NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Poem 5 : A Legend of the Northland

Northland refers to chilly regions of the world, especially those located in the Earth’s northern polar region. Countries in these regions include Norway, Canada, Greenland etc.

The old lady was asked for one of her baked cakes to satisfy her hunger by Saint Peter. The lady went ahead and baked a small cake for him.

The saint got angry when the lady presented him with a small cake. The lady was punished by being changed into a woodpecker that built “as birds do” and gathered scanty food by boring in the “hard, dry wood” all day long.

By boring holes into the trees, the woodpecker gets her food.

I don't think the old lady would have presented the saint with a smaller cake if she would have known he was a divine saint. If she would have known he was a saint, she would have given generously to please him and get his blessing.

The poem is a legend and isn't a true story. The part where the lady changes into a woodpecker is important since it teaches us the value of generosity and being caring and charitable. We shouldn't judge a person based on their looks and give as much as possible.

A ‘legend’ is a tale that’s carried down from generation to generation. They don't have a scientific explanation for the tales but are mythological. It has a message or moral. The poet starts by saying that he doesn't believe in the tale but finds the message enriching. This legend teaches us generosity towards other fellow beings.

The door of an old lady, who baked cakes, was knocked on by Saint Peter. He was hungry and weak after fasting for a day and wanted the lady to satisfy his hunger. He asked the lady to serve him one of the cakes in her store. The lady was selfish and didn't want to give a bigger cake to the saint. She baked smaller cakes multiple times for her but every time they were big enough for her to give. At last, she finally baked a cake as thin as a wafer but her inner consciousness wasn't ready to part with it either. The saint got infuriated with her behaviour and changed her into a woodpecker. She would have to bore into the rigid wood of the trees to build a nest to live in. The legend says that the bird still lives today in the woods.

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 ‘warm’ ‘Food’ and ‘wood’ ‘Word’ and ‘bird’

‘Same’ and ‘flame’ ‘Wood’ and ‘food’

There was a nymph called Echo that talked a lot. There was a great Juno and Echo because of her nature, she spoke rudely to him. Juno punished her and changed her to a mere parrot. She could only repeat what others would have said. Echo lost her nature and hid herself in the forest because she was ashamed of herself. 

Once she was seen by Narcissus, a young gentleman with golden locks, who was searching for his friends in a forest. While following the voice he saw Echo, instead of his friends and walked away quickly. Since that day, Echo never came out of the forest again and became a mere voice. It always has the tone of a mourning individual and is only heard in lonely places and deep forests.

From this poem, we learn that sharing with the needy brings true happiness. Greed cannot bring any happiness in our lives. Our charitable nature lets us gauge the pains and sorrows of the ones suffering and we have many friends. However, the ones who are greedy hardly have any friends and are generally lonely.

Based on the verses of the poem, saints are generally wise people, having gained some heavenly power. They are not moved by riches, which normal individuals often crave. Their only need is food in order to survive. They prefer to travel around the globe to learn lessons.