CBSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LITERATURE

Detailed explanation-1: -The saint cursed her to be a woodpecker. A woodpecker has to bore for a long time to get even a scanty food. She was cursed to labour hard by boring into the tree to get even her scanty food as she had made the saint wait so long for such a small piece of cake. Was this answer helpful?

Detailed explanation-2: -I think the most important part of this poem is the one in which Saint Peter turns the old lady into a woodpecker to teach her a lesson. In this part, we get to learn the very important values of life that are generosity and helping others. We should appreciate all the comforts and luxuries we enjoy as human beings.

Detailed explanation-3: -Answer: A woman of Northland, who was miserly and selfish was changed to a woodpecker by Saint Peter. She had refused to give even a cake as thin as a wafer to the tired and hungry saint. So, as a punishment, she was turned to a bird who would have to live in a nest and bore into wood for her food.

Detailed explanation-4: -Answer: The poet wants to tell a ‘curious’ story. It is the story of St. Peter and a greedy little woman.

Detailed explanation-5: -Saint Peter asked the woman to give him a cake as he was hungry. The lady did not give him a cake out of the ones that she had baked, instead she baked a smaller one for him.