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NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Chapter 5 A Legend Of The Northland

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Find Complete A Legend Of The Northland Class 9 Questions And Answers For Easy Learning

Vedantu offers comprehensive NCERT Solutions to Class 9 English Beehive A Legend of The Northland Question Answers. The poem is from the Beehive Reader, prescribed for Class 9 and teaches students about the evils of greed and selfishness. The solutions are curated and compiled by top subject matter experts at Vedantu, who ensure their accuracy and relevancy. 

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NCERT solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 are prepared by the Vedantu experts and updated regularly to keep them compliant with the latest Class 9 English CBSE Syllabus.

Find Complete A Legend Of The Northland Class 9 Questions And Answers For Easy Learning

Thinking about the Poem

I.

1. Which country or countries do you think “the Northland” refers to?

Ans: 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. 


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

Ans: 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.


3. How did he punish her?

Ans: 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.


4. How does the woodpecker get her food?

Ans: By boring holes into the trees, the woodpecker gets 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?

Ans: 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.


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

Ans: 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.


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

Ans: 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.


8. Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.

Ans: 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.


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

Ans: 

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’


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.

Ans: 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.


Value-based Questions

1. What is the moral of this poem?

Ans: 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.

 

2. What quality do saints show based on this poem?

Ans: 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.


Benefits of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5

  • Vedantu offers comprehensive NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English A Legend of The Northland question answers. These solutions are easy to understand and provided in simple language to help students grasp and retain the material.

  • The solutions to the Class 9 English poem A Legend of The Northland Question answer are constantly checked and updated to align with the latest CBSE syllabus. 

  • Reading these solutions gives students a clear idea of the poem's content and plot.

  • NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5, A Legend of The Northland, are available in PDF format for FREE download, allowing students to study anywhere, anytime.

  • The Class 9 English A Legend of The Northland question answer solutions cover all textbook questions, ensuring students have all the answers they need for their exams and saving them time from searching for solutions elsewhere.


Conclusion

The Class 9 English Chapter 5, A Legend of the Northland, highlights a Scandinavian tale that sheds light on the values of selflessness, kindness, and the quality of providing to those in need. Vedantu provides comprehensive NCERT Solutions to Class 9 English Poem A Legend of The Northland Question Answer which students can refer to equip themselves for the examination. These solutions are compiled, created, and vetted by top professionals and subject matter experts with years of experience dealing with the CBSE syllabus, thus ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of the solutions.


Important Study Material Links for Class 9 Chapter 5 Poem

S.No. 

Study Material Links for Chapter 5 A Legend Of The Northland

1

Class 9 A Legend Of The Northland Revision Notes

2

Class 9 A Legend Of The Northland Important Questions


Chapters-wise NCERT Class 9 English Beehive (Poem)


Chapters-wise NCERT Class 9 English Beehive


Other Book-wise Links for NCERT Solutions Class 9 English 

S. No

English Class 9 NCERT Solutions Bookwise Links 

1

Class 9 English Moments Solutions

2

Class 9 English Words and Expressions Solutions


Related Important Study Material of Class 9 English

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FAQs on NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Chapter 5 A Legend Of The Northland

1. Is 'A Legend of the Northland' a true story?

No, the poem describes a legend, which is a traditional folk tale passed down through generations and not a historically accurate event. Confusion arises because legends often feel believable, but their purpose is to teach a moral lesson, not to document history.

2. Was the woman in the poem punished for a single selfish act?

The little woman was punished for her extreme and repeated greed, not for a single mistake. Saint Peter, faint with hunger, asked for one cake, but she found every cake she baked too large to give away, showing a consistent pattern of selfishness.

The confusion happens because the final curse comes after the last attempt to bake a tiny cake. However, her actions escalate: she first bakes a standard cake, then a smaller one, and finally a wafer-thin scrap, yet her greed prevents her from parting with even that. This demonstrated that her selfishness was deep-rooted.

This is different from a one-time error. For instance, if she had initially refused but then felt remorse and given him the first cake, the outcome would likely have been different. The story’s moral hinges on the idea that her character was fundamentally uncharitable.

Her punishment to live as a woodpecker, constantly working for scant food, directly mirrors her refusal to share her abundance.

3. Do you have to pay for 'A Legend of the Northland' Class 9 questions and answers PDF?

No, you do not have to pay for the question and answer guide. The NCERT Solutions for this chapter are available as a Free PDF for download. This ensures all students can access quality study material to prepare for exams without any cost barriers.

4. What is actually included in the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5?

NCERT Solutions for 'A Legend of the Northland' provide complete, step-by-step answers for all the questions in the textbook, not just the final answers. Many students mistakenly think these are just answer keys, but they offer much more to aid understanding.

The solutions cover both the 'Thinking about the Poem' exercise questions and any in-text questions that might appear. Each answer is crafted to explain the reasoning behind it, often highlighting key lines from the poem, explaining literary devices like similes or alliteration, and discussing the central theme of charity versus greed.

For example, for a question about the woman's punishment, the solution won't just state she became a woodpecker. It will explain *why* this punishment was fitting for her crime of being greedy, connecting her new life of 'boring and boring for food' to her old life of hoarding it.

This structured approach helps you learn how to frame high-quality answers for your exams.

5. Is the 'Northland' in the poem a specific country?

No, the 'Northland' is a symbolic, cold region near the North Pole, not a specific, real country. The poem uses this setting to emphasize the harsh living conditions and long winters, making Saint Peter’s need for warmth and food more urgent and the woman's selfishness more pronounced.

6. Is the poem's main message just about how the woodpecker was created?

The poem's main theme is a moral lesson on the sin of greed and the importance of charity, not just an origin story for the woodpecker. The transformation into a woodpecker is the consequence that powerfully illustrates the central message.

Students sometimes focus only on the narrative—the story of how the woodpecker came to be. However, this is the framework used to deliver the moral. The poet, Phoebe Cary, uses this legend to teach that selfishness and greed lead to a miserable existence. The woman had a warm fire and plenty of food but couldn't share a tiny bit.

As a woodpecker, she gets to keep nothing, has only a 'scanty' amount of food, and must work relentlessly for it by 'boring and boring'. This punishment is a direct reflection of her earthly behaviour. The legend serves as a timeless warning against being uncharitable.

The story's power comes from its lesson, not just its explanation for a bird's existence.

7. Did Saint Peter curse the woman immediately after she refused him?

No, Saint Peter did not curse the woman immediately; he gave her multiple opportunities to be charitable. He waited patiently as she baked a cake, then a smaller one, and finally an even tinier one, showing his curse was a last resort after her repeated, selfish actions.

8. Can I skip reading the poem if I just use the Class 9 English Chapter 5 question answers?

No, NCERT Solutions are designed to be a study aid, not a replacement for reading the poem itself. Relying only on solutions prevents you from fully understanding the poem's rhythm, literary devices, and emotional tone.

The common mistake is to treat the solutions as a shortcut. However, their real value is in helping you *after* you have read the text. First, read 'A Legend of the Northland' to form your own interpretations. Then, attempt to answer the textbook questions on your own.

Finally, use the prepared NCERT question answers to check your work, fill in any gaps in your understanding, and learn how to structure your points effectively. For example, the solutions can point out the ballad form of the poem or the use of repetition, details you might miss that are important for a complete answer.

Using solutions this way enhances your learning instead of just helping you complete an assignment.

9. Are the solutions for this chapter just a simple summary?

No, the ncert solution class 9 english chapter 5 goes far beyond a simple summary by providing structured answers to specific textbook questions. While a summary gives a general overview, the solutions dissect parts of the poem to answer targeted questions about character, theme, and poetic devices.

A summary might say, "A greedy woman is turned into a woodpecker." In contrast, a solution for a question about her character would analyze her actions—baking smaller and smaller cakes—to prove her greed. It might also explain the significance of Saint Peter's curse as a form of poetic justice.

These detailed explanations, like those found in the Vedantu solutions, are designed to guide students in writing answers that are both accurate and well-supported by evidence from the text. They teach analytical skills, which a simple summary cannot.

Solutions explain the 'why' and 'how' behind the story, not just the 'what'.

10. Did the woman enjoy her new life as a woodpecker?

No, becoming a woodpecker was a harsh punishment, not a new life to enjoy. The poem explicitly states she must get her 'scanty food' by 'boring and boring all day in the hard, dry wood,' emphasizing a life of endless, difficult labour for very little reward.

11. Do Vedantu's NCERT solutions only help with textbook questions?

While the solutions directly address textbook questions, they are structured to help you tackle extra questions as well. By explaining the core concepts, character motivations, and themes in detail, they provide the foundational knowledge needed to answer any related question, including MCQs or short-answer types.