A LEGEND OF THE

NORTHLAND1

BY PHOEBE CARY

17 October 2022
Phoebe Cary (September 4, 1824–July
31, 1871) was an American poet, and the
younger sister of poet Alice Cary. The
sisters co-published poems in 1849, and
then each went on to publish volumes of
their own. Both the sisters died in 1871
– Alice from tuberculosis and Phoebe
from hepatitis. After their deaths in
1871, joint anthologies of the sisters'
unpublished poems were also compiled.
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‘A Legend of the Northland’ is a ballad i.e. a
poem narrating a story in short stanzas.
Each stanza has four lines. Here there are 16
stanzas. The rhyme scheme in each stanza is
ABCB. The tone of the poem is didactic as it
teaches us a lesson. The poem narrates a
legend of how Saint Peter once cursed a lady
for being stingy. A legend is a traditional
story which is sometimes regarded as
historical but not authenticated.
3 17 October 2022
A legend is passed on orally
from generation to
generation. The poem ‘A
Legend of the Northland’ is
set in Northland.
Northland refers to an
extremely cold place,
somewhere near the North
Pole. It may include
Norway, Greenland, etc.
4 17 October 2022
Saint Peter, also known as Simon
Peter, was one of the Twelve
Apostles (disciples) of Jesus Christ,
and the first leader of the early
Church. According to Christian
tradition, Peter was crucified
in Rome under Emperor Nero. Later
he was canonized (glorified as a
saint). It is believed that he holds the
Key to the gates of Heaven.
5 17 October 2022
6 17 October 2022
The title ‘A Legend of the Northland’
clearly states that the poem is about a
legend from one of the extremely cold
places near the North Pole. The word
‘legend’ also makes it clear that it is a
story passed on from generation to
generation and believed to be true. Also
the place where the action takes place is
mentioned in the title. Hence the title is
appropriate for the given poem.
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The poem is based on the theme that
greed is a grave sin. Greedy people do
not deserve the blessings and
comforts of human life. Human
beings should acquire qualities of
kindness, fellow-feeling and empathy.
The little woman’s greed stopped her
from sharing even her smallest cake
with Saint Peter, thus earning his
wrath.
8 17 October 2022
The poem conveys the message that as
human beings, we should have positive
qualities like affection, love, fellow-
feeling, sympathy, generosity and a
sense of sharing. The poem also gives
the message that people with negative,
inhuman values like selfishness, greed
and cruelty are ultimately punished.
The blessings of human life like food,
shelter and warmth have to be earned.
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The hearth is the noncombustible floor of a fireplace.

10 17 October 2022
The poem is a legend about an old lady
who angered Saint Peter because of her
greed. The story goes on like this. One
day, Saint Peter was preaching around
the world and reached the door of a
cottage where this woman lived. She
was making cakes and baking them on
a hearth. St. Peter was faint with
hunger. He asked the lady to give him a
piece of cake.
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The cake that she was baking then
appeared to be too big, so she did not
give him that, instead, she baked another
smaller one. That also appeared to be big
so she did not give him that also. The
second time she baked yet another
smaller cake but found it too big to give
away. In the third attempt, she took an
extremely little scrap of dough and rolled
it flat. She had it as thin as a wafer.
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But was unable to part with that also.
This angered St. Peter a lot. He said that
she was not fit to live in human form
and enjoy food and warmth. He cursed
her. She went up through the chimney
when she came out, she had
transformed into a woodpecker bird
who had to bore in hard, dry wood to get
its scanty food. She can be seen in the
trees all day boring and boring for food.
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14 17 October 2022
The little woman lived in a cottage in the
Northland. She used to bake cakes. She was
extremely mean, greedy and selfish. Once when
St. Peter who was tired and hungry asked her for
one of her cakes, she baked three cakes each one
thinner than the other. Yet she did not have the
heart to part with it. This angered St. Peter who
cursed her and turned her into a woodpecker as
she did not deserve the comforts of human life.
She lives in the woods where she bores for food.
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Saint Peter is a messenger of God whose
mission is to preach age-old human values of
kindness and charity. He comes down to earth
with the sole purpose of imparting good
values to humanity. He roams about the whole
day doing his good work. By evening, he is
very tired and hungry. He asks for a single
cake from the little woman. He waits patiently
for her while she bakes one small cake after
another to be given to him as charity.
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However, the good St Peter does not tolerate
greed and selfishness. He feels that human
beings are blessed with food, shelter and
warmth of fire and they should be ready to
share these comforts with the needy. If they
lack the will to share their blessings, they have
no right to enjoy the comforts of human life.
Hence, though he is a saint, he loses his temper
and curses the woman. The selfishness of the
stingy woman upsets and provokes Saint Peter.
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Away, away in the Northland (stanza 1, line 1)
REPETITION because the word ‘away’ is repeated to emphasize
that the place mention is far away.
And the nights are so long in winter
That they cannot sleep them through. (stanza 1, lines 3 & 4)
ENJAMBMENT because the 3rd line runs into the 4th without
using any kind of punctuation mark to indicate a pause.
In their funny furry clothes (stanza 2, line 4)
ALLITERATION because ‘f’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.

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And the children look like bear’s cubs (stanza 2, line 3)
SIMILE because the children are directly compared to bear’s
cubs using the word ‘like’.
And the children look like bear’s cubs
In their funny furry clothes. (stanza 2, lines 3 & 4)
ENJAMBMENT because the 3rd line runs into the 4th without
using any kind of punctuation mark to indicate a pause.
And yet you may learn a lesson (stanza 3, line 3)
ALLITERATION because ‘l’ and ‘y’ sounds are repeated for
poetic effect.

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If I tell the tale to you (stanza 3, line 4)
ALLITERATION because ‘t’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
And being faint with fasting (stanza 6, line 1)
ALLITERATION because ‘f’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
For the day was almost done (stanza 6, line 2)
ALLITERATION because ‘d’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
And still a smaller one (stanza 8, line 2)
ALLITERATION because ‘s’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.

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But as it baking lay (stanza 7, line 2)
ALLITERATION because ‘b’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
INVERSION because the order of the words has been changed
for poetic effect.
Then she took a tiny scrap of dough (stanza 9, line 1)
ALLITERATION because ‘t’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
And rolled and rolled it flat (stanza 9, line 2)
REPETITION because the word ‘rolled’ is repeated to
emphasize that the she rolled it for a long time.
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And baked it thin as a wafer (stanza 9, line 3)
SIMILE because the dough is directly compared to a thin wafer
using the word ‘as’.

For she said, “My cakes that seem too small

When I eat them myself
Are yet too large to give away,” (stanza 10, lines 1, 2 & 3)
ALLITERATION because ‘s’ sound is repeated for poetic effect.
ENJAMBMENT because the 1st line runs into the 2nd and the 3rd
without using any kind of punctuation mark to indicate a pause.

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By boring and boring and boring (stanza 13, line 3)
REPETITION because the word ‘boring’ is repeated to
emphasize that the she will keep on boring for a long time.
Black as coal in the flame (stanza 15, line 4)
SIMILE because the woman’s clothes are directly compared to
black coal using the word ‘as’.
Boring and boring for food (stanza 16, line 4)
REPETITION because the word ‘boring’ is repeated to
emphasize that the she will keep on boring for a long time.

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 Take care!
Stay at home
Stay Safe!

24 17 October 2022