In the analogy “Legend : Story :: Merlin : ____”, which option best completes the relationship of specific example to its general type?

Introduction / Context:
This analogy uses the pair “Legend : Story” and compares it with “Merlin : ____”. To answer correctly, you must understand that a legend is a particular kind of story, and then identify what Merlin represents in relation to one of the given bird names. The question mixes vocabulary and general knowledge about animals and classifications, which is common in verbal reasoning tests.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair: Legend and story.
• Second pair: Merlin and an unknown option.
• Options: eagle, parakeet, hawk, crow, sparrow.
• We assume “Merlin” here refers to the bird known by that name.

Concept / Approach:
A legend is not just any word but a specific type of story. Similarly, Merlin is not a random word but the common name for a small falcon, which belongs to the group of birds of prey often grouped with hawks. So the pattern is “specific example is to general category.” Legend is a type of story, and Merlin is a type of hawk like bird of prey. Therefore, we must choose the option that names the appropriate group for Merlin.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Analyse the first pair. A legend is a special kind of traditional or heroic story. Step 2: Conclude that the relation is “kind of” or “example of” story. Step 3: Examine the second pair. Merlin can refer to a wizard figure in fiction, but in analogy questions with bird options it usually refers to the Merlin bird. Step 4: The Merlin bird is a small falcon, placed with hawks and other birds of prey in everyday classification. Step 5: Among the options, hawk represents the category to which the Merlin belongs, matching the idea of “legend is a kind of story” and “Merlin is a kind of hawk.”

Verification / Alternative check:
If you had chosen eagle, parakeet, crow, or sparrow, the relation would imply that Merlin itself is that specific bird. Merlin is not an eagle, parakeet, crow, or sparrow. Instead, it is a raptor similar to hawk and falcon types. Thus the best fit is to treat Merlin as a member of the more general hawk like category, just as legend is a member of the broad category of stories. The pattern “specific instance to general class” is preserved only with hawk.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Eagle is another bird of prey but Merlin is not an eagle. Parakeet, crow, and sparrow are very different kinds of birds both in appearance and behaviour. Selecting any of these would break the “example to category” relationship and treat Merlin as equal to another random species. None of them describe the group within which Merlin falls as neatly as hawk does in common usage.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes focus on the legendary wizard named Merlin and then guess randomly among birds, missing the shift in meaning. Others choose eagle simply because it is also a powerful bird, not realising that the analogy requires a category, not just another single noble bird. When solving analogies, first fix the type of relationship in the first pair, then insist on the same type in the second pair.

Final Answer:
The correct completion of the analogy is that Merlin is related to a hawk in the same way that a legend is related to a story.