Class 10 : English – Lesson 18. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
💠 Explanation
🌟 Introduction to the Poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash is a humorous ballad written in playful rhyme. It tells the story of a little girl Belinda and her pets—Ink (a cat), Blink (a mouse), Mustard (a dog), and Custard (a dragon). While the others boast of bravery, Custard, who seems cowardly, proves to be the real hero when danger strikes.
📚 About the Poet
Ogden Nash (1902–1971) was an American poet famous for his witty, light verse. He often used humour, exaggeration, and unconventional rhymes to entertain readers while slipping in subtle messages.
💡 Theme and Context
The poem explores the contrast between appearance and reality. While the boastful pets claim courage, they flee when faced with a pirate. Custard, mocked for cowardice, bravely defeats the pirate, proving true heroism.
🎭 Key Sections / Episodes
Belinda’s Pets: Belinda lives with her brave little pets—Ink, Blink, Mustard—and Custard the dragon, who is laughed at for being timid.
Boasting of Bravery: The pets brag about their courage, while Custard quietly wishes for a safe cage.
The Pirate Attack: Suddenly, a pirate with pistols and a sword invades their house.
Custard’s Heroism: While the “brave” pets hide in fear, Custard fights fiercely, eats the pirate, and saves everyone.
Aftermath: The others return, praising Custard, but again boast that they would have fought too—while Custard remains humble.
🖋️ Tone, Style, and Devices
Tone: Humorous, playful, ironic.
Devices:
Irony: The so-called cowards are the true heroes.
Exaggeration: Descriptions of Custard and the pirate are over-the-top for comic effect.
Rhyme scheme: AABB (simple ballad form).
Personification: Animals are given human traits.
🕊️ Themes and Takeaways
True Bravery vs. False Boasting: Courage is shown in action, not in words.
Humour and Satire: The poem mocks pretension and self-praise.
Humility: Custard, though brave, remains modest.
Lesson: Appearances can be deceptive; the quiet ones may be the strongest.
💠 Summary
Ogden Nash’s The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a humorous ballad about Belinda and her pets. While Ink (cat), Blink (mouse), and Mustard (dog) boast of bravery, they mock Custard, the dragon, for being timid and always wanting a cage. But when a pirate suddenly attacks their home, the so-called brave pets run away in fear, while Custard bravely fights, kills the pirate, and saves everyone. Ironically, after the danger passes, the pets return to boasting, while Custard stays humble. The poem satirises false bravery and highlights that true courage is proven in deeds, not words.
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PASSAGE
PASSAGE
“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.”
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
Who lived with Belinda in the little white house?
Answer: Belinda lived with a black kitten (Ink), a grey mouse (Blink), a yellow dog (Mustard), a red wagon, and her dragon, Custard.
💠 (Multiple Choice)
Which of Belinda’s pets was considered cowardly?
A. Ink
B. Blink
C. Mustard
D. Custard
Answer: D. Custard
💠 (Fill in the blank)
Belinda’s pet dragon was described as a __ little pet dragon.
Answer: realio, trulio
💠 (Fill in the blank)
The dog Mustard was described as __ in colour.
Answer: yellow
💠 (Assertion and Reason)
Assertion (A): Belinda’s pets always praised Custard for his bravery.
Reason (R): Custard was timid and often wished for a safe cage.
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false, but R is true.
D. Both A and R are false.
Answer: C. A is false, but R is true.
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
What is humorous about this description of Belinda’s house and pets?
Answer: The humorous tone lies in the repeated use of “little” and playful rhyming, making even a dragon—normally fierce—sound like a cute, harmless pet.
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OTHER QUESTIONS: –
🔴 Q1. Who is the poet of The Tale of Custard the Dragon?
🔵 Answer: Ogden Nash.
🔴 Q2. What was the name of Belinda’s little black kitten?
🔵 Answer: Ink.
🔴 Q3. Which pet was yellow in colour?
🔵 Answer: Mustard, the dog.
🔴 Q4. Why was Custard considered a coward?
🔵 Answer: Because he often cried for a safe cage, unlike the other pets who boasted of bravery.
🔴 Q5. What did Ink, Blink, and Mustard boast about?
🔵 Answer: They bragged about their bravery and courage to face danger.
🔴 Q6. What did the pets do when the pirate appeared?
🔵 Answer: All the pets, including Belinda, ran away in fear, except Custard.
🔴 Q7. How did Custard save the day?
🔵 Answer: Custard fought bravely, killed the pirate, and protected everyone in the house.
🔴 Q8. What was the pirate armed with?
🔵 Answer: Pistols in both hands and a bright cutlass (sword).
🔴 Q9. How did the other pets react after Custard killed the pirate?
🔵 Answer: They praised Custard but soon returned to boasting about their own supposed bravery.
🔴 Q10. What is the irony in the poem?
🔵 Answer: The so-called brave pets ran away, while Custard, mocked as cowardly, showed true courage.
🔴 Q11. How does Ogden Nash create humour in the poem?
🔵 Answer: Through funny rhymes, exaggerations, playful words like “realio trulio,” and ironic contrasts between cowardice and bravery.
🔴 Q12. What is the central theme of the poem?
🔵 Answer: True courage is proven through actions, not words. Real bravery is often found in the most unexpected individuals.
🔴 Q13. What message does The Tale of Custard the Dragon convey?
🔵 Answer: It teaches that appearances can be deceptive, boasting is meaningless, and humility and true bravery lie in deeds, not in words.
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