What happened when the woman made a very little cake?

It seemed too large to give away

It seemed too small to give away

What did Saint Peter say about the woman's selfishness?

She was too selfish to dwell in a human form

What lesson can be learned from the story?

Selfishness leads to punishment

NCERT Solutions Class 9 English - Beehive Chapter 5.1 – A Legend of the Northland

Name: A Legend of the Northland – Class 9 English - Beehive
Uploaded: 2026-05-31
Description: The poem tells the story of a greedy old lady who refuses to share her cakes with Saint Peter and is punished by being turned into a woodpecker, teaching a lesson about selfishness.

Class 9 English - Beehive

Last Updated: 31 May 2026

Share on WhatsApp

Chapter Introduction

The poem tells the story of a greedy old lady who refuses to share her cakes with Saint Peter and is punished by being turned into a woodpecker, teaching a lesson about selfishness.

हिंदी में (Hindi)

कविता एक लालची बूढ़ी महिला की कहानी बताती है, जो सेंट पीटर के साथ अपनी केक साझा करने से इनकार करती है और उसे लकड़बग्घा में बदल दिया जाता है, जो स्वार्थ पर एक शिक्षा देती है।

Watch Video Lecture

Video Coming Soon..

Practice more on the App!

Get unlimited MCQ tests & video lectures.

Download

Important Points

🕐 Coming Soon

Important points for this chapter will be added shortly. Check back soon!

Practice MCQ Questions (19 questions)

Q1. Where does the story 'A Legend of the Northland' take place?

Q2. Why are the nights in the Northland so long?

Q3. What do children in the Northland look like?

Q4. Who came to the door of the cottage?

Q5. What was the woman making when Saint Peter arrived?

Get all 19 MCQ questions + more!

Download the Genius Mind app for unlimited practice, mock tests & video lectures.

▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

🕐 Coming Soon

FAQs for this chapter will be added soon. Stay tuned!

Tough Words (Glossary)

Legend

Meaning: A traditional story passed down through generations

अर्थ: किंवदंती / दंतकथा

"This legend is about Saint Peter."

Northland

Meaning: Northern region or land

अर्थ: उत्तरी भूमि

"The poem is set in the Northland."

Harness

Meaning: To tie animals to a cart or sledge

अर्थ: जोतना / लगाम लगाना

"They harness the reindeer to the sledges."

Swift

Meaning: Moving very fast

अर्थ: तेज़ / शीघ्र

"The swift horse ran across the field."

Reindeer

Meaning: A type of deer found in cold regions

अर्थ: बारहसिंगा

"Reindeer pull sledges in snowy lands."

Sledges

Meaning: Vehicles for travelling over snow

अर्थ: बर्फ की गाड़ी

"They rode in sledges during winter."

Furry

Meaning: Covered with fur

अर्थ: रोएँदार

"The child wore a furry coat."

Curious

Meaning: Strange or unusual

अर्थ: जिज्ञासापूर्ण / अजीब

"He told me a curious story."

Preaching

Meaning: Teaching or spreading religious ideas

अर्थ: उपदेश देना

"Saint Peter was preaching to the people."

Cottage

Meaning: A small simple house

अर्थ: झोपड़ी

"She lived in a small cottage near the woods."

Hearth

Meaning: The floor of a fireplace

अर्थ: चूल्हा / अंगीठी

"She baked cakes on the hearth."

Faint

Meaning: Weak or lacking strength

अर्थ: कमज़ोर / बेहोश

"He felt faint with hunger."

Fasting

Meaning: Going without food for a time

अर्थ: उपवास

"He was faint with fasting."

Kneaded

Meaning: Pressed and mixed dough with hands

अर्थ: गूंधा

"She kneaded the dough for bread."

Wafer

Meaning: A very thin, crisp piece of food

अर्थ: पतली परत / वेफर

"She baked the dough as thin as a wafer."

Scrap

Meaning: A small piece of something

अर्थ: टुकड़ा

"He gave the dog a scrap of bread."

Shelf

Meaning: A flat surface used to keep things

अर्थ: तख्ता / शेल्फ

"The books were kept on the shelf."

Provoke

Meaning: To make someone angry

अर्थ: उकसाना / क्रोधित करना

"Her words were enough to provoke him."

Selfish

Meaning: Caring only about oneself

अर्थ: स्वार्थी

"She was too selfish to share her food."

Dwell

Meaning: To live in a place

अर्थ: रहना / बसना

"They dwell in small villages."

Shelter

Meaning: A place that gives protection

अर्थ: आश्रय

"The cave was their only shelter."

Scanty

Meaning: Too little or not enough

अर्थ: अल्प / बहुत कम

"He survived on scanty food."

Boring

Meaning: Making holes by digging or drilling

अर्थ: छेद करना

"The bird was boring into the wood."

Chimney

Meaning: A vertical pipe that lets smoke escape

अर्थ: चिमनी

"Smoke rose from the chimney."

Scarlet

Meaning: A bright red color

अर्थ: चटक लाल

"She wore a scarlet dress."

Flame

Meaning: A hot, glowing body of fire

अर्थ: लपट

"The flame burned brightly in the dark."

Coal

Meaning: A black solid used as fuel

अर्थ: कोयला

"They used coal to keep the fire burning."

Ballad

Meaning: A narrative poem or song

अर्थ: गीत / लोकगीत

"This poem is a ballad passed down orally."

Stanza

Meaning: A group of lines in a poem

अर्थ: अंतरा

"The poem has four stanzas."

Narrate

Meaning: To tell a story

अर्थ: वर्णन करना

"The poet narrates a legend in the poem."