CBSE Class 10 English Poem 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon Question Answers (Important) from First Flight Book
Class 10 English The Tale of Custard the Dragon Question Answers – Looking for The Tale of Custard the Dragon question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Book Poem 9? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 10 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the board exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Poem 9: The Tale of Custard the Dragon question answers now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
Related:
- Class 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon Class 10 Summary, Explanation
- The Tale of Custard the Dragon Character Sketches
- The Tale of Custard the dragon MCQs
The Tale of Custard the Dragon NCERT Solutions
Q1- Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
A1 Following are the characters of the poem:
- A little girl named Belinda.
- A little black kitten whose name is ink.
- A little gray mouse named blink.
- A dog named mustard because he is yellow in colour.
- A coward dragon whose name is Custard.
Q2- Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
A2- Custard cries for a safe cage because he is A coward. He is called cowardly dragon because other characters are defined to be very brave in the following manner:
- Belinda is described to be as brave as a barrel full of bears
- Ink and blink can chase lions down the stairs
- Mustard was as brave as a tiger in rage.
Q3- “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…” Why?
A3- Belinda tickled him unmerciful because custard the dragon was a coward. He always demanded a safe cage. That is why all of them made fun of him.
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?
A4- The poet has used many poetic devices to enhance the beauty of the poem. Like, to create rhyme with ‘Belinda’, he used the word ‘winda’ instead of ‘window’. Other such rhyming words are ‘household’ used with ‘mouseholed’ and ‘wagon’ with ‘dragon’. Not only this, he also uses poetic device of repetition for example the word ‘little’ is used many times to describe her house and her pets. There is also the use of poetic device of refrain because we can see the repetition of line “And her realio, trulio little pet dragon” in many stanzas.
Q5- Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon?
A5- The looks of the dragon are explained in a way that it has big sharp teeth and spikes on top. This means its skin is pointed on the top. On the lower part it has scales which are bony plates meant to protect the skin. His mouth has been compared to a fireplace because it is assumed that the dragons can release fire from the mouth. Even his nose is compared to a chimney which is used to pass out the smoke. His feet are like a sharp knife i.e. a dagger.
Q6- Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
A6- Rhyme scheme of the second and third stanza is aabb.
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?
A7- Following are the words used to give us picture or image:
- Mouth like a fireplace
- Chimney for nose
- Barrel full of bears
- Brave as a tiger in the rage
- He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm
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.
A8- The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light hearted poem. All the characters have names which are rhyming with each other. They all are defined to be very brave except the dragon. But in reality the dragon proves to be the real hero. When they are attacked by the pirate, the dragon gulps him. Though all the other characters were not brave enough to handle the pirate but still they define themselves as more powerful than the dragon after the incident is handled by the dragon alone. Though, the dragon was defined as a coward by the poet right from the beginning of the poem.
Class 10 English The Tale of Custard the Dragon Question Answers Poem 9 – Extract-Based Questions
Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.
A. Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray 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.
1. Here ‘she’ refers to ………..
Ans. Belinda.
2. Belinda did not live with the ………….
A. Gray Mouse
B. Yellow dog
C. Green parrot
D. Black kitten
Ans. C green parrot.
3. Actually the dragon was not ……..
Ans. coward.
4. The yellow dog was …………..
Ans. sharp as Mustard.
B. 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.
1. Who was Custard?
Ans. Custard was a dragon.
2. What was beneath his body?
Ans. There were scales beneath his body.
3. How does his nose look?
Ans. His nose looked like a chimney.
4. Which poetic device is used in the above lines?
Ans. Simile
C. 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.
1. Why did the other animals call Custard ‘Percival’?
Ans. The other animals called Custard ‘Percival’ to mock him.
2. How did Belinda and the other pets laugh at the dragon?
Ans. Belinda was a brave girl and so were her pets-Ink, the kitten, Blink, the mouse and mustard, her dog. But Custard, the dragon, though fierce looking, was extremely timid and cowardly and so the others ridiculed him and laughed at the dragon.
3. Which word in this extract means the same as ‘unkind’?
Ans. ‘Unmerciful’ means unkind.
4. Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The Poem ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is written ‘Ogden Nash’
D. 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.
1. Who held the pistol?
Ans. The pirate
2. What did the dragon do to him?
Ans. The dragon ate him.
3. What does the expression ‘the pirate meant no good’ convey?
Ans. That he was going to do some harm.
4. Which word means the same as ‘thief’?
Ans. Pirate.
E. Belinda paled, and she cried Help ! Help !
But Mustard fled with terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mousehold. (CBSE 2016)
1. Why did Belinda cry for help?
Ans. Belinda cried for help because a pirate had broken into her house.
2. What did Mustard, Ink and Blink do?
Ans. They all ran away in fear at the sight of the pirate.
3. Name the rhyme scheme of the stanza.
Ans. a a b b.
4. What does ‘mousehold’ mean?
Ans. The word ‘mousehold’ has been used by the poet to refer to the hole made by the mouse in which he disappeared upon the appearance of the pirate.
F. 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.
1. In glee did gyrate mean that ……………
Ans. They danced happily in a circular movement.
2. Everyone embraced Custard because ……………
Ans. he killed the pirate.
3. Name the bravest creature who saved everybody in Belinda’s house?
Ans. Custard the dragon
4. Which word means the same as ‘hug’?
Ans. Embraced
Class 10 English The Tale of Custard the Dragon Question Answers (including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)
In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from the poem The Tale of Custard the Dragon for CBSE Class 10 Boards in the coming session. These questions have been taken from previous years class 10 Board exams and the year is mentioned in the bracket along with the question.
Q1. Describe the appearance of the dragon. (CBSE 2016)
Answer: Custard, the dragon, possessed all of the characteristics of a dragon that could make him powerful, frightening, and brave. It had large, sharp teeth and spikes on its back that could easily frighten anyone. Custard could also spit fire, turning his mouth into a fireplace and his nose into a chimney. His toes were so sharp and pointed that they could cut through anything like a dagger.
Q2. 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 phrases and words that don’t directly tell us what they mean, but always hint at a meaning. Such words or phrases are used to trigger our own imaginations to paint a picture of what they mean. The use of such images in the poem is as follows: “mouth like a fireplace”, “chimney for a nose”, “brave as a barrel full of bears”, “brave as a furious tiger”, “went at the pirate”. “like Robin at a worm, etc.
Q3. Is there a hidden message that the poet is wishing to convey or do you think that entertainment is the sole purpose of writing this poem ?
Answer: The message in the poem may be interpreted differently by different readers. The story illustrates a fundamental truth: the true test of courage occurs during a crisis. The dragon’s strength was never displayed, but it was demonstrated in action when necessary.
Q4. What do you think changed the attitude of the other animals and that of Belinda towards the dragon ?
Answer: Custard, the dragon, initially commanded no respect from Belinda and the other pets due to its cowardice; however, when the house was attacked by an armed pirate and all others panicked and ran for shelter, the dragon savagely attacked and ate the pirate. As a result, the other animals recognised his value and began to genuinely respect him.
Q5. How does the poet describe Belinda and her animals’ bravery? How was Custard different from them?
Answer: According to the poet, Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears. Ink and Blink could chase lions down the stairs. Mustard was as fearless as a raging tiger. Custard, on the other hand, was a coward. He kept pleading for a nice secure cage.
Q6. How did the animals make fun of the dragon?
Answer: They laughed at the dragon. The dragon was tamed by Belinda. She gave him a strong tickle. He was referred to as Percival by Ink, Blink, and Mustard. They laughed at the timid dragon as they sat in the red wagon.
Q7. How did the pirate react when the dragon attacked him?
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.
Q8. Where did Belinda live? Which animals lived with her?
Answer: Belinda lived in a small white house. Some animals also lived with her. They were: a little black kitten, a little gray mouse, a little yellow dog, and a little pet dragon.
Q9. How did Custard prove to be brave when the pirate came?
Answer: Custard, the dragon, jumped and purred like an engine. He hit the pirate with his tail like iron rods. There was a variety of clatter, clank and jangle. He attacked the pirate like a Robin attacks worms.
Q10. Was everyone really as brave as they claimed?
Answer: Except for Custard, Belinda and her three pets were very proud of their bravery, but they were not truly brave. Custard was the only one who had the courage to confront the pirate, so he was the true hero.
Q11. What were the pet names of Belinda’s animals?
Answer: The little black kitten was called Ink. He named the little gray mouse Wink. The pet name of the little yellow dog was Mustard. The dragon was given the pet name Custard.
Q12. What did everyone do when the pirate came? OR
Describe how Custard’s reaction was different from that of others, on seeing the pirate? (CBSE Sample Paper 2020)
Answer: When the pirate arrived, Belinda cried out for help and turned pale with fear. Mustard fled with a terrified cry, Ink trickled to the basement, and Blink vanished in his mouse hole. Custard charged in front of the Pirate, ready to fight.
Q13. What did they say about their bravery after the pirate’s death?
Answer: Mustard said he would have been twice as brave if he hadn’t been nervous. Ink and Blink said they were three times braver than him. But Custard said that he agreed with them. He said that they were braver than him.
Q14. How did they express their admiration for the dragon after the death of the pirate?
Answer: They became very happy. Belinda hugged him. Mustard licked her. Ink and
Blink jumped around him. They expressed their joy in this way. No one mourns a pirate.
Q15. Why did Belinda tickle the dragon?(CBSE Sample Paper 2020)
Answer. Belinda mercilessly tickled Custard, the dragon, because it was always scared and cried for a nice safe cage. She rubbed her fingers together, creating a tingling sensation that would frighten the dragon and make everyone laugh at its cowardice.
Q16. A ballad includes the telling of a tale as well as a surprise ending. Using evidence from the poem, explain how these features are included in ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’. (CBSE Sample Paper 2021)
Answer. In structure and style, The Tale of Custard Dragon meets the requirements of a ballad. The rhyme scheme in this ballad is consistent. It tells the story of Custard the Dragon, a cowardly dragon. During a crisis, however, it is he who easily overcomes his fear and demonstrates his bravery. The story conveys the message that the brave are humble and rarely boast about their bravery.
Q17. Give one reason why ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is more a fable than a ballad.((CBSE Sample Paper 2022)
Answer.“The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a fable rather than a ballad because it contains a moral or character lesson. “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a classic example of a fable, which is a short story that teaches a lesson, often through the use of animal characters. Custard, a dragon in the story, learns a lesson about bravery and the consequences of his actions. The goal of the story is to teach a lesson or convey a moral message, which is a key feature of fables. Ballads have a repetitive structure, rhyme and metre, and are intended to be sung or recited.“The Tale of Custard the Dragon” does not have these characteristics, making it a fable rather than a ballad.
Class 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon Long Answer Questions Poem 9
Q1. Everyone believed that Custard was a coward; but when an opportunity came he showed exemplary courage. Based on your reading of the poem, write a paragraph on the topic: ‘Courage is of Mind, not of Muscle’.
Answer: Mark Twain once said that “Courage is the resistance to fear, the control of fear – not the absence of fear”. Courage is not just a display of strength, but the ability to overcome fear and not let it paralyze your mind. Most of us tend to generalize and label people who are afraid of physical strength as cowards.
But the truth is that those who allow physical aggression are the most insecure. David was hardly a quarter of Goliath, the giant. But David was able to kill him. He used his mind and excelled everywhere in the army. Therefore we must remember that courage is a matter of mind, not muscle.
Q2. When the pirate attacked Belinda, all of her brave friends—Ink, Blink and Mustard ran away. Only Custard fought with the enemy. Based on your reading of the poem, write a paragraph on the topic: ‘A friend in Need is a Friend Indeed’.
Answer: Man is a social animal and we have all survived through the process of socialization through civilization. The beginning of any friendship is when one tries to date the other. But not all socializing leads to friendship. Some people pass us by on life’s journey and some stay behind and watch us grow. Those who leave when the clouds part are the ones who are never left behind when we need them most. A true friend is one who is always with you no matter how good or bad the situation is. That is why it is rightly said that those who pass the test of friendship, that is, those who stand by us in our most difficult times, are true friends. After all, a friend in need is indeed a friend.
Q3. ‘Appearances are deceptive’ is an apt summation of the poem, ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon.’ Elucidate.
Answer: Although Belinda’s pet dragon looked fierce, she thought he was a coward at heart. In comparison, the other pets boasted of their bravery, chasing lions and howling tigers, while the dragon only whined about a safe cage to hide inside. The appearance of the pirate showed the true value of the dragon to other creatures. The dragon responded to the pirate’s threats by barking at him, snapping his steel tail, and finally devouring him. After the enemy was defeated, the animals appeared and made lame excuses for not being able to face the pirate. In true warrior spirit, the dragon grandly declared that he was truly a coward, exposing their weakness.
Q4. 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 fun poem for everyone to enjoy. The way the poem is written with a specific rhyme scheme makes it very easy and enjoyable to read. The poet even uses spelling mistakes to maintain the rhyme scheme. The characteristics of Belinda and her pets described in the poem make it quite funny. Belinda’s courage was compared to a barrel full of bears. All small creatures, such as a kitten and a mouse, are so brave that they can frighten away a lion, and the courage of a dog is like the fury of a tiger. The biggest of them, the dragon, is the only one who is presented as a coward and a soft creature who is looking for a cage for himself, which is very ironic, so the poem becomes funny.
Q5. The dragon, Custard, was considered a coward. The humble dragon proved his bravery in adversity. Analyze that certain qualities like bravery and courage are situational and spontaneous. Express your views concerning the poem.
Answer. Custard’s humility won the heart of the reader because he showed true courage and did not show off like Belinda and her other pets. Everyone boasted of their bravery, but when they faced real danger, only Custard dared to face it. And he showed his bravery by running against the pirate and not killing him. Qualities such as courage and bravery can only be tested when one finds oneself in a dangerous situation. Therefore these characteristics are situational, as the example of Custard shows. Custard was always looking for comfort, but that didn’t mean he was a coward.
Q6. Do you think that one should be made fun of because of their preferences and choices in life? Explain in the context of Custard, the dragon.
Answer: It’s not right to make fun of someone based on their lifestyle and choices. Custard, the dragon, always wanted comfort and safety for himself, and therefore always looked for a nice safe cage for himself. Belinda and the other pets made fun of him because they thought he was a coward. Custard proved that just because he likes comfort doesn’t mean he’s a coward. He was the only one who dared to face the pirate and kill him. He was down to earth and did not boast of himself. He wanted to keep his friends so he did not show them down.
Q7. ‘Bravery is spontaneous’. Explain with reference to the poem.
Answer: Custard was really brave and not boastful like Belinda and her other pets. Custard had the courage to face real danger while everyone else was just bragging about their bravery. Custard confronted and killed the pirate, and he proved his bravery by not running away. Courage and bravery are qualities that emerge when a person faces a dangerous situation. These properties are therefore spontaneous, as seen in the example of Custard.
This can be proven through an incident that took place in the poem. When the pirate arrived, all of the pets went into hiding, it was the cowardly dragon, Custard, who came to their aid. In rage, he leapt in front of the pirate, making huge engine-like noises. He moved and made clattering sounds like an iron rod hitting the walls of a dungeon prison. He followed the pirate, making dangerous noises, like a robin following a worm to eat it, thus proving his bravery.
Q8. Custard was discriminated against, bullied and made fun of. Such behavior often has a disastrous impact on the victims and etches a permanent scar on their minds. Write opinions of Wanda and Mandela on this issue.
Wanda: In my personal opinion,…………..(continue)
Nelson Mandela: I strongly believe that………..(continue) (CBSE QB, 2020)
Answer:
Wanda: In my personal opinion, bullying and teasing can leave a person depressed for life. Trust can never be regained, especially when it is traumatized. Teasing that seems funny to the perpetrator can destroy the victim’s positive mindset. The world is full of bad people. Moreover, when the bully succeeds, he becomes confident and continues to bully people. Such incidents should be reported immediately.
Nelson Mandela: I strongly believe that people who are victims of bullying can learn to deal with these situations themselves if they get the right help. Therefore, a person must be taught to take revenge on the bully. and at the same time they should be taught that the weaker should not be tempted to show them strength. The oppressor should not be oppressed and the victim should protest against it
Q9. Being impressed by Custard’s feat, the young seagull’s sister wrote a letter to Custard seeking advice on addressing the situation with her young brother. Write Custard’s response to this letter. Base the advice from his experiences. (CBSE QB,2020)
You may begin like this:
Dear Ms. Seagull
Thank you for seeking me out. I’m humbled. Based on my limited experiences, I feel………………..
Answer:
Dear Mrs. Ms. Seagull
Thank you for seeking me out. I’m humbled. Based on my limited experiences, I feel that what a person really has can only be proven in extremely difficult times. In my case, Belinda and the other pets didn’t think I was a coward, but I wasn’t aware of my own bravery either. I only saw Belinda cry out for help when she saw the pirate come in; I knew I had to do it at any cost. So, without thinking, I attacked the pirate with all my strength.
I also believe that if your younger brother finds himself in a situation where he has no choice but to fly, he would definitely step up. He didn’t know too much about the courage he had in him, nor did I. But soon he proved himself to everyone.
You need to wait for the day when your brother feels the need to be brave. That day, he will show to himself that he has the courage to face the challenge.
Yours Sincerely
Custard
Q10. Custard though mocked for his cowardice, displayed courage and was the one who saved the day in the end.
Pick a character from any of the units (lessons/poems) in First Flight, who displayed similar characteristics, like Custard and overcame a troubling issue?
What similarities and differences do you find between the character and Custard? (CBSE QB,2020)
Answer: Custard, the dragon is portrayed as a timid dragon. He is also a humble dragon, pure in character. He never boasted about his bravery. Courage can be measured at the time of a serious situation. And custard proved that he was the most courageous among all by not running away from danger.
According to me, the similar characteristics, like Custard, can be seen in Wanda Petronski from the chapter “The Hundred Dresses’ written by EL. Bsor Ester. Wanda was very shy and quiet. She did not talk to anyone and hardly spoke anything in class or laughed. She quietly sat in the last row of the class with naughty boys so that nobody noticed her. Everybody teased her in class for her dress and shoes every day. In anger, she claimed to have a hundred dresses and six pairs of shoes in her closet, however, she wore the same dress to school, everyday. She was very determined and humble. She showed her determination in drawing competitions by displaying a hundred sketches of dresses that she had previously claimed to own. She possessed a great capacity for forgiveness and extending friendship. She, too, overcame a troubling issue like Custard did, with humility.
Also See:
Class 10 English Syllabus
Character Sketches of Class 10 English
CBSE Class 10 English Lesson Explanation, Summary
CBSE Class 10 English Question Answers (Important)
CBSE Class 10 English MCQs
Class 10 English Complete Study Guide
Class 10 English First Flight book Prose word meanings
Class 10 English First Flight Poems word meaning
Class 10 English Footprints without Feet word meanings
List of Poetic Devices in Class 10 Poems (Poem-wise)
10 Important Poetic Devices for Class 10