Table of Contents
Summary of the Poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a humorous ballad that tells
the story of Belinda and her brave pets. Belinda lives with a kitten named Ink,
a mouse named Blink, a dog named Mustard, and a dragon named Custard. Despite
Custard's frightening appearance, with sharp teeth and spikes, he is a coward
and often cries for a safe cage. One day, a pirate breaks into their home, and
while the other pets flee in fear, Custard bravely fights the pirate and saves
the day. Despite his heroism, Custard humbly continues to believe he is the most
cowardly among them.
Themes of the Poem
-
Courage and Cowardice: The poem contrasts the apparent
bravery of Belinda’s other pets with Custard’s perceived cowardice. However,
in a moment of crisis, it is Custard who shows true courage.
-
Appearances vs. Reality: The poem highlights how
appearances can be deceptive, as the seemingly brave characters run away
while the 'cowardly' dragon proves to be the real hero.
-
Humour and Irony: The poem uses humour and irony to convey its message,
with Custard’s actions contradicting his usual behaviour.
Literary Devices Used in the Poem
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Simile: "Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon" compares
the sound of Custard’s tail to clashing irons.
-
Repetition: The phrase "realio, trulio" is repeated to
emphasize the uniqueness of Custard.
-
Alliteration: "Belinda giggled till she shook the house"
uses the repetition of the 'g' sound for a rhythmic effect.
-
Imagery: Descriptions like "Mouth like a fireplace" create
vivid images in the reader’s mind.
Thinking About the Text
Q1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet
names.
A. The characters in the poem are Belinda and her four
pets: a kitten named Ink, a mouse named Blink, a dog named Mustard, and a
dragon named Custard.
Q2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called a
“cowardly dragon”?
A. Custard cried for a nice safe cage because he was
scared and wanted to feel protected. He is called a “cowardly dragon”
because, despite his fierce appearance, he was afraid and did not show
bravery like the other pets.
Q3. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful...” Why?
A. Belinda tickled Custard unmercifully because she,
along with the other pets, found it amusing to make fun of Custard’s timid
and cowardly nature.
Q4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example:
“Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” — the poetic device here is a
simile. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices
used in the poem?
A. The poem uses several poetic devices. For example,
“Mouth like a fireplace” is a simile comparing Custard’s mouth to a
fireplace. Alliteration is used in the phrase “Belinda giggled,” where the
'g' sound is repeated. The repetition of “realio, trulio” emphasizes the
uniqueness of Custard.
Q5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance
of the dragon.
A. In stanza three, the poet describes Custard as having
big sharp teeth, spikes on top of him, scales underneath, a mouth like a
fireplace, and daggers on his toes.
Q6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the
poem?
A. The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme. For example, in
the first stanza:
-
"Belinda lived in a little white house" (A)
-
"With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse" (A)
-
"And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon" (B)
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"And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon" (B)
Q7. Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually
saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?
A. The poem uses vivid images such as Custard’s fierce
appearance, the pirate’s entry with pistols, and the cowardly behavior of
the other pets when they face danger.
Q8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious
or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer.
A. The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a
light-hearted poem. Although it deals with themes of courage and
cowardice, the playful language, humorous situations, and ironic twist
make it entertaining and fun rather than serious.
Q9. This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any
such modern song or lyric that tells a story? If you know one, tell it to
the class. Collect such songs as a project.
A. Modern songs like "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by
Charlie Daniels or "Stan" by Eminem tell stories in a similar way to
ballads, where the lyrics narrate a sequence of events or a story.
Challenging MCQs to Test Comprehension of "The Tale of Custard the Dragon"
-
Which of the following is not a characteristic of Custard as
described in the poem?
a) Sharp teeth
b) Spikes on top
c) Scaly skin
d)
Fire-breathing
-
Why does the poet describe Custard's mouth as "like a
fireplace"?
a) To show that Custard breathes fire
b) To emphasize
Custard's warm and gentle nature
c) To highlight Custard's fierce
appearance
d) To indicate that Custard is always eating
-
What is the significance of the repetition of "realio, trulio" in the
poem?
a) It adds humor to the poem
b) It creates a serious tone
c)
It emphasizes Custard’s bravery
d) It makes the poem more rhythmic
-
How do Ink, Blink, and Mustard react when the pirate enters Belinda's
house?
a) They bravely confront the pirate
b) They hide in fear
c)
They run away
d) They try to protect Belinda
-
What does the pirate symbolize in the context of the poem?
a) A real danger that tests the bravery of the characters
b)
An imaginary threat created by Custard
c) The internal fears of the
pets
d) A symbol of Custard’s cowardice
-
Why does Custard, despite being a dragon, desire a safe cage?
a) He wants to protect himself from the other pets
b) He is
afraid of the outside world
c) He is inherently a coward
d) He
wants to sleep peacefully
-
What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza: "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"?
a) ABAB
b) AABB
c) ABBA
d) AAAB
-
How does the poet create irony in the poem?
a) By
making the bravest characters act cowardly
b) By giving Custard a
fierce appearance but a timid nature
c) By showing that Custard, the
supposed coward, is the real hero
d) All of the above
-
What message does the poem convey about appearances and
reality?
a) Appearances are always deceptive
b) Reality is often
different from how it appears
c) Brave appearances always reflect
inner strength
d) Outer beauty is more important than inner qualities
-
Which literary device is used in the line “Clashed his tail like irons
in a dungeon”?
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Alliteration
d)
Personification
-
Which word best describes the tone of the poem?
a)
Serious
b) Tragic
c) Humorous
d) Inspirational
-
What does Belinda’s treatment of Custard throughout the poem suggest
about her character?
a) She is caring and understanding
b) She is quick to judge
and dismissive
c) She is affectionate but mocking
d) She is
fearful and insecure
-
How does the poem challenge traditional notions of heroism?
a) By making the smallest characters the bravest
b) By
portraying a dragon as cowardly
c) By showing that true bravery is
revealed in moments of crisis
d) By glorifying cowardice as a virtue
-
What do the names of the pets (Ink, Blink, Mustard, Custard) suggest
about the poem’s tone?
a) The names add to the poem's light-hearted and whimsical tone
b)
The names create a serious and somber atmosphere
c) The names are
irrelevant to the tone
d) The names create tension and suspense
-
Which aspect of Custard’s character is highlighted when he fights the
pirate?
a) His cowardice
b) His hidden bravery
c) His
intelligence
d) His strength
-
Why does the poem end with Custard still being called a coward, even
after he defeated the pirate?
a) To show that the other characters did not change their
opinion
b) To emphasize Custard’s humility
c) To maintain the
humorous tone of the poem
d) All of the above
-
What literary device is used in the phrase “Mustard was as brave as a
tiger in a rage”?
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Hyperbole
d) Irony
-
In what way does the poem use exaggeration for comedic effect?
a) By describing Custard’s appearance in an overly dramatic way
b)
By making the other pets appear braver than they are
c) By showing
Custard as both a coward and a hero
d) All of the above
-
Which line from the poem best captures the theme of hidden
potential?
a) “Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth”
b) “He went at the
pirate like a robin at a worm”
c) “But Custard cried for a nice safe
cage”
d) “Belinda giggled till she shook the house”
-
What makes “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” a ballad?
a) It has a strong rhyme scheme and rhythm
b) It tells a
simple, narrative story with characters
c) It uses repetition and
humor
d) All of the above
Answer Key:
- d) Fire-breathing
- c) To highlight Custard's fierce appearance
- a) It adds humor to the poem
- c) They run away
- a) A real danger that tests the bravery of the characters
- b) He is afraid of the outside world
- b) AABB
- d) All of the above
- b) Reality is often different from how it appears
- b) Simile
- c) Humorous
- c) She is affectionate but mocking
- c) By showing that true bravery is revealed in moments of crisis
- a) The names add to the poem's light-hearted and whimsical tone
- b) His hidden bravery
- d) All of the above
- b) Simile
- d) All of the above
- b) “He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm”
- d) All of the above
