NCERT Solution of Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Summary for Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Glossary
grog: a drink typically drunk by sailors
gyrate: to move around in circles
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.
Character \(\quad\quad\quad\) Pet
Kitten \(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) Ink
Mouse \(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) Blink
Dog \(\quad\quad\quad\quad\) Mustard
Dragon \(\quad\quad\quad\) Custord
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Question 2:
Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
Answer
Custard wanted a safe cage because it was easily scared. It was called a “cowardly dragon” because everyone else in the house was brave. Belinda was brave like a barrel full of bears, Ink and Blink could chase lions, and Mustard was as brave as an angry tiger.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Question 3:
“Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…” Why?
Answer
Belinda tickled the dragon unmercifully because it was very scared and cried for a safe cage. They all laughed at it as it was a coward.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
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 uses a few special ways of writing:
Simile: The poet compares Custard’s mouth to a fireplace, describing its appearance or warmth.
Repetition: The word “little” is used many times in the first stanza, showing the small size or how cute the characters are.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Question 5:
Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.
Answer
Do it yourself.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
Question 6:
Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
Answer
The poem follows a rhyme pattern where every two lines rhyme together, forming a pattern of ‘AABB’.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
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
Some such images used in the poem are ‘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.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
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 poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a fun and funny story that everyone can enjoy. It uses a consistent rhyme pattern that makes it easy and pleasant to read, and sometimes even uses words spelt in a funny way to keep the rhyme. The characters, especially Belinda and her pets, add to the humour of the poem. Belinda is described as incredibly brave, like a whole barrel of bears. Her small pets, like the kitten and the mouse, are shown as brave enough to scare even a lion, and the dog is as brave as a fierce tiger. Surprisingly, the dragon, the largest character, is portrayed as timid and seeks safety in a cage, which adds to the poem’s humour.
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
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
Class 10 Poem Chapter 9 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
