you know, He came to the door of a cottage, In travelling round the earth, Where a little woman was making cakes, And baking them on the hearth; And being faint with fasting, For the day was almost done, He asked her, from her store of cakes, To give him a single one. Reprint 2025-26 --- PAGE 2 --- So she made a very little cake, But as it baking lay, She…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

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1. Explain generosity simply. Get Solution →
2. Describe woodpecker's unique features. Get Solution →
3. Summarize ancient folklore's purpose. Get Solution →
4. According to the poem, where does the story take place? Get Solution →
5. What was the little woman in the cottage making? Get Solution →
6. Who came to the door of the woman's cottage? Get Solution →
7. What did Saint Peter ask the woman for? Get Solution →
8. What kind of bird was the woman changed into? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 Giving to others can actually make your own brain feel happier and more rewarded.
• 💡 The word "greedy" comes from an old Germanic word meaning "hungry for food."
• 💡 Some woodpeckers have tongues that can extend three times the length of their beak.
• 💡 Woodpeckers can peck at trees over 10,000 times a day without hurting their brains.
• 💡 Ancient cultures often used animal transformation stories to teach important moral lessons.

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