‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ Poem Question and Answers given here include solutions to NCERT textbook exercises. NCERT solutions are given in easy language to help students.
Also See …
- The Tale of Custard the Dragon-Explanation
- The Tale of Custard the Dragon-Poetic Devices
- The Tale of Custard the Dragon-Notes & Summary
- The Tale of Custard the Dragon-PYQs
Thinking about the Poem
1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
Ans. The characters are listed below:
- Belinda – The little girl who owns the pets.
- Ink – The little black kitten.
- Blink – The little grey mouse.
- Mustard – The little yellow dog.
- Custard – The cowardly pet dragon.
2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
Ans. Custard cried for a nice safe cage because he was timid and afraid of danger. The other pets mocked him for being a coward since he never boasted about bravery like them. However, in reality, Custard was the only one who fought bravely when danger arrived.
3. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…” Why?
Ans. Belinda and her pets mocked Custard for being cowardly. They laughed at him and tickled him unmercifully to tease and make fun of his fear, showing that they considered themselves braver than him.
4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices used in the poem?
Ans. Some more poetic devices are listed below:
- Simile – “Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” (Custard’s attack compared to the sound of metal).
- Imagery – “Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose” (gives a vivid picture of Custard’s appearance).
- Personification – “Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs” (kittens and mice cannot chase lions, but the poet gives them human-like bravery).
- Repetition – “Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound” (repetition of “suddenly” creates suspense).
- Irony – The so-called coward (Custard) turns out to be the bravest, while others run away.
5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.
Ans. The poet describes Custard as a fearsome-looking dragon:
- Big sharp teeth
- Spikes on his back
- Scales underneath
- Mouth like a fireplace
- Chimney-like nose
- Dagger-like toes
Despite this frightening appearance, Custard behaves cowardly, which adds to the poem’s humour.
6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
Ans. The poem follows a consistent AABB rhyme scheme throughout.
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)
- And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon. (B)
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?
- “Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose” → Creates a fiery image of Custard breathing fire.
- “Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” → Makes us imagine loud, metallic sounds.
- “Robin at a worm” → Shows how quickly Custard attacked the pirate.
- “Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right” → Clearly describes the pirate’s dangerous appearance.
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.
Ans. The poem is light-hearted and humorous, though it carries a meaningful lesson. The use of playful words (“realio, trulio”), exaggeration, and irony make it funny. However, the underlying message about true bravery vs. false bravado gives it depth.
9. This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any such modern song or lyric that tells a story?
Ans. Yes, many songs narrate a story just like this ballad. Some examples include:
- “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” – Marianne Faithfull
- “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” – Vicki Lawrence
- “Hotel California” – Eagles (tells a mysterious story).
As a project, students can collect and present modern ballads that tell engaging stories.
