The Tale of Custard the Dragon Class 10 MCQ, Question Answers & RTC | First Flight
Text of the poem
THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
Ink,
And the little gray mouse, she called hum Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.
Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
and Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and Ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.
Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
But up jumped Custard snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn't hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.
But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,
I'd been twice as brave if I hadn't been flustered.
And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,
We'd have been three times as brave, we think,
And Custard said, I quite agree
That everybody is braver than me.
Belinda still lives in her little white house,
With her little black kitten and her little gray mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio little pet dragon.
Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,
Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.
The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Summary)
The tale of custard the dragon is a ballad. It is a humorous poem about a cowardly dragon named custard. Custard is a pet of Belinda, a little girl who lives in a little white house with her pets. She had a black kitten named ink, a grey mouse named blink, a yellow dog mustard and a cowardly dragon custard. The poet says that all of them are very brave except the dragon. Others were described as brave and are compared with animals like bear, tiger or lion but the dragon is very timid. He always demands a safe place for himself. All the other characters make fun of him. But one night they are surprised by the entry of a pirate in the house. All of them get frightened and start hiding here and there. But to everyone’s surprise, the dragon not only tackles him but also eats him up. As all of them are saved by custard, they thank him. But at the end, they realize that they used to make fun of the dragon because of his being timid. So, all of them suddenly start saying that they are more brave and could have handled the situation in a much better way. Here the poet has tried to say that sometimes a timid person is the actual hero in the toughest situations of life.
ABOUT THE POET:
One of the most widely appreciated and imitated writers of light verse, Frediric Ogden Nash was born in Rye, New York, on August 19, 1902, to Edmund Strudwick and Mattie Nash. He came from a distinguished family; the city of Nashville, Tennessee, was named in honor of one of his forbearers. Nash attended Harvard College, but dropped out after only one year. He worked briefly on Wall Street, and as a schoolteacher, before becoming a copywriter. He died on May 19, 1971.
Question Answers
Thinking about the Poem
1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
Ans. The characters are Belinda, Ink (the black kitten), Blink (the grey mouse), Mustard (the yellow dog), and Custard (the cowardly dragon).
2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage?
Ans. Custard cried for a nice safe cage because he was afraid and wanted to feel secure, even though he was physically intimidating.
3. Why is the dragon called a cowardly dragon?
Ans. The dragon is called cowardly because, despite his frightening appearance, he was scared and always cried for safety.
4. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful …” Why?
Ans. Belinda tickled Custard unmercifully to tease him for being cowardly, even though he looked fierce.
5. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon a serious or funny poem? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Ans. The poem is funny because it contrasts Custard’s scary appearance with his cowardly behavior, while the supposedly braver pets end up fleeing when real danger appears, and Custard saves the day.
EXTRA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ---
1. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Ans. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB, where two consecutive lines rhyme with each other.
2. Pick out the lines from the poem that contain similes.
Ans.a). “Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears.”
b). “Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage.”
3. What images does the poet use in the poem?
Ans. The poet uses several vivid images in The Tale of Custard the Dragon to bring the characters and scenes to life. Some of the key images include:
· Custard the Dragon: Described with “big sharp teeth,” “spikes on top,” “scales underneath,” and “daggers on his toes,” Custard is depicted as a fierce-looking but gentle dragon.
· The Pirate: The pirate is imagined with a “pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,” a “bright cutlass,” “black beard,” and “wooden leg,” creating an image of a stereotypical, fearsome pirate.
· Belinda and her pets: Belinda is brave “as a barrel full of bears,” while Mustard, Ink, and Blink are also shown in an energetic, brave light, chasing lions or being as fierce as a tiger.
4. Which line/stanza is used as a refrain in the poem?
Ans. Custard cried for a nice safe cage” is used as a refrain in the poem. It is repeated several times, emphasizing Custard’s desire for safety despite his fearsome appearance.
5. Why did the other pets rudely call Custard 'Percival'?
Answer: They called him 'Percival' to mock him. Percival was a legendary knight of King Arthur's court who initially ran away from his duties, so the pets used the name to tease Custard for his lack of courage.
6. What did the pirate do when he saw Custard the dragon face him?
Answer: The pirate gaped at Custard in shock and drank some wine (grog) from his pocket flask to gather courage. He then fired two bullets at Custard, though both missed their target.
7. Why did Belinda embrace Custard after the pirate incident?
Answer: Belinda embraced Custard out of immense gratitude and relief. While all her other "brave" pets had fled and hidden in fear, Custard courageously saved everyone's lives by devouring the pirate.
8. How did Ink and Blink celebrate Custard's victory?
Answer: Ink and Blink celebrated by happily dancing (gyrating) in circles around Custard. They were filled with glee and excitement because Custard had completely eaten up the threatening pirate.
MCQ………….
1. What was the name of the little black kitten?
(A) Blink
(B) Ink
(C) Mustard
(D) Custard
2. What did Custard cry for?
(A) A nice soft bed
(B) A nice warm house
(C) A nice safe cage
(D) A nice shiny sword
3. What kind of animal was Mustard?
(A) A dog
(B) A kitten
(C) A mouse
(D) A dragon
4. What was special about Custard’s mouth?
(A) It was soft
(B) It was full of sharp teeth
(C) It was like a fireplace
(D) It was very small
5. How did the other pets react when they saw the pirate?
(A) They attacked him
(B) They hid themselves.
(C) They helped Custard
(D) They ran away
6. Who ate the pirate?
(A) Ink
(B) Blink
(C) Mustard
(D) Custard
7. What weapon did the pirate have?
(A) A sword
(B) A pistol
(C) Both a pistol and a cutlass
(D) A dagger
8. What did Belinda do when Custard saved them from the pirate?
(A) She hugged him
(B) She cried
(C) She ran away
(D) She scolded him
9. What did Ink and Blink do after Custard ate the pirate?
(A) They scolded Custard
(B) They ran away
(C) They danced around him
(D) They stayed silent
10. What did Custard say at the end of the poem?
(A) “I am braver than all of you.”
(B) “Everybody is braver than me.”
(C) “I am scared.”
(D) “I am the bravest of all.”
Text Questions
A. “Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.”
1. Who lived in the little white house?
Ans. Belinda lived in the little white house with her pets: a black kitten, a grey mouse, a yellow dog, and a little pet dragon.
2. What color was the kitten?
Ans. The kitten was black.
3. What was special about the dragon?
Ans. The dragon was a “realio, trulio” pet, suggesting it was real and special.
4. What was the color of the little mouse?
Ans. The mouse was grey.
5. What did Belinda have besides pets?
Ans. Belinda had a little red wagon.
B. “Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.”
1. What was the name of the kitten?
Ans. The kitten’s name was Ink.
2. What was the mouse’s name?
Ans. The mouse’s name was Blink.
3. Why was the dog named Mustard?
Ans. The dog was named Mustard because he was “sharp,” implying he was quick and clever.
4. What was the dragon’s name?
Ans. The dragon’s name was Custard.
5. What characteristics did Custard have?
Ans. Custard was a cowardly dragon.
C. “Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.”
1. How is Custard’s appearance described in the poem?
Ans. Custard is described as having “big sharp teeth,” spikes on his back, scales underneath, a “mouth like a fireplace,” and “daggers on his toes.” These details create the image of a fierce and dangerous dragon.
2. What does the phrase “realio, trulio” emphasize in this stanza?
Ans. The playful phrases “realio, trulio” emphasize that Custard is a real dragon, even though he behaves in a timid, cowardly way. It adds a whimsical tone to the poem.
3. Why do you think the poet uses comparisons like “mouth like a fireplace” and “chimney for a nose”?
Ans. The poet uses these comparisons to create vivid, humorous imagery, suggesting that Custard’s mouth is as big as a fireplace and his nose resembles a chimney, evoking the idea of a fierce creature.
4. How does Custard’s physical appearance contrast with his personality?
Ans. Custard’s physical appearance, which is fierce and menacing, contrasts sharply with his personality, as he is cowardly and constantly cries for a “nice safe cage.”
5. What effect does the use of exaggeration have on the reader’s perception of Custard?
Ans. The exaggeration of Custard’s features, such as “daggers on his toes” and “spikes on top,” makes him appear larger-than-life, enhancing the humorous contrast between his terrifying appearance and his timid nature.
D. “Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.”
1. What is Belinda compared to?
Ans. Belinda is compared to a “barrel full of bears,” meaning she was very brave.
2. What did Ink and Blink do to lions?
Ans. Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs.
3. How brave was Mustard?
Ans. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage.
4. What did Custard want?
Ans. Custard wanted a nice safe cage.
5. What is Custard’s reaction to danger?
Ans. Custard cried for safety, showing he was cowardly.
E. “The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.”
1. How does Custard react to the pirate’s attack?
Ans. Custard bravely leaps up and attacks the pirate, snorting “like an engine,” clashing his tail, and going at the pirate “like a robin at a worm.” This shows Custard’s courage in the face of danger.
2. What simile is used to describe Custard’s attack, and what does it convey?
Ans. The simile “like a robin at a worm” is used to describe Custard’s attack. It conveys Custard’s sudden, swift, and decisive action, showing how quickly and instinctively he goes after the pirate.
3. What sounds are associated with Custard’s movements in this stanza?
Ans. The sounds associated with Custard’s movements include “clatter,” “clank,” and “jangling squirm,” which suggest loud, metallic noises, emphasizing the strength and power of his attack.
4. How does this stanza change the reader’s perception of Custard?
Ans. This stanza changes the reader’s perception of Custard by showing his bravery for the first time. Despite being known as a coward, Custard shows great courage by protecting Belinda and attacking the pirate.
5. What literary device is used in the line “snorting like an engine”?
Ans. The literary device used is a simile, comparing Custard’s snorting to the noise of an engine, which emphasizes his strength and power during the attack.
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