Class 9 English - ANDHRA-PRADESH
Poetry: A Legend of the Northland
A Legend of the Northland by Phoebe Cary is a narrative poem based on a Northland legend that teaches an important lesson about greed, selfishness, and the virtue of generosity. Set in the cold polar region where winter nights are long and people travel in reindeer sleds, the story revolves around Saint Peter and a selfish little woman who baked cakes. When Saint Peter grows faint from fasting, the woman repeatedly bakes smaller cakes, refusing to part with even the tiniest piece of her dough. Angered by her greed, Saint Peter transforms her into a woodpecker, doomed to bore for food in hard wood forever. This chapter is vital for Andhra Pradesh (BSEAP) board exams as it tests students' comprehension of poetic devices, moral themes, and narrative verse analysis.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Ballad Form
A ballad is a song or poem that tells a story in short stanzas, often featuring a dramatic or tragic narrative passed down through oral tradition.
Legend
A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated, often containing a moral or supernatural element.
Poetic Device: Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words, used frequently in the poem to create musicality.
Theme of Greed and Generosity
The poem contrasts the charitable spirit of Saint Peter with the extreme selfishness of the woman, highlighting the punishment for hoarding wealth.
Metamorphosis
The magical transformation of the greedy woman into a woodpecker as divine retribution for her lack of hospitality.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In Andhra Pradesh (BSEAP) Class 9 English examinations, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions frequently include reading comprehension passages, extract-based multiple-choice or short-answer questions, and long-answer questions focusing on the central theme, character analysis of the woman, and the moral lesson of the poem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central theme of 'A Legend of the Northland'?
The central theme is that human greed and selfishness are heavily punished, while hospitality and sharing are valued virtues.
Why did Saint Peter transform the woman into a woodpecker?
Saint Peter transformed her into a woodpecker because she was too selfish to give him even a tiny piece of cake when he was starving.
What is a ballad and how does this poem fit the definition?
A ballad is a story told in verse. This poem fits because it narrates an ancient folktale in rhyming quatrains with a clear moral.
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