Chapter 10 – The Tale of Custard the Dragon 10

Chapter 10 – The Tale of Custard the Dragon 

The Tale of Custard the Dragon – Ogden Nash

 Word Meanings 

• Belinda – the girl who owned the pets

• Little black kitten Ink – pet cat

• Little grey mouse Blink – pet mouse

• Yellow dog Mustard – pet dog

• Percival – brave knight (reference)

• Giggle / tickled – laugh in a funny way

• Percival-like – very brave like a knight

• Brave as a barrel full of bears – very brave

• Cutlass – a small sword

• Giggled / went weeck – made funny sounds

• Custard – the dragon, usually cowardly

• Snorting – making a loud nose sound

• Giggled till it shook the house – laughed loudly

Figures of Speech

1. Simile – “Brave as a barrel full of bears.”

2. Metaphor – Custard is a metaphor for someone underestimated.

3. Repetition – “And the little dog laughed, ha ha ha.”

4. Imagery – Description of the dragon and pirate creates pictures.

5. Irony – The so-called coward (Custard) turns out to be the real hero.

 Central Idea 

The poem tells a humorous story about Belinda and her pets. All her pets – Ink, Blink, and Mustard – boast of their bravery, while Custard the dragon is considered a coward because he always wanted a safe cage. But when a pirate suddenly attacks, Custard proves to be the bravest one and defeats the pirate, while the others hide in fear. The poem highlights that true bravery is revealed in action, not in words. It also suggests that those who appear weak may actually be the strongest in difficult times.

Summary 

The poem is about Belinda, who had many pets – a kitten named Ink, a mouse named Blink, a dog named Mustard, and a dragon named Custard. The other pets always made fun of Custard for being cowardly because he preferred staying safe in a cage, while they all boasted of their bravery. One day, a pirate with pistols and a sword attacked Belinda’s house. All the so-called brave pets got frightened and ran away, but Custard the dragon fought bravely. He killed the pirate and saved everyone. Afterward, the others still mocked Custard, though they knew he was the real hero. The poem teaches that true courage is shown in action, not in boasting.

 Textbook Question Answers 

Q1. How did Belinda and her pets describe their bravery?

 Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears. Ink and Blink said they could chase lions. Mustard was brave like a tiger. Only Custard the dragon always asked for a nice safe cage, showing fear.

Q2. Why was Custard called a coward?

 Custard was called a coward because he always wanted to live in a cage, unlike the other pets who boasted about their bravery. His timid and fearful nature made everyone laugh at him and tease him.

Q3. What happened when the pirate attacked?

 When the pirate attacked with pistols and a sword, all the pets ran away in fear. Surprisingly, Custard the dragon showed great courage. He fought the pirate bravely, killed him, and saved Belinda and the other pets.

Q4. What is the irony in the poem?

The irony is that the pets who always boasted about bravery proved to be cowards during danger, while Custard, who was always called a coward, turned out to be the bravest one and saved everyone’s life.

1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
The poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” has several characters living together happily. Belinda, the little girl, owns a few pets. Her black kitten is called Ink, her grey mouse is Blink, her yellow dog is Mustard, and her dragon is Custard. All of them pretend to be very brave, while Custard, though strong, often acts timid and requests a safe cage.

2. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…” Why?
Belinda tickled Custard, the dragon, unmercifully because she, along with the other pets, made fun of his cowardly nature. Custard always asked for a safe cage, unlike the others who boasted of their bravery. This strange behavior made everyone tease and laugh at him. Belinda too joined in this mockery, showing that Custard was never considered brave or strong until the real danger arrived in their lives.

3. What did the Custard do at last?
At last, when a pirate attacked their little house with pistols in his hands, everyone became frightened and ran away. It was only Custard, the so-called cowardly dragon, who showed true courage. He sprang forward bravely, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed the pirate completely. Thus, Custard proved that he was actually the bravest of them all, though he had always been teased before.