Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Thinking about the poem

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

Answer:
The characters in this poem are Belinda, a little girl, and her pets: a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog, a little pet dragon and a pirate

Characters Pet name
Kitten Ink
Mouse Blink
Dog Mustard
Dragon Custard
Question 2.
Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called "cowardly dragon"?

Answer:
Custard cried for a nice safe cage because it was a coward and was scared very easily. It is called "cowardly dragon" because everyone else in the house is very brave while the dragon is the only one, who fears a lot and looks for a nice safe cage for himself. Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears, Ink and Blink can chase lions and Mustard is as brave as an angry tiger

Question 3.
"Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful." Why?

Answer:
Tickling always works on people, who are a little softer. So, Belinda tickled the dragon unmerciful as it worked a lot on him. Despite being a dragon, a tickling could disturb him and this showed his cowardice on which everyone laughed

Question 4.
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?

Answer:
In the poem, The tale of Custard, the Dragon, the poet has used a lot of poetic devices. Following are the devices used

  • Simile: mouth like a fireplace
  • Repetition: the repetitive use of the word little in stanza 1
Question 5.
Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon?

Answer:
Do it yourself

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

Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the poem is aabb

Question 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:
Writers always use such phrases and words that do not tell us directly about what they mean but always gives us an indication of the meaning. Such words or phrases are used to trigger our own imagination in painting the picture that they mean. Use of such images in the poem is the following: mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose, brave as a barrel full of bears, brave as a tiger in a rage, went at the pirate like a robin at a worm, etc

Question 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 very light and funny poem meant to be enjoyed by everyone. The way the poem has been written with a fix rhyme scheme, makes it very easy and enjoyable to read. The poet has even used wrong spelling to maintain the rhyme scheme. The features of Belinda and her pets described in the poem make it quite funny. Belinda bravery has been compared to a barrel full of bears, a liquid substance. All the tiny creatures such as the kitten and the mouse have been shown so brave that they can scare a lion and the dog bravery is like a tiger rage. The biggest of them all, the dragon is the only one, who has been shown as a coward and soft being, who looks for a cage for himself, which is very ironic, hence making the poem funny

Question 9.
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:
Do it yourself

Important Question

NCERT CBSE for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
‘Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears’. Identify two poetic devices used in the above line.
Year of Question:(2001)

Answer:
(i) As brave as a barrel - Simile
(ii) Brave as a barrel full of bears - Alliteration

Question 2:
Why did Belinda cry for help? Who came to her help?
Year of Question:(2003)

Answer:
Belinda cried for help because she was afraid of the pirate. The custard came to her help.

Question 3:
How did Belinda’s pets, other than Custard, face the pirate?
Year of Question:(2005)

Answer:
All the animals other than the dragon used to boast about their bravery and made the fun of the dragon. But when the pirate entered the house, all got scared and ran away and disappeared except Custard, the dragon.

Question 4:
How did each of Belinda’s pets react at the sight of the pirate?
Year of Question:(2007)

Answer:
Each of Belinda’s pets ran away and hid. They were scared at the sight of the pirate.

Question 5:
Give a brief description of the pirate in the poem, ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’.
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
The pirate entered from the window. He had pistols in his left and right hand. He held a bright cutlass in his teeth. His beard was black and one leg was wood.

Question 6:
Who all lived in a white house with Belinda?
Year of Question:(2011)

Answer:
Belinda lived in a white house with Ink - a black kitten, Blink - a grey mouse, Mustard - a yellow dog, Custard - a dragon and a red wagon.

Question 7:
Why did everyone make fun of the dragon?
Year of Question:(2013)

Answer:
Everyone in the house used to laugh at the dragon because he always cried for a safe cage, whereas others used to boast about their bravery.

Question 8:
How did they say their admiration for the dragon after the death of the pirate?
Year of Question:(2002)

Answer:
They became very happy. Belinda embraced him. Mustard licked him. Ink and
Blink jumped round surrounding him. They expressed their joy in this way. No one
mourned for the pirate.

Question 9:
What did they say about their bravery after the pirate’s death?
Year of Question:(2004)

Answer:
Mustard said that he would have been twice as brave if he had not got nervous. Ink and Blink said that they had been three times as brave as he. But Custard said that he agreed with them. He said that they were braver than him.

Question 10:
Who among them was actually brave? How did he show his bravery?
Year of Question:(2006)

Answer:
Custard, the dragon, was the only one who was actually brave. The others were all cowards. They disappeared when they saw the pirate. But the dragon-faced him bravely and swallowed him up.

Question 11:
How is ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ a ballad?
Year of Question:(2008)

Answer:
A ballad is a poem that tells a story. The theme of a ballad is an adventure, bravery, romance, etc. Then it is highly musical due to its rhyme scheme. This poem has these qualities. But it is a parody of a ballad. The poet shows these qualities in a humorous way.

Question 12:
What were the pet names of Belinda’s animals?
Year of Question:(2010)

Answer:
The little black kitten was called Ink. She gave the name Blink to the little grey mouse. The little yellow dog’s pet name was Mustard. The dragon was given the pet name Custard.

Question 13:
How does the poet describe Belinda and her animals’ bravery? How was Custard different from them?
Year of Question:(2012)

Answer:
The poet says that Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears. Ink and Blink followed lions down the stairs. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage. But Custard was a coward. He kept crying for a nice safe cage.

Question 14:
How did the animals make fun of the dragon?
Year of Question:(2014)

Answer:
They laughed at the dragon. Belinda teased the dragon. She tickled him very hard. Ink, Blink and Mustard called him Percival. They sat in the red wagon and laughed at the cowardly dragon.

Question 15:
Belinda and the other animals have been described as brave. But on seeing the pirate, they behaved in a cowardly way. How did they react?

Answer:
Belinda turned pale with fear. She cried for help. Mustard ran barking fearfully. Ink went to the bottom of the house. The little mouse ran into his hole in no time.

Question 16:
How did Custard prove to be brave when the pirate came?
Year of Question:(2016)

Answer: Custard, the dragon, jumped and snorted like an engine. He struck the pirate with his tail like iron. There were different sounds of clatter, clank and jangle. He attacked the pirate as a robin attacks a worm.

Question 17:
How did the pirate react when the dragon attacked him?
Year of Question:(2018)

Answer: The pirate looked at the dragon with an open-mouth. He swallowed some liquor from his pocket flagon. He fired two bullets. But they did not hit the dragon. The dragon attacked him and swallowed him.

Question 18:
Where did Belinda live? Which animals lived with her?
Year of Question:(2011)

Answer:
Belinda lived in a little white house. Some animals also lived with her. They were: a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog and little pet dragon.

Long Questions and Answers

Question 1:
Why do you think Custard, the dragon was called a coward? How was Custard able to save all his housemates from the pirate? What values should Belinda have possessed, so that Custard too could have been among her favourites?
Year of Question:(2019)

Answer:
The dragon appeared to be a coward as he always cried for a safe cage, so he was called a cowardly dragon. Later, when the pirate entered the house with pistols in his left and right hand, everyone was scared and ran away and disappeared, except Custard who faced him boldly and attacked him, hit him hard with his forceful tail and gobbled every bit of him. Belinda should have been nice to him. She should have made him feel comfortable and safe in the house, instead of laughing and making fun of him with other pets. Belinda should have been protective towards him.

Question 2:
Describe the fight between the dragon and the pirate.
Year of Question:(2017)

Answer:
The dragon had big sharp teeth, and spikes on top of him and scales underneath, but everyone laughed at him as he always cried for a safe cage, whereas everyone boasted about their bravery. But when the pirate entered, all were scared and ran away, except Custard who faced him boldly, attacked him, hit him hard with his forceful tail and gobbled every bit of him. All of them later felt obliged to Custard for saving their lives.

Extract Based Questions

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1:
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.
Year of Question:(2000)
a. Where did Belinda live?
b. What was the colour of the kitten?
c. Apart from the kitten, which other animals were living with her?
d. What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza?

Answer:
a. Belinda lived in a little white house.
b. The kitten was of black colour.
c. The other animals were: a mouse, a dog and a dragon.
d. The rhyme scheme of this stanza is ‘aabb‘.

Question 2:
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Year of Question:(2013)
a. What was the name of the kitten?
b. What name did she give to the mouse?
c. Why was the dragon named as ‘Custard’?
d. What was the name of the dog?

Answer:
a. The name of the kitten was Ink.
b. She gave the name Blink to the mouse.
c. The dragon was named as ‘Custard’ because he was a coward.
d. The name of the dog was Mustard.

Question 3:
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.
Year of Question:(2016)
a. What was on top of the dragon’s body?
b. How does the poet describe the dragon’s mouth and nose?
c. What did the dragon have on his toes?
d. What sort of teeth did he have?

Answer:
a. The dragon had spikes on top of his body.
b. The poet describes his mouth like a fireplace and nose like a chimney.
c. The dragon had daggers on his toes.
d. He had big sharp teeth.

Question 4:
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Year of Question:(2019)
a. How is Belinda described in the stanza?
b. How did Ink and Blink show their strength?
c. How did Mustard show his bravery?
d. What did Custard cry for?

Answer:
a. Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears.
b. Ink and Blink showed their strength by chasing lions down the stairs.
c. Mustard showed his bravery in anger.
d. Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

Question 5:
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the radio, truly, cowardly dragon.
Year of Question:(2013)
a. Whom did Belinda tickle?
b. Who was called Percival by Ink, Blink and Mustard?
c. How did the animals make fun of the dragon?
d. What was the colour of the wagon?

Answer:
a. Belinda tickled the dragon.
b. The dragon was called Percival by Ink, Blink and Mustard.
c. All the animals laughed at him sitting in a little red wagon.
d. The wagon was of red in colour.

Question 6:
Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Year of Question:(2010)
a. How long did Belinda laugh?
b. Which kind of giggling sound does a mouse produce?
c. How did Ink and Mustard ask the mouse his age?
d. What did Custard cry for?

Answer:
a. Belinda laughed till she shook the house.
b. The giggling sound that the mouse produces is ‘weeck’.
c. They asked his age rudely.
d. Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

Question 7:
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.
Year of Question:(2016)
a. What did they suddenly hear?
b. What did Mustard do?
c. What did they see in the window?
d. Whose nasty sound was it?

Answer:
a. They suddenly heard a nasty sound.
b. Mustard growled.
c. They saw a pirate in the window.
d. It was the pirate’s nasty sound.

Question 8:
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.
Year of Question:(2015)
a. What did the pirate have in his hands?
b. What was in his teeth?
c. How does the poet describe his beard and leg?
d. Did the pirate come for something good?

Answer:
a. He had pistols in his hands.
b. He had a sword in his teeth.
c. His beard was black and his leg was of wooden.
d. No, he did not come for something good.

Question 9:
Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
Year of Question:(2012)
a. Why did Belinda get pale?
b. What did Belinda cry for?
c. What did Mustard do?
d. What did Blink do on seeing the pirate?

Answer:
a. Belinda got paled to see the pirate.
b. Belinda cried for help.
c. Mustard ran with a fearful bark.
d. Blink ran into his mouse-hole.

Question 10:
But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
Year of Question:(2014)
a. Upon whom did Custard jump?
b. How did he clash his tail?
c. What did he look like when he clashed with the pirate?
d. How did custard snort?

Answer:
a. Custard jumped upon pirate.
b. He clashed his tail with clattering, clanking and jangling sounds.
c. He looked like a robin falling on a worm.
d. He snorted like an engine.

Question 11:
The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.
Year of Question:(2010)
a. What did the pirate gulp?
b. How did the pirate attack Custard?
c. What did the dragon do to the pirate?
d. Whose dragon was it?

Answer:
a. The pirate gulped grog from his flagon.
b. He fired two bullets but they did not hit.
c. Custard, the dragon, swallowed the pirate fully.
d. It was Belinda’s dragon.

Question 12:
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.
Year of Question:(2011)
a. Whom did Belinda embrace?
b. What did Mustard do?
c. Who gyrated round Custard?
d. What did no one mourn for?

Answer:
a. Belinda embraced Custard.
b. Mustard licked Custard.
c. Ink and Blink gyrated round Custard.
d. No one mourned for the death of the pirate.

Question 13:
But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,
I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered.
And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,
We’d have been three times as brave, we think,
And Custard said, I quite agree.
That everyone is braver than me.
Year of Question:(2019)
a. What did Mustard say after the event?
b. What did Ink and Blink speak about the situation?
c. What was Custard’s reaction?
d. Was Custard brave?

Answer:
a. Mustard said that he would have been twice brave if he had not become nervous.
b. They said that they had been three times as brave.
c. Custard agreed that everyone was braver than him.
d. No, Custard was not brave.

Important Questions and Answers from The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Question1.
Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names?

Answer:

  • Main Characters:
  • Belinda: The girl who owns the pets
  • Ink: The little black kitten
  • Blink: The little grey mouse
  • Mustard: The little yellow dog
  • Custard: The cowardly dragon, Belindas pet
Question2.
Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called cowardly dragon?

Answer:

  • Custards Fear:
  • Custard always cried for a nice safe cage because he was afraid and wanted protection
  • Reason for the Title:
  • He is called a cowardly dragon because, despite being big and strong, he was scared of everything and wanted safety, unlike the brave Belinda and her other pets
Question3.
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful... Why?

Answer:

  • Reason for Tickling:
  • Belinda and her pets teased and tickled Custard because he was scared and cried for a safe cage, which they found amusing and cowardly
Question4.
What poetic devices are used in the poem?

Answer:

  • Simile:
  • Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon - Comparing the sound of Custards tail to iron clashing
  • Repetition:
  • Realio, trulio - Repetition is used for emphasis on the truthfulness of Custard being a dragon
  • Alliteration:
  • Mustard fled with a terrified yelp - Repetition of the f sound for effect
Question5.
How does the poet describe the appearance of Custard the Dragon?

Answer:

  • Custards Features:
  • Big sharp teeth
  • Spikes on his back
  • Scales underneath his body
  • A mouth like a fireplace
  • A nose like a chimney
  • Daggers on his toes
Question6.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Answer:

  • Rhyme Scheme 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).
  • The rhyme scheme follows an AABB pattern in most stanzas
Question7.
What images are used in the poem?

Answer:

  • Images from the Poem:
  • Custards mouth like a fireplace - Creates a picture of a big, warm mouth
  • Custards tail clashing like iron in a dungeon - Gives an image of something heavy and loud
  • Pirate with pistols and a bright cutlass - Creates an image of a dangerous and armed pirate
Question8.
Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or light-hearted poem? Why?

Answer:

  • It is a light-hearted poem because:
  • It uses humorous language, such as realio, trulio.
  • The dragon, despite being cowardly, becomes the hero, which adds to the fun
  • The pets actions, such as running away and then bragging, make it more humorous than serious
Question9.
How does Custard save the day, and what is the reaction of the other pets?

Answer:

  • Custards Bravery:
  • When a pirate enters the house, Custard jumps up, fights, and gobbles the pirate, saving everyone
  • Other PetsReactions:
  • After Custards victory, Belinda hugs him, Mustard licks him, and Ink and Blink dance around him, though they later claim they could have been braver than Custard
Question10.
What message or lesson can be learned from the poem?

Answer:

  • Lesson from the Poem:
  • Courage can come from unexpected places: Custard, the dragon who was mocked for being cowardly, turns out to be the bravest when it truly matters
  • Appearances can be deceiving: The dragon looked fierce but was considered a coward until the pirate attack proved otherwise

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