NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight

The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Updated For 2024-2025
Exams

 

Thinking About the Poem

Q.1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with
their pet names.

Answer:
The characters in the poem and their pet names are:

• Belinda, the girl
• Ink, the little black kitten
• Blink, the little grey mouse
• Mustard, the little yellow dog
• Custard, the pet dragon

Q.2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the
dragon called “cowardly dragon”?

Answer:
Answer:
Custard cried for a nice safe cage because he was timid and afraid of danger,
unlike the other pets. He preferred safety over fighting or facing risks.
Custard is called the “cowardly dragon” because, despite being a dragon with
sharp teeth, spikes, and claws, he was scared and always wanted to be safe.

Q.3. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…”
Why?

Answer:
Answer:
Belinda and the other pets teased Custard for being cowardly. They found his
fear amusing because he was supposed to be a brave dragon. By tickling him
unmercifully, they were making fun of Custard’s timidity and treating him as a
joke.

Q.4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the
poem. For example: “Clashed his tail like irons 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?

Answer:
Answer:
Here are some examples of poetic devices used in the poem:

• Simile: “Mouth like a
  fireplace” (Custard’s mouth is compared to a fireplace).
• Repetition: The phrase “realio,
  trulio” is repeated for emphasis and to create a playful tone.
• Alliteration: “Belinda was as brave as a
  barrel full of bears” (the repeated ‘b’ sound).
• Onomatopoeia: “Clashed his tail”
  (the word ‘clashed’ imitates the sound of metal).

Q.5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet
describes the appearance of the dragon.

Answer:
Answer:
In stanza three, the poet describes Custard the dragon as having:

• Big, sharp teeth.
• Spikes on top of him and scales
  underneath.
• A mouth like a fireplace and a
  nose like a chimney.
• Real daggers on his toes, showing he
  had sharp claws.

Q.6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three
stanzas of the poem?

Answer:
Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB, which means that each stanza
consists of pairs of rhyming lines. For example:

• “Belinda lived in a little
  white house,
  With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse.”
  (‘house’ rhymes with ‘mouse’)
• “And a little yellow dog and
  a little red wagon,
  And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.”
  (‘wagon’ rhymes with ‘dragon’)

Q.7. 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?

Answer:
Here are some images used in the poem:

• “Mouth like a fireplace”: This gives an image of a
  dragon’s fiery breath.
• “Daggers on his toes”: This phrase creates the image of
  sharp, dangerous claws.
• “Snorting like an
  engine”: This
  compares Custard’s snorting to the loud noise of an engine, adding to his
  appearance of strength and power.

Q.8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to
be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer.

Answer:
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It has a playful
and humorous tone, as the poet describes a brave-looking but timid dragon who
is teased by his friends. The use of funny, nonsensical words like “realio,
trulio” and the exaggerated behavior of the characters add to the comic effect.
Even though Custard is called a coward, he proves his bravery in the end, which
makes the poem amusing rather than serious.

Writing

Q.1. 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.

Answer:
(Students should write about any modern song or lyric that tells a story. An
example might be: “The song ‘The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia’ by
Vicki Lawrence tells a story of crime, betrayal, and justice. It narrates how
the protagonist’s brother is falsely accused of murder, and the real culprit is
revealed at the end.”)