Class 9 English - KARNATAKA
Poetry: A Legend of the Northland
A Legend of the Northland by Phoebe Cary is a narrative poem structured in ballad form, telling the story of a little woman who angered Saint Peter through her extreme greed and selfishness. As punishment, she is transformed into a woodpecker who must bore for food in hard wood. This chapter is vital for Karnataka (KSEEB) Class 9 students as it teaches important moral values such as generosity, kindness, and the negative consequences of greed. Board exams frequently feature questions testing comprehension of poetic devices like rhyme schemes, stanza-wise summaries, and value-based interpretations of the fable's underlying message.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Ballad
A poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas, traditionally passed down orally, featuring simple language and a strong rhythm.
Legend
A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated, often carrying a moral or cultural lesson.
Saint Peter's Test
Saint Peter travels the world preaching and testing human hospitality and kindness by asking for a simple gift of food when he is weary and fasting.
The Little Woman's Greed
Despite baking cakes, the woman repeatedly makes smaller and smaller cakes because she is too selfish to give away a large one, ultimately provoking Saint Peter's wrath.
Transformation into a Woodpecker
As punishment for her greed and lack of hospitality, Saint Peter turns her into a bird that must build a scanty shelter and bore dry wood for food.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Karnataka (KSEEB) Class 9 English board exams, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Common question types include reference to context (RTC), extract-based multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short answer questions about the plot, and long descriptive value-based questions focusing on the moral lesson against greed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main theme of 'A Legend of the Northland'?
The poem emphasizes the importance of generosity, kindness, and hospitality while warning against the destructive nature of human greed and selfishness.
Why did Saint Peter punish the little woman?
Saint Peter punished her because she was too greedy to share even the smallest cake she baked, despite him being weak and faint with hunger.
Into what bird was the woman transformed and why?
She was transformed into a woodpecker so that she would have to bore into hard, dry wood all day long to get scanty food as punishment for her selfish actions.
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