THE LAKE OF ISLE OF INNISFREE

Thinking about Poem

I. 1. What kind of place is Innisfree? Think about:
(i) the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I);
(ii) what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);
(iii) what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).

Ans: Innisfree is a natural place which full of beauty and peace.

(i) Three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there are:

 He wants to build a small cabin of clay and wattles.

 He wants to plant nine rows of beans.
 He wants to have a hive of honey bees.

(ii) The poet hears the cricket’s song. He sees midnight shine and a purple glow at noon.
Evenings are full of linnet wings. All this makes him feel joyous and gives him peace of mind.

(iii) The poet hears the sound of the lake water washing the shore in his “heart's core”.

2. By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of beauty and
peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III).

Ans: The poet contrasts the natural beauty of Innisfree with the roads and the dull, grey
pavements of the city.

3. Do you think Innisfree is only a place, or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss the
place of his boyhood days?
Ans: Innisfree is not just the creation of the poet’s fancy but a real and natural place which is full
of beauty and peace. The poet wishes to live at such a beautiful and peaceful place.
Yes, the poet misses the place of his boyhood days a lot. He can hear the sound of the lake water
washing the shore in his heart's core, even when he is away from Innisfree.

II. 1. Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree
(i) Bee-loud glade
(ii) Evenings full of the linnet’s wings
(iii) Lake water lapping with low sounds
What pictures do these words create in your mind?

Answer:

(i) These words create an image of buzzing bees in the glade.

(ii) These words create an image of linnets flying across an evening sky.
(iii) These words not only create a blissful picture in our minds but also evoke the soft sound of a
lake's water washing the shore.
2. Look at these words:

...peace comes dropping slow

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings
What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow...from the veils of
the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?

Answer:
The given lines indicate that peace of mind can be acquired naturally in a tranquil place like
Innisfree.
It is calmness and tranquility that “comes dropping slow...from the veils of the morning”.
The phrase “to where the cricket sings” indicates a peaceful place where one can hear the vibrant
sounds of crickets at the time of dawn.

ISWARAN THE STORY TELLER

1. In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?

Ans: Iswaran is an asset to Mahendra because he follows him wherever he is posted.
Iswaran cooks for Mahendra, washes his clothes, and chats away with his master about
endless stories and anecdotes on varied subjects.

2. How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he
want to create in his listeners?
Ans: He was half inclined to turn and go back. But as he came closer he saw that it was a
fallen tree, with its dry branches spread out. The effect he wants to create is suspense and
a surprise ending to every small incident that he narrates to his readers.

3. How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?
Ans: Iswaran narrates how he injured the 3rd toe of the wild Tusker with a cane in his
hand. The wild tusker collapsed and fell down towards the ground. No, the story does not
seem to be plausible because Iswaran was a small boy at that time and the elephant
described by him was very big.

4. Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the
absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?
Ans: The author says so because Iswaran provided a great company to Mahendra. He
would chat with Mahendra at night when he returned from his work. Iswaran would also
entertain Mahendra by telling stories. Thus with Iswaran around Mahendra never felt
bored and never felt the necessity of having a TV for entertainment.

5. Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination. What happens to him
on a full-moon night?
Ans: Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination as he did not believe in
ghosts. One day Iswaran told him about a female ghost holding a foetus in her arms. On a
 full-moon night he woke up from his sleep and looked outside the window. He was
shocked to see the same figure and began to sweat profusely.

THE LEGEND OF NORTHLAND

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: Saint Peter asked the old lady for one of her baked cakes as he was about to faint
due to fasting. The lady tried to bake a small cake for the Saint.
3. How did he punish her?

Ans: He cursed her saying that she was far too selfish to be a human, to have food,
shelter and fire to keep her warm. Thus, she was transformed into a woodpecker.
4. How does the woodpecker get her food?
Ans: The woodpecker gets her food by boring holes into trees. Woodpeckers drill and
drum on trees and extract insects with their long sticky tongues from deep within a hole
of a tree.
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: No the old lady would not have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint
Peter really was. Instead she would have tried to please him with her cakes for the
fulfilment of her greedy desires.
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.
7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?
Ans: A legend is an old traditional and popular semi-true story demonstrating human
values. It is considered to be historical with mythical qualities. This poem is called a
legend because the poet himself says that he doesnt believe this tale to be true. The story
is about Saint Peter.

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

Ans: The poem is a story of an old woman. She is asked by Saint Peter for alms who has
become weak because of fasting and travelling. But her greed forces her not to give him
anything. He becomes angry and makes her a woodpecker who bores hard, dry wood to
get food. Her clothes are burnt to ashes and she is left with a cap on her head. She
continues boring into hard wood for her little food.