EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Chapter 9

The Tale of Custard the Dragon Class 10: Summary, Themes and Devices

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a humorous ballad by Ogden Nash in First Flight. It tells how Custard, a dragon everyone mocks as a coward, alone fights and eats a pirate while the boastful pets flee. The board tests it through poetry extracts, 3-mark short answers and 6-mark long answers on courage, humour and devices.

What The Tale of Custard the Dragon is about

The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a poem by Ogden Nash in your First Flight textbook. NCERT calls it a humorous ballad, a poem that tells a story, close to a parody of the old ballads of courage and heroism. In one line: a dragon who is laughed at as a coward turns out to be the only one brave enough to face a pirate.

In the board paper, this poem can appear in Section C in three ways. You may get a poetry extract (Q7, one of two) with MCQ, very short and 30-40 word questions on devices, meaning and inference. It can also come as a 3-mark short answer of 40-50 words (Q8) or a 6-mark long answer of about 100-120 words (Q10) that asks you to think about courage, boasting, humour or the poem's message.

In real board papers: asked in 5 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 1.2 marks per paper. See the questions

The Tale of Custard the Dragon: explanation

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Part 1: Belinda's household (stanzas 1-2). Belinda lives in a little white house with a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog, a little red wagon and a 'realio, trulio' pet dragon. The kitten is Ink, the mouse is Blink, the dog is Mustard because he is sharp, and the dragon is called Custard because he is a coward.

Part 2: The dragon's looks (stanza 3). Custard looks frightening. He has big sharp teeth, spikes on top, scales underneath, a mouth like a fireplace, a nose like a chimney and daggers on his toes.

Part 3: The brave ones and the 'coward' (stanzas 4-6). Belinda, Ink, Blink and Mustard are described as very brave, while Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage. So they make fun of him. Belinda tickles him without mercy, the pets rudely call him Percival and ask his age, and they all sit laughing at him in the red wagon.

Part 4: The pirate arrives (stanzas 7-8). Suddenly they hear a nasty sound. A pirate is climbing in through the window, with a pistol in each hand, a cutlass in his teeth, a black beard and a wooden leg. Clearly he means harm.

Part 5: Who runs, who fights (stanzas 9-11). Now the 'brave' ones collapse. Belinda turns pale and cries for help, Mustard runs away yelping, Ink slips to the bottom of the house and Blink hides in his mousehole. Only Custard jumps up, snorting like an engine, and charges at the pirate. The pirate gapes, drinks some grog, fires two bullets that miss, and Custard gobbles him up completely.

Part 6: Praise and boasting (stanzas 12-14). Belinda hugs Custard, Mustard licks him and Ink and Blink dance around him in joy. Soon Mustard claims he would have been twice as brave if he had not been flustered, and Ink and Blink say they would have been three times as brave. Custard simply agrees that everybody is braver than him.

Part 7: Nothing changes (stanzas 15-16). The poem ends as it began. Belinda still lives with her pets, they are still called brave, and Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.

Central idea: Real courage is shown in action at the moment of danger, not in looks, boasts or labels. The poem laughs at people who mock others and brag later, and it suggests that a modest, quiet person may be the truly brave one.

Themes and message

True courage versus show of bravery

The poem keeps telling you that Belinda and her pets are brave, using big comparisons with bears, lions and tigers. But the test comes when the pirate climbs in. Every 'brave' character panics or hides, and only Custard, the so-called coward, fights. This shows that courage is proved by what you do in a real crisis, not by what others say about you. We can infer that Nash is gently warning us not to judge bravery by reputation or noise.

From the text: The pets flee when the pirate comes: "But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp," while "up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine," and Custard gobbles the pirate.

Appearance versus reality

Custard looks terrifying: sharp teeth, spikes, scales and daggers on his toes. Yet everyone calls him a coward because he wants a safe cage. Then, in danger, his real strength appears. The others look and sound brave but are not. So the poem plays twice with appearances: a fierce body hides a timid manner, and a timid manner hides real courage. This suggests that neither looks nor labels tell the full truth about a person.

From the text: Stanza three describes his frightening body, "Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose," yet stanza two says "But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard."

Boasting and mocking the weak

Belinda and the pets bully Custard. They tickle him, give him a teasing name, ask his age and laugh at him. After he saves them, they do not apologise. Instead, Mustard, Ink and Blink brag that they would have been even braver. The poem makes fun of such boastful, unkind people. We can infer that people who talk the most about their bravery are often the least brave, and that mocking someone who is different is both cruel and foolish.

From the text: "Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival," and later Mustard says "I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered."

Humility of the true hero

Custard does not boast after his victory. When the others claim they would have been braver, he calmly agrees that everybody is braver than him. He also goes back to crying for his safe cage. This modest response contrasts sharply with the bragging pets. It suggests that real heroes do not need praise or titles, and that quiet, humble people are often underestimated. Some readers may also see humour in how unaware Custard is of his own courage.

From the text: Custard replies "That everybody is braver than me." and the last line says "But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage."

Humour and parody of the heroic ballad

NCERT says this is a humorous ballad close to a parody. Old ballads tell serious tales of heroes. Here the hero is a 'cowardly' dragon named after a soft pudding, the villain is swallowed whole, and the brave household runs away. Funny made-up words, sound effects and forced rhymes add to the comedy. The poem keeps the ballad's form, a story told in rhyming stanzas with a refrain, but uses it to make you laugh while still carrying a message.

From the text: Comic words and sounds such as "realio, trulio", "Weeck!", "Meowch!" and "And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed."

The speaker and the people in the poem

Custard the Dragon

The hero of the ballad: a pet dragon mocked as a coward who alone saves the household from the pirate.

Fierce in appearance
Timid and fond of safety in daily life
Truly brave when danger comes
Modest and humble
Patient with teasing

He has "big sharp teeth" and "daggers on his toes", yet "Custard cried for a nice safe cage." When the pirate comes, he charges "like a robin at a worm" and eats him. Afterwards he says "That everybody is braver than me," showing no pride. He never answers back when he is tickled and laughed at.

Belinda

Owner of the little white house and the pets; she is described as brave but fails the real test.

Called brave but actually frightened
Teasing and a little unkind
Affectionate and grateful in the end
Unchanged by the experience

She is "as brave as a barrel full of bears", yet when the pirate arrives "Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!" Earlier she "tickled him unmerciful" and "giggled till she shook the house". After the rescue "Belinda embraced him". The final stanza shows her life and opinions are just the same.

Ink, Blink and Mustard (the pets)

The kitten, the mouse and the dog: the 'brave' companions who mock Custard and run away from danger.

Boastful
Rude and mocking
Cowardly in real danger
Quick to celebrate and claim credit

They "rudely called him Percival" and "rudely asked his age". Facing the pirate, "Mustard fled with a terrified yelp", Ink "trickled down to the bottom of the household" and Blink "strategically mouseholed". Later Ink and Blink claim "We’d have been three times as brave, we think,".

Poetic devices

Device	Example	Effect
Simile	"Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage," and "He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm."	The first simile builds Mustard up as fierce, which makes his later running away funnier. The second shows how quickly and easily Custard attacks: the huge, armed pirate becomes as helpless as a worm before a bird.
Alliteration	"Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,"	The repeated 'b' sound gives a bouncy rhythm and sounds grand, but the picture of a barrel of bears is comic. It makes Belinda's bravery sound exaggerated, preparing you for the irony when she panics.
Metaphor	"chimney for a nose,"	The nose is called a chimney directly, without 'like' or 'as'. This suggests smoke and fire coming from it, making Custard look powerful and frightening, which contrasts with his timid nature.
Onomatopoeia	"Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda," and "With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,"	Words that imitate sounds make the scene lively and dramatic when read aloud. The cat and mouse noises are funny, while the clatter and clank let you hear Custard's metal-like scales and tail as he charges.
Repetition and refrain	"realio, trulio" (repeated) and "cried for a nice safe cage" (repeated)	'Realio, trulio' is a playful, made-up form of 'really, truly' that insists the dragon is real and adds humour. The repeated line about the safe cage works like a ballad refrain and stresses Custard's timid manner, even after his brave deed.
Rhyme scheme	Each stanza rhymes in couplets, aabb: "house / mouse", "wagon / dragon".	Rhyming couplets give a strong, sing-song rhythm that suits a ballad meant to be read aloud. Some rhymes are forced for fun, such as 'Belinda' with 'winda' and 'unmerciful' with 'Percival', which adds to the comic tone.
Irony	"But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine," after the 'brave' ones flee.	What happens is the opposite of what we expect: the 'coward' becomes the hero and the 'brave' ones hide. This irony carries the poem's main message that true courage is shown in action, not in reputation.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Narrator: Stanza two, where Belinda names each pet.
It sets up the label of coward that the whole poem later turns upside down. The name Custard, a soft sweet dish, matches how the others see him.
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
Narrator: Stanza three, describing Custard's appearance.
Simile and metaphor together create a fearsome image. The contrast between this fierce look and his timid behaviour is central to the theme of appearance versus reality.
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Narrator: End of stanza four, right after the others are compared to bears, lions and a tiger.
It contrasts Custard with the 'brave' household and becomes a refrain. It shows his love of safety, which the others mistake for cowardice.
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
Narrator: Stanza nine, when the pirate enters and everyone panics.
The grand word 'strategically' makes hiding sound like a clever plan, mocking Blink's fear. The invented verb 'mouseholed' adds humour.
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
Narrator: Stanza ten, when Custard charges at the pirate.
This simile shows Custard's fearless, swift attack and reduces the armed pirate to something small and helpless. It is the turning point of the story.
I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered.
Mustard: Stanza thirteen, after Custard has eaten the pirate.
Mustard makes an excuse for running away and boasts at the same time. It exposes the hollow bragging of the pets.
That everybody is braver than me.
Custard: Stanza fourteen, Custard's reply to the pets' boasting.
It shows Custard's humility and simplicity. The irony is clear, because he is the only one who proved his courage.
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.
Narrator: The last line of the poem, in the final stanza.
The change to present tense shows nothing has changed: the household keeps its old opinions, and Custard stays his modest self.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

True courage versus show of bravery

Suppose Rohit in your class always boasts that he fears nobody. One evening at the bus stop, an older boy starts snatching a Class 6 student's bag. Rohit steps back, but Meera, a quiet girl everyone teases as timid, firmly tells the boy to stop and calls the bus conductor.

Compare Rohit and Meera with the characters of the poem. What does the incident show about courage? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Rohit matches Mustard and the pets: brave only in words.
Meera matches Custard: thought timid, but acts when needed.
Link to the poem: the pets flee from the pirate; Custard fights.
Conclusion: courage is proved in a real moment, not in boasts.

Answer: Like Mustard and the pets, Rohit only boasted; when the bully appeared, he stepped back. Meera, quiet like Custard, acted when it mattered. As in the poem, true courage is shown in a real moment of danger, not in loud claims before it.

Memory hook: The bus stop is the pirate's window: that is where courage gets tested.

Boasting and mocking the weak

Imagine your colony cricket team keeps calling a shy boy, Arjun, 'Butterfingers' and laughing whenever he asks to field near the boundary rather than close in. In the final over of a match, he takes the catch that wins the game.

As team captain, write a short note (40-50 words) to your team explaining why the teasing was wrong, comparing it with how Custard was treated.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Compare: teammates' name-calling with the pets calling Custard Percival.
Laughing at caution is like laughing at Custard's wish for a cage.
Arjun, like Custard, delivered when it mattered.
Caution is not weakness; end with a call for respect.

Answer: Team, we mocked Arjun just as Belinda and her pets mocked Custard, calling him names and laughing at his caution. Yet, like Custard, he saved us when it mattered. Being careful is not being weak. Let us respect every player and stop the teasing.

Memory hook: Every team has a 'Percival'; he may take the winning catch.

Humility of the true hero

Suppose a sudden power cut plunges the school hall into darkness during a function. You calmly guide the younger children out using your phone torch. Later, classmates who had panicked tell everyone they would have handled it even better.

How would Custard respond in your place? Do you think his way is right? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Custard agreed with the boasting pets instead of arguing.
He did not demand praise for gobbling the pirate.
Evaluate: humility keeps the good deed pure.
Personal stand with a reason.

Answer: Custard would simply agree, as he did when the pets boasted after the pirate's defeat. He did not need praise. I think his way is right: arguing for credit spoils a good deed, while quiet humility lets the action speak for itself.

Memory hook: Do the deed, skip the speech: that is Custard's way.

Appearance versus reality

Imagine a new neighbour moves in with a huge, loud-barking dog, and the children in your lane avoid the house. One rainy day, you see the same dog patiently sheltering a stray kitten under the porch.

How does this situation reflect the idea of appearance versus reality in the poem? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Custard's fierce looks (teeth, spikes, fireplace mouth) hide a timid nature.
The dog's fierce looks hide gentleness.
The poem also reverses it: the 'brave' pets prove fearful.
Lesson: judge by actions, not looks.

Answer: Like Custard, whose teeth, spikes and fiery mouth hide a timid nature, the dog's fierce looks hide gentleness. In both cases, appearance misleads. The poem reverses it too: the 'brave' pets prove fearful. We should judge by actions, not looks.

Memory hook: Big teeth, soft heart; brave words, weak legs: never judge by the cover.

Topics in this chapter

Custard the Dragon Character SketchComing soon
Custard the Dragon Question AnswersComing soon
Custard the Dragon Poetic Devices and RhymeComing soon
Custard the Dragon Summary and ThemeComing soon

How the board asks The Tale of Custard the Dragon

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Extract: poetic device identification (1 mark)	Lines from the poem are given, and you must name the device in a line, such as simile, metaphor, alliteration or onomatopoeia, or pick the right option.	Name the device exactly and, if asked, point to the words that show it. Remember: 'like' or 'as' signals a simile; a direct comparison without them is a metaphor; repeated first consonant sounds are alliteration.
Extract: rhyme scheme, word meaning and true/false (1 mark)	You may be asked the rhyme scheme of the given lines, what a word like 'paled' or 'unmerciful' suggests, to complete an analogy, or to judge a statement as true or false.	Write the rhyme scheme as aabb for these couplets. For word meaning, explain what it shows about the character in context, for example 'paled' shows Belinda was terrified. Read the statement carefully before marking true or false.
Extract: inference or analysis (2 marks, 30-40 words)	You are asked to examine a character's portrayal, explain an irony, comment on the contrast in the lines, or explain the poet's use of language.	Make one clear point, back it with words from the extract, then add what it reveals about the theme. Stay within 30-40 words and include the idea of contrast or humour where it fits.
Short answer (Q8, 40-50 words, 3 marks)	Questions ask why Custard is called a coward, why the others tease him, how the pets react to the pirate, what Custard's reply shows, or whether the poem is serious or light-hearted.	Answer the question directly in the first sentence. Give two value points with evidence from the poem. End with a short line linking to the theme. Content carries 2 marks and expression 1, so write in clear, correct sentences.
Long answer (Q10, about 100-120 words, 6 marks)	You may have to discuss how the poet creates humour, explain the message about true courage, compare Custard with the boastful pets, or write from a character's point of view.	Plan an introduction, two or three developed points with evidence, and a conclusion. Use the poem's events and devices as proof. Content carries 3 marks, expression 2 and accuracy 1, so keep your argument organised and your grammar clean.
Competency-based or value questions	The question may ask you to judge the household's behaviour, suggest what Custard teaches about judging others, or apply the idea of hidden courage to a new situation.	Take a clear stand, support it with what actually happens in the poem, and then connect it to the new situation or value. Mark any interpretation with words like 'this suggests' or 'we can infer'.

Tricks to remember The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Colour-name pairs
Black Ink (kitten), Grey Blink (mouse), Yellow Mustard (dog), Coward Custard (dragon), plus a little red wagon and a little white house. Say it as a chant: 'Black-Ink, Grey-Blink, Yellow-Mustard, Coward-Custard.'
Use it when: Stops you mixing up Ink and Blink, a slip that costs marks in extract questions.
Story in six rhymes: Mock, Knock, Shock, Rock, Talk, Lock
Mock (Custard is teased), Knock (the nasty sound), Shock (the pirate climbs in, everyone panics), Rock (Custard attacks and gobbles him), Talk (the pets boast), Lock (Custard still wants his safe cage).
Use it when: Recall the full order of events for a long answer or a diary entry.
Who did what when the pirate came: Pale, Yelp, Trickle, Hole, Gobble
Belinda paled, Mustard yelped and fled, Ink trickled down, Blink mouseholed, Custard gobbled. One verb per character, in the order of the poem.
Use it when: Answer any question on the reactions to the pirate precisely, with the poem's own verbs.
Devices by spotting 'like' or 'as'
'Like' or 'as' means simile: mouth like a fireplace, snorting like an engine, like a robin at a worm, brave as a barrel full of bears. No 'like' or 'as' means metaphor: chimney for a nose. Sound words (Weeck!, Meowch!, clatter, clank) are onomatopoeia. 'Barrel full of bears' is also alliteration.
Use it when: Name the device correctly in 1-mark extract questions.
Themes: C-A-B-H-H
Courage (true versus show), Appearance versus reality, Boasting and mocking, Humility of the hero, Humour and parody.
Use it when: Check that a long answer touches at least two themes with evidence.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: Custard fights the pirate

With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Identify the poetic device in the line 'He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm'.
(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Personification
(d) Alliteration
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which single word in the extract shows the pirate's shock on seeing the dragon?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
In the extract, 'grog' refers to:
(a) a small pistol
(b) a drink typically drunk by sailors
(c) a curved sword
(d) a pirate's map
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
Just before this, Custard 'jumped' up 'snorting like an engine'. How does this moment show that the others' earlier judgement of Custard was mistaken? Answer in 30-40 words.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) Simile. Custard's quick, eager attack is compared to a robin pouncing on a worm, using 'like'.
'Gaped'. He stared open-mouthed in astonishment.
(b) A drink typically drunk by sailors.
Custard, mocked earlier as a coward who cried for a cage, alone jumps up to fight when danger comes. Snorting, clashing his tail and gobbling the armed pirate, he proves that true courage appears in action, not boasting.

Extract 2: The boasting after the victory

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,

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The word 'presently' in the extract means:
(a) at this moment
(b) after a short while
(c) in a loud voice
(d) with great courage
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word does Mustard use to excuse his running away from the pirate?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
The tone of the claims made by Mustard, Ink and Blink is best described as:
(a) humble and grateful
(b) boastful and comic
(c) sorrowful and regretful
(d) angry and bitter
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
Custard replies, 'I quite agree / That everybody is braver than me'. What does this reply reveal about him? Answer in 30-40 words.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) after a short while. Once the danger was over, Mustard soon began to speak; here "presently" means "soon", not "now".
'Flustered', meaning nervous and confused.
(b) Boastful and comic. They fled during the attack, yet claim they would have been two or three times as brave.
Custard does not boast or correct the others, though he alone fought the pirate. His simple agreement shows humility and modesty. It also adds irony and humour: the real hero calls himself the least brave.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Why Custard was mocked · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Why did Belinda and her pets make fun of Custard? How did they show it? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Custard was thought to be a coward.
He kept crying for a nice safe cage.
Belinda tickled him without mercy and giggled till the house shook.
Ink, Blink and Mustard rudely called him Percival and asked his age.
They all sat laughing at him in the little red wagon.

Answer: Belinda and her pets mocked Custard because he seemed a coward who kept crying for a nice safe cage. Belinda tickled him mercilessly and giggled till the house shook. Ink, Blink and Mustard rudely called him Percival, asked his age and sat laughing at him in the red wagon.

Example 2: Fierce looks, funny effect · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

How does the poet's description of Custard's appearance help create the humour of the poem? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Fearsome features: big sharp teeth, spikes on top, scales underneath.
Mouth like a fireplace (simile), chimney for a nose (metaphor), daggers on his toes.
Yet he is called a coward who cries for a safe cage.
The gap between appearance and reality creates humour.
Coined, playful words 'realio, trulio' add to the comic tone.

Answer: Custard looks terrifying, with big sharp teeth, spikes, scales, a mouth like a fireplace and daggers on his toes. Yet he is called a coward who cries for a safe cage. This gap between fierce looks and timid nature, plus playful words like 'realio, trulio', creates humour.

Example 3: The meaning of the circular ending · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

The last stanza almost repeats the fourth stanza, but in the present tense. What does this ending suggest? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Present tense ('Belinda still lives', 'Belinda is as brave') shows that nothing has changed.
The pets keep their brave image even after fleeing from the pirate.
Custard 'keeps crying for a nice safe cage'; he stays timid and humble.
Interpretation: reputations rarely change.
The repeated stanza works like a ballad refrain and keeps the tone comic.

Answer: The shift to present tense shows that nothing has changed after the pirate's defeat. The pets keep their brave image, while Custard 'keeps crying for a nice safe cage'. This suggests reputations rarely change, Custard stays humble, and the circular ending, like a ballad refrain, keeps the tone comic.

Example 4: Character sketch of Custard · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Write a character sketch of Custard the dragon, showing how he is different from what others think of him. Answer in about 100-120 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Appearance: big sharp teeth, spikes, scales, mouth like a fireplace, daggers on his toes.
Reputation: called a coward because he cries for a nice safe cage.
Mocked: Belinda tickles him unmercifully; pets rudely call him Percival.
Action: when the armed pirate comes and the others flee or hide, he alone attacks and gobbles him.
Humility: when the pets boast, he agrees that everybody is braver than him.
Theme: true courage is quiet and shown in action.

Answer: Custard is Belinda's 'realio, trulio' pet dragon, and his looks are frightening: big sharp teeth, spikes, scales, a mouth like a fireplace and daggers on his toes. Yet everyone thinks he is a coward because he keeps crying for a nice safe cage. Belinda tickles him without mercy and the pets rudely call him Percival, but he does not fight back.

When a pirate armed with two pistols and a cutlass climbs in, the 'brave' pets flee or hide. Custard alone jumps up, snorting like an engine, and gobbles the pirate. Afterwards, when the others boast, he simply agrees that everybody is braver than him. Custard shows that true courage is quiet, appears in action and comes with humility.

Example 5: Is Belinda really brave? · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Belinda is described as 'as brave as a barrel full of bears'. Do her actions when the pirate appears support this description? Give reasons in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Clear stand: No.
Evidence: she cries 'ooh!', turns pale and cries 'Help! Help!'.
She does nothing to fight the pirate.
Her bravery is only claimed in words, so the description is ironic.
Only Custard acts.

Answer: No. Though called 'as brave as a barrel full of bears', Belinda turns pale and cries 'Help! Help!' when the pirate climbs in. She does nothing to fight him. Her bravery exists only in words, so the description is ironic; only Custard acts.

Example 6: Loud boasts versus real courage · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

'Those who boast the loudest are not always the bravest.' Discuss this idea with reference to the poem and explain what lesson it holds for students. Answer in about 100-120 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The claimed bravery: Belinda like a barrel of bears, Ink and Blink chase lions, Mustard like a raging tiger.
The test: when the armed pirate appears, Belinda cries for help, Mustard flees, Ink trickles down, Blink hides in a mousehole.
The mocked Custard alone fights and gobbles the pirate.
Even afterwards the pets boast; Custard quietly agrees.
Lesson for students: do not judge the quiet as weak; do not confuse loud talk with strength.
Real courage shows in difficult moments and needs no applause.

Answer: The poem shows that loud boasts and real courage are very different. Belinda is called 'as brave as a barrel full of bears', Ink and Blink chase lions and Mustard is like a raging tiger. Yet when the armed pirate appears, Belinda cries for help, Mustard flees, Ink trickles down and Blink hides in a mousehole. Custard, whom they mocked, alone fights and gobbles the pirate. Even then, the pets boast that they would have been braver, while Custard quietly agrees with them.

For students, the lesson is clear. We should not judge a quiet classmate as weak, nor confuse loud talk with strength. Real courage shows in difficult moments, and it does not need applause.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Why is Custard called a 'cowardly dragon', and is the label fair? Answer in 40-50 words. (3 marks) (3 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: why he is called cowardly. He cries for a nice safe cage and is teased for it.	1
Content: judgement with evidence. The label is unfair; he alone fights and gobbles the armed pirate while the others flee.	1
Expression: clear, connected answer within 40-50 words (up to 1 mark may be deducted for spelling or grammar errors).	1

'True courage is shown in action, not in boasting.' Discuss with reference to The Tale of Custard the Dragon. Answer in about 100-120 words. (6 marks) (6 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: the boasts. Belinda, Ink, Blink and Mustard are described as very brave.	1
Content: the test. When the pirate comes, they panic and flee, while the mocked Custard fights and gobbles him.	1
Content: after the victory. The pets boast again; Custard humbly agrees, and the last stanza shows nothing has changed.	1
Expression: organised argument, introduction to conclusion, with fluent linking.	2
Accuracy: correct spelling, grammar and punctuation within the word limit.	1

Where students lose marks in The Tale of Custard the Dragon

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Mixing up Ink and Blink
The names rhyme and both are small pets, so students swap them.
Wrong working
Blink the kitten cried Meowch! and Ink the mouse hid in a mousehole.
Right working
Ink, the little black kitten, cried Meowch! and trickled down; Blink, the little grey mouse, strategically mouseholed.
Do this: Use the chant 'Black-Ink, Grey-Blink' before writing.
Usually costs: Can cost the full mark in a 1-mark part and a content mark in a 3-mark answer.
Mistake: Saying Belinda or the pets helped fight the pirate
Students remember they are called brave and assume they acted bravely.
Wrong working
Belinda and Mustard bravely helped Custard defeat the pirate.
Right working
Belinda paled and cried for help and Mustard fled; Custard alone fought and gobbled the pirate.
Do this: Separate what the poem says they are ('as brave as') from what they do.
Usually costs: A wrong fact here can cost 1-2 content marks.
Mistake: Calling 'chimney for a nose' a simile
It sits next to 'Mouth like a fireplace', which is a simile.
Wrong working
'Chimney for a nose' is a simile comparing the nose to a chimney.
Right working
'Chimney for a nose' is a metaphor: the nose is called a chimney directly, without 'like' or 'as'.
Do this: Look for 'like' or 'as' before naming the device.
Usually costs: Costs the 1 mark in a device question.
Mistake: Claiming Custard became brave and gave up his cage
Students expect a hero's story to end with change.
Wrong working
After killing the pirate, Custard was never afraid again and stopped asking for a cage.
Right working
The last stanza says Custard 'keeps crying for a nice safe cage'; nothing changes, which makes the ending ironic and comic.
Do this: Reread the last stanza: present tense, same lines as stanza four.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 content marks in a 3-mark or 6-mark answer.
Mistake: Retelling the whole story instead of answering
Students feel safe narrating, but the question asks why or how.
Wrong working
Belinda lived in a little white house with a kitten, a mouse, a dog and a dragon... (summary with no point about humility)
Right working
Custard shows humility: though he alone gobbled the pirate, he simply agreed that everybody was braver than him.
Do this: Open with a direct answer to the question, then give one or two pieces of evidence.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 content mark and the expression mark.
Mistake: Going far over the word limit in the 2-mark extract part
Students add the whole plot to 'prove' their point.
Wrong working
A 70-word answer on the robin simile that also narrates the pets' boasting.
Right working
A 30-40 word answer: device or point, one line of evidence, its effect.
Do this: Write point, evidence, effect, and stop.
Usually costs: Wastes time and can cost the expression or accuracy credit.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon: previous year questions

Asked in 5 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 1.2 marks per paper; 5 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 1 of 4 sample papers.

Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.

Solved board questions from The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.

2025, set 2/3/1, Q10(b) · 6 marks · Long answer

(b) Discuss how the writers use language to create humour in the poem ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ and the play ‘The Proposal’.

Try it first, then show our solutionSolution

In 'The Tale of Custard the Dragon' Ogden Nash creates humour through contrasting characters: the cowardly dragon Custard and the brave animals, such as the mouse Mustard. Exaggerated descriptions reverse expectations, since the 'brave' ones are timid and the dragon is a coward. Playful language like 'realio, trulio', rhyme, alliteration and a story-like narration add to the fun.
3 marks
In 'The Proposal' Chekhov combines wit, irony, exaggeration and word play to show human folly. The characters ridicule each other with sarcasm and repeated quarrels over the Oxen Meadows and the dogs, and the asides add comedy. Lomov's repeated fainting adds physical comedy.
2 marks
Expression and accuracy: coherent, correct language within 100-120 words.
1 mark

Answer: Nash uses contrast, exaggeration and playful rhyme; Chekhov uses irony, sarcasm, repetition and physical comedy.

Where the marks are

Any three value points with at least one from each text (3 marks)
Expression (2 marks)
Accuracy (1 mark)

See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/3/1

2025, set 2/4/1, Q7(A) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-based

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two given:

(A)
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.
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.

(The Tale of Custard the Dragon)

I
What inference can be drawn from the repetition of 'suddenly, suddenly' in the above extract?
1. (A)The scene shook the house
2. (B)It highlights the swift assault
3. (C)It emphasises that an unexpected noise was heard
4. (D)It directs our notice to Mustard's growling
1 mark
II
Despite its symbolism of captivity, what leads Custard to have a preference for staying in a cage?
2 marks
III
Select the option that applies the same rhyme scheme as the lines of the first four lines of the given extract:
1. (A)Through the telescope she saw a star / which she thought was very far / She stretched her hand / and felt the crumple of the sand.
2. (B)Through the telescope she saw a star / She stretched her hand / As it was very far / But felt the crumble of the sand.
3. (C)Through the telescope she saw a star / Which she thought was very far / Her hand she stretched / But felt the crumble of the sand.
4. (D)Through the telescope she saw a star / Which she thought was very far / Her hand she stretched afar / But felt the crumble of the sand.
1 mark
IV
In the given extract, the difference between the other animals and Custard is that Custard behaves like a ________. (coward / dragon)
1 mark

Try it first, then show our solutionSolution

(I) Option (C). The repeated 'suddenly' stresses that an unexpected, nasty noise was heard without warning.
1 mark
(II) Custard was bullied and mocked by the other housemates, who called him a coward. He felt safe in the cage and sought refuge and comfort there, so he avoided confrontation.
2 marks
(III) Option (A): its lines rhyme in couplets (star/far, hand/sand), the same aabb scheme as house/mouse and age/cage.
1 mark
(IV) coward
1 mark

Answer: (I) C; (II) He was bullied by the others and sought safety and comfort in the cage; (III) A; (IV) coward

Where the marks are

Chooses C (1 mark)
Any two points: bullied, sought refuge or comfort in the cage, avoided confrontation (2 marks)
Chooses A (1 mark)
Writes coward (1 mark)

See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/4/1

Every The Tale of Custard the Dragon question, by year

2025

Set 2/3/1: Q10(b) (6 marks, solved)

Set 2/4/1: Q7(A) (5 marks, solved)

Set 2/5/1: Q7(a) (5 marks, solved)

Sample paper 2024-25: Q7(B) (5 marks, solved)

2024

Set 2/4/1: Q7(b) (5 marks, solved)

2023

Set 2/5/1: Q7(b) (5 marks, solved)

Practice questions on The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
What did the pirate hold in his teeth when he climbed in through the window?
(a) A pistol
(b) A cutlass
(c) A flagon
(d) A dagger
Hint
He had a pistol in each hand, so his teeth held something else, described as 'bright'.
Answer
(b) A cutlass. The poem says he held 'a cutlass bright' in his teeth.
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Describe the pirate and the way each member of the household reacted when he appeared. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Look at the pirate's two weapons-filled hands, his beard and leg, then go pet by pet.
Answer
Value points: pistol in each hand, cutlass in teeth, black beard, wooden leg; Belinda paled and cried for help; Mustard fled with a yelp; Ink trickled down; Blink hid in a mousehole; only Custard attacked.
Model answer: The pirate climbed in through the window with a pistol in each hand, a bright cutlass in his teeth, a black beard and a wooden leg. Belinda paled and cried for help, Mustard fled yelping, Ink trickled down and Blink hid in a mousehole. Only Custard attacked.
Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a humorous ballad close to a parody.
Reason (R): Its hero is a dragon called a coward who cries for a safe cage, and the poem uses comic sounds and made-up words.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Hint
A heroic ballad has a bold hero. What kind of hero does this ballad have?
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. A timid hero, comic sounds like 'Weeck!' and 'Meowch!', and words like 'realio, trulio' turn the serious heroic ballad into a playful one.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Explain the irony in the names 'Custard' and 'Mustard'. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Belinda named the dragon Custard because he was a coward. Who actually acts sharp and brave?
Answer
Value points: dragon named Custard because he was a coward; we can infer custard suggests something soft and mild; yet he alone fights; Mustard is 'sharp as Mustard' but flees; names mislead.
Model answer: Belinda names the dragon Custard because he seems a coward, and custard is soft and mild. The name is ironic: the 'soft' dragon alone fights the pirate. Mustard, named for being sharp, flees with a terrified yelp, so both names mislead.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How do sound words such as 'Weeck!', 'Meowch!' and 'a clatter and a clank' add to the effect of the poem? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
The poem asks to be read aloud. What do these words let you hear, and how do they change the mood?
Answer
Value points: onomatopoeia lets us hear the scene; makes the pets' giggling and fear comic; makes Custard's attack noisy and lively; adds rhythm; keeps the ballad light-hearted.
Model answer: Words like 'Weeck!', 'Meowch!', 'Help! Help!' and 'a clatter and a clank' let us hear the scene. They make the pets' giggling and fear comic and Custard's attack noisy and lively. Read aloud, they add rhythm and keep the ballad light-hearted rather than frightening.
Q6 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Compare Mustard and Custard to show the difference between a reputation for courage and real courage. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Track Mustard through three moments: the mocking, the pirate's arrival, the boasting. Then do the same for Custard.
Answer
Value points: Mustard sharp, 'as brave as a tiger in a rage'; mocks Custard; growls, then flees with a terrified yelp; boasts he was only flustered. Custard fierce-looking but called a coward; does not strike back; alone gobbles the pirate; humbly agrees others are braver.
Model answer: Mustard, the little yellow dog, is described as 'sharp as Mustard' and 'as brave as a tiger in a rage'. He joins the others in rudely mocking Custard, calling him Percival and asking his age. When the nasty sound comes, he growls, but on seeing the pirate he flees 'with a terrified yelp'. Afterwards he boasts that he would have been twice as brave had he not been flustered.
Custard looks fierce but is thought a coward who cries for a safe cage. He never strikes back at his teasers, alone fights and gobbles the pirate, and then humbly agrees that everybody is braver than him. Mustard has the reputation of courage; Custard has the real thing.
Q7 · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Imagine you are Custard. On the night the pirate was defeated, you write a diary entry about being mocked, the fight, and what you now feel courage means. Write it in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Keep the facts of the poem (tickling, Percival, pistols, cutlass, missed bullets, the boasting), then add your own reflection in Custard's voice.
Answer
Value points: diary format (day/time, first person, signed); the teasing; the pirate's arrival and the others' fear; the fight and missed bullets; reaction to the boasting; reflection on courage, staying humble.
Model answer: Saturday, 9 p.m.
Today was strange. As usual, Belinda tickled me till I could hardly breathe, and Ink, Blink and Mustard laughed and called me Percival. I only wished for my nice safe cage.
Then a pirate climbed in through the window, pistols in both hands and a cutlass in his teeth. Everyone screamed, ran or hid. Something rose inside me. I jumped up, clashed my tail and swallowed him whole; his bullets missed me.
Later the others said they would have been far braver. I agreed. Why argue? I know I am timid, but when my family was in danger, I could not sit still. Perhaps courage is simply caring enough to act.
Custard
Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose Belinda had locked Custard in the 'nice safe cage' he kept asking for. What might have happened when the pirate came, and what does this show about judging others? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Check what every other member of the household did when the pirate arrived.
Answer
Value points: no one else fought; Belinda cried for help, the pets fled or hid; the household could have been harmed; do not dismiss someone because they seem timid.
Model answer: Had Custard been locked in his cage, no one could have stopped the armed pirate, since Belinda and the pets only cried or fled. Belinda's home might have been harmed. This shows we should not write anyone off by first impressions; the timid may prove heroes.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What are the names and kinds of Belinda's pets?Show answer
Ink (black kitten), Blink (grey mouse), Mustard (yellow dog) and Custard (dragon).
2.Why did Belinda call the dragon Custard?Show answer
Because the dragon was a coward.
3.What does Custard keep crying for?Show answer
A nice safe cage.
4.What rude name do the pets call Custard?Show answer
Percival.
5.What weapons did the pirate carry?Show answer
A pistol in each hand and a bright cutlass in his teeth.
6.Which line describes Blink's reaction to the pirate?Show answer
'And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.'
7.What happened to the pirate's bullets?Show answer
He fired two bullets, but they did not hit, and Custard gobbled him, every bit.
8.What excuse does Mustard give after the fight?Show answer
He says he would have been twice as brave if he had not been flustered.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you name each pet with its colour and kind without mixing up Ink and Blink?
Can you list Custard's five fierce features from stanza three?
Can you say what each character did when the pirate climbed in the window?
Can you name the device in 'Mouth like a fireplace' and in 'chimney for a nose', and explain the difference?
Can you explain why the last stanza, in the present tense, is ironic?
Can you write two lines on how Custard's reply 'I quite agree' shows humility?
Can you give two reasons the poem is called a humorous ballad close to a parody?
Can you link appearance versus reality to both Custard and the 'brave' pets?

The Tale of Custard the Dragon: frequently asked questions

What is the rhyme scheme of The Tale of Custard the Dragon?

Each four-line stanza rhymes in couplets, so the rhyme scheme is aabb. For example, 'house' rhymes with 'mouse' and 'wagon' with 'dragon' in the first stanza. Some rhymes are forced on purpose, like 'Belinda' with 'winda', to add humour.

Why is Custard called a coward?

Custard is called a coward because he keeps crying for a nice safe cage, while Belinda and her pets are described as very brave. The others mistake his love of safety for cowardice. The irony is that he alone fights the pirate.

Is The Tale of Custard the Dragon a serious or a light-hearted poem?

It is light-hearted. NCERT calls it a humorous ballad close to a parody, and it uses funny words, sound effects, exaggeration and forced rhymes. Still, under the humour there is a serious message that true courage is shown in action, not in boasting.

What does 'realio, trulio' mean in the poem?

It is a playful, made-up form of 'really, truly'. The poet uses it to insist, in a funny way, that the dragon is real. Its repetition also gives the poem a catchy rhythm.

Why does the poem end the way it began?

The last stanza repeats the first and fourth stanzas in the present tense. This shows that nothing changes: the others still think they are brave, and Custard still cries for his safe cage. It suggests that people often keep their old judgements even after the truth has been shown.

What is the message of The Tale of Custard the Dragon?

The poem teaches that real courage shows up in a moment of danger, not in looks, labels or boasting. It also warns us not to mock someone who seems timid or different. Custard's modest reply shows that true heroes do not need to brag.

Based on: CBSE English Language and Literature syllabus 2026-27; NCERT First Flight (Reprint 2026-27), The Tale of Custard the Dragon