Chapters

Solutions

The Tale of Custard the Dragon 7th

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

Answer: The characters in the poem are Belinda, the girl, her little kitten Ink, her mouse Blink, her yellow dog Mustard and her coward dragon Custard

Question 2.
Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called "cowardly dragon" ?

Answer: Custard, the dragon, was in fact very brave. But he was humble to the core. He cried for a nice safe cage. While all other pets boasted of their pretended courage, Custard never objected

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

Answer: Belinda and her pets except Custard were creatures of words, not of deeds. As Custard cried for a safe cage, they teased him as a coward. They laughed at him. They made fun of him. Belinda tickled him unmerciful

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: The poem employs many poetic devices apart from similes. Some of them are rhyme, alliteration, repetition, imagery, metaphors etc

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

Answer: The dragons appearance is rather frightening. He has big, sharp teeth. His body is covered with spikes on the upper side and scales underneath. His mouth is like a fireplace. His nose is the chimney. His toes are daggers

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

Answer: Yes, the poem follows the same rhyme scheme all through its 15 stanzas (except 13 stanza). It is aabb scheme. The thirteenth stanza has six lines and the scheme is aa bb cc

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: Yes, the poem is rich with images. Examples are barrel full of bears; leg was wood; lions down the stairs

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 light-hearted poem. It is full of fun. First the names Ink, Blink, Mustard and Custard amuse us. Then the way they boast of themselves ( except Custard) evokes laughter in us. And many more are such instances

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: Yes, I have come across quite many ballads in both English and Telugu. The one that I can never forget is Puttadi Bomma Poornamma, composed so brilliantly by Gurajada Appa Rao. It is so touching that tears overflow nonstop as one goes through it. It exposes the cruellest of all social evils Bride Price. Young, innocent girls were offered to very old rich men at a price. And the girls life became a hell. And the old man died soon leaving the girl a widow

Writing :
Question1.
Have fun writing your ballad. Gather information (choose/decide an idea/theme), organise your materials under characters and story and then write. Revise and edit your ballad to make it entertaining. Use the following guidelines to write your ballad?
  1. Purpose of writing the ballad: to entertain and interest
  2. To whom I am writing: decide for whom you are writing
  3. How should I structure features
  4. Tell a simple narrative
  5. A few major characters
  6. A strong rhythm and rhyme
  7. May have a refrain (single or two line(s) repeated often)
  8. Divide into verses

Answer: Classroom turns into a playground Not just now and then but year round Provided think you out of the box The whole class, in laughter, rocks ! Learning indeed is real fun Better than this one finds none! Needs one to have resources ample Add interest with anecdotes a couple! Cannot as God be in each home Made He mothers to in houses roam! Like it is pronouns replacing nouns Gods are nouns, pronouns, mothers you pronounce !

God is nowhere reads a line God is now here and it is fine! Write to make a word letters five One letter trick it does, not so hard you strive ! (Queue - five letters - Q - One letter) Homonyms the topic for discussion now Do any of you about homonyms know? Rose a girl to answer it quickly Homonyms is todays topic said she promptly! Which hour in a day love you most ? The last hour, chorused all as a host ! What in it so much you all pleases ? For the day from this prison us it releases !

Additional Questions : I. Read the following lines

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. 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

Question 1.
What colour was Belindas house ?
  1. Yellow
  2. White
  3. Red

Answer: White

Question 2.
What was the name of Belindas little yellow dog?
  1. Mustard
  2. Custard
  3. Ink

Answer: Mustard

Question 3.
Which animal was described as a coward?
  1. The little black kitten
  2. The little yellow dog
  3. The little pet dragon

Answer: The little pet dragon

II. Read the following lines

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. 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

Question 1.
What did Custard the dragon have on his toes ?
  1. Daggers
  2. Spikes
  3. Scales

Answer: Daggers

Question 2.
Who was described as brave as a barrel full of bears ?
  1. Belinda
  2. Ink
  3. Blink

Answer: Belinda

Question 3.
Who cried for a nice safe cage?
  1. Ink
  2. Custard
  3. Mustard

Answer: Custard

III. Read the following lines

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 realio, trulio, cowardly dragon. 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

Question 1.
What did Belinda and her companions call the dragon?
  1. Percival
  2. Custard
  3. Mustard

Answer: Percival

Question 2.
What did Blink do that was described as "giggling for a mouse" ?
  1. Wink
  2. Squeak
  3. Weeck

Answer: Weeck

Question 3.
Who rudely asked the dragons age ?
  1. Ink
  2. Mustard
  3. Blink

Answer: Mustard

IV. Read the following lines

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. 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

Question 1.
What sound did they suddenly hear?
  1. Meowch
  2. Ooh
  3. Pirate

Answer: Pirate

Question 2.
What did the pirate hold in his teeth ?
  1. Pistol
  2. Cutlass
  3. Beard

Answer: Cutlass

Question 3.
What was clear about the pirate?
  1. He was friendly
  2. He meant no good
  3. He was a friend of Belinda

Answer: He meant no good V. Read the following lines

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. 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

Question 1.
What did Mustard do when Belinda cried for help?
  1. Fled
  2. Attacked the pirate
  3. Hid with Belinda

Answer: Fled

Question 2.
Where did little mouse Blink strategically go ?
  1. Under the bed
  2. To the kitchen
  3. Mousehole

Answer: Mousehole

Question 3.
How did Custard react when the pirate appeared?
  1. He snorted like an engine
  2. He laughed
  3. He cried

Answer: He snorted like an engine

VI. Read the following lines

The pirate gaped at Belindas dragon, And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon, He fired two bullets, but they didnt hit, And Custard gobbled him, every bit. 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

Question 1.
What did Custard do to the pirate ?
  1. Hugged him
  2. Ate him
  3. Fought with him

Answer: Ate him

Question 2.
How did Belinda and Mustard react to Custards actions ?
  1. They mourned
  2. They embraced him
  3. They scolded him

Answer: They embraced him

Question 3.
What did Ink and Blink do around the dragon?
  1. Sleep
  2. Cry
  3. Gyrate

Answer: Gyrate

VII. Read the following lines

But presently up spoke little dog Mustard, Id have been twice as brave if I hadnt been flustered. And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink, Wed have been three times as brave, we think, And Custard said, I quite agree That everybody is braver than me

Question 1.
How did Mustard feel about his bravery?
  1. Proud
  2. Flustered
  3. Indifferent

Answer: Flustered

Question 2.
What did Ink and Blink say about their bravery?
  1. They were the bravest
  2. They were scared
  3. They were proud

Answer: They were the bravest

Question 3.
How did Custard feel about everyones bravery?
  1. Proud
  2. Agreeable
  3. Angry

Answer: Agreeable

VIII. Read the following lines

Belinda still lives in her little white house, With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse, And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon, And her realio, trulio little pet dragon. Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears, And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs, Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage, But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage

Question 1.
What colour is Belindas little wagon?
  1. Yellow
  2. Red
  3. White

Answer: Red

Question 2.
Who among Belindas companions chases lions down the stairs?
  1. Ink and Blink
  2. Mustard
  3. Custard

Answer: Ink and Blink

Question 3.
Which character keeps crying for a nice safe cage ?
  1. Belinda
  2. Mustard
  3. Custard

Answer: Custard

The Tale of Custard the Dragon Poem Summary in English

"The Tale of Custard, The Dragon" is a ballad. It narrates an interesting anecdote. It is full of fun, humour and adventure. It employs many poetic devices enhancing its artistic excellence. It also analyses many follies we normally find in humans. Belinda is a little girl. She lives in a little white house. She has as her pets a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog, and a little dragon. Their names are Ink, Blink, Mustard and Custard. They all call Custard a coward as he often cries for a nice safe cage. All others make fun of Custard for his timidity. They all claim that they are brave enough to drive away lions and tigers. As they once are all laughing at Custard, they hear a pirate climbing in the window

Belinda and all other pets run to their safety. But Custard boldly attacks the pirate and gobbles him. Belinda appreciates Custard. All other pets find and cite false excuses for their running away. And they repeat their boasting of they being brave. But, Custard, the real hero, humbly proclaims that they all are braver than him. And he still cries for a nice safe cage. We are all reminded of the great saying that victory has many fathers and defeat is an orphan

Glossary :

wagon (n) : a four-wheeled cart;

realio (adv) : really;

trulio (adv) : truly;

dragon (n) : an imaginary creature with frightening features;

coward (n) : a timid creature;

spikes (n-pl) : nail-like structures;

daggers (n-pl) : double-edged short swords;

barrel (n) : a drum, a round vessel;

chased (v-pt) : hunted;

rage (n) ; : violent, uncontrolled anger;

tickled (v-pt) : touched in a way to cause displeasure;

rudely (adv) : in a bad-mannered way;

Percival (proper noun) : a male name in French, symbol of courage;

giggled (v-pt) : laughed in an affected way;

nasty (adj) : unpleasant, offensive;

pirate (n) : (here) a thief with arms;

winda (n) : (other spelling of window) window;

cutlass (n) : a short sword with a curved blade;

paled (v-pt) : turned white with fear;

fled (v-pt of flee) : ran away to escape;

yelp (n) : a loud cry;

strategically (adv) : in a planned way;

mouseholed (v-pt) : ran into its narrow hole;

snorting (v+ing) : breathing fast;

dungeon (n) : a dark warehouse or prison;

clatter, clank (n) : loud sounds;

jangling (v+ing) : making a noise; squirm (n) : a twist or bend like a snake makes;

robin (n) : a kind of bird;

gulped (v-pt) : swallowed quickly;

grog (n) : alcohol;

flagon (n) : a bottle;

gobled (v-pt) : ate quickly;

embraced (v-pt) : hugged as a token of appreciation;

licked (v-pt) : touched or rubbed with the tongue expressing affection;

mourned (v-pt) : expressed sorrow over the death;

gyrate (v) : move around in circles;

flustered (v-pp) : confused, panicked;

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