Hi Everyone!! This article will share The Tale of Custard The Dragon Important Questions & Answers.
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The Tale of Custard The Dragon Important Questions & Answers
Question 1: Who are the characters in the poem? List them with their pet names.
Answer: Belinda and her four pets are the five main characters in the poem. The black kitten was called Ink, the grey mouse was named Blink. The dog was called Mustard and the dragon was called Custard. Another character in the poem is the pirate who though appears for a short time but has a significance.
Question 2: Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called ‘cowardly dragon’?
Answer: Custard never pretended to be brave and he always wanted a secure and comfortable life away from all dangers. Therefore, he wanted a nice safe cage.
Because of his never-ending demand of a nice safe cage, he was called ‘cowardly dragon’. Belinda and the other pets used to think that Custard was weak and afraid of dangers.
Question 3: How did Ink and Mustard make fun of the dragon?
Answer: As dragon used to cry for a nice, safe cage so, Ink and Mustard considered him to be a meek and timid creature who wanted to escape dangers and lead a life of ease and comfort. They made fun of him by asking him his age because they thought that Custard was too old to cry like a child for a safe, comfortable cage.
Question 4: “Belinda tickled him and tickled him unmerciful…..” Why?
Answer: Belinda always considered Custard to be a lazy coward and she didn’t have a favourable opinion about him. That is why she gave him the funny name Custard. She used to tickle him repeatedly to make fun of him because of his cowardice and to make other pets laugh at his cost.
Question 5: How does the poet describe the appearance of the dragon?
Answer: Though Custard has a terrifying appearance but he has been described as a meek and cowardly dragon. He had big sharp teeth, spikes on his body and scales beneath his belly. His reddish, fiery mouth looked like a furnace and his long nose resembled a chimney. His claws were sharp like dragon.
Question 6: How have Ink, Blink and Mustard been described?
Answer: Ink was described as a little black kitten and Blink was described as a little grey mouse. They both have been shown to be so brave that they could chase lions down the stairs. Mustard was the name of a yellow, sharp dog. He has been described to be as brave as a tiger in rage is.
Question 7: How has the bravery of Belinda been described? Did she prove her bravery?
Answer: Belinda has been described to be as brave as a barrel full of bears. She used to consider her bold and courageous and so, she made fun of Custard for being a coward and tickled him hard only to ridicule him.
However, Belinda was not at all brave. She could not face the pirate bravely and was so terrified that she turned pale out of fear and cried for help. So, all her boasts of bravery proved to be hollow.
The Tale of Custard The Dragon Important Questions & Answers
Question 8: Who was ‘Percival’? Why did the pets call the dragon ‘Percival’?
Answer: Percival was one of the brave knights of King Arthur who was renowned for his strength and fighting prowess. The pets called the dragon ‘Percival’ satirically making fun of his cowardice as he always demanded of a nice, safe cage. They compared him with Percival to show how unlike he was from the brave knight who went on dangerous adventures.
Question 9: How does the poet describe the pirate’s appearance?
Answer: The pirate has been described as a wicked, sinister person who had come to harm the pets because he carried a pistol in each of his hands and a small sword between his teeth. He supported a black beard and his one leg was wooden. With all this, the pirate seemed to be a wicked fellow with evil intentions.
Question 10: How did Belinda and her pets behave at the appearance of the pirate?
Answer: At the appearance of the pirate, Belinda was so terrified that she turned pale with fear and cried for help. Mustard, the dog yelped out of fear and ran away. Ink, the cat ran to the bottom of the house to hide herself and Blink, the mouse, took shelter in his hole. It was only Custard, the dragon who faced the pirate bravely, killed him, ate up his body and rescued all the inmates of the white house.
Question 11: How did Custard prove to be a brave dragon?
Answer: Custard who was considered as a meek and coward creature proved to be fearless and brave when he came face to face with the pirate. The moment, he saw the pirate, he charged at him and began to snort loudly. With his tail, he then thrashed the floor making a loud clattering sound. This frightened the pirate who shot two bullets at the dragon but in panic and nervousness, missed his aim. The brave dragon then attacked him and gobbled him up alive. Thus, by killing the pirate, Custard emerged as a ‘brave heart’.
Question 12: What excuses did Ink, Blink and Mustard give for showing cowardice in front of the pirate?
Answer: in front of the pirate, Ink, Blink and Mustard proved to be extremely timid and instead of facing the danger boldly, they ran away to safety. However, they could not admit that they had behaved in a timid manner and found lame excuses to justify their behaviour. Mustard, the dog argued that he would have shown twice the bravery of the dragon but he was flustered and agitated. Therefore, he could not show his courage. Ink and Blink, too came out with the same excuse and stated that but for their agitation, they would have faced the pirate with thrice the bravery of Custard.
Question 13: How did Belinda and other pets rejoice when the pirate was killed?
Answer: When the pirate was killed, the inmates of the white house were extremely happy at the victory of Custard, the dragon. Out of joy and admiration, Belinda embraced him and Mustard, the dog licked him lovingly, appreciating his brave deed. While Ink, the cat and Blink, the mouse circled around Custard in jubilation, the dragon was busy gobbling the pirate alive. Thus, everybody celebrated the killing of the sinister pirate.
Question 14: What is the central idea of the poem? How is it conveyed?
Answer: The poem gives a significant and serious message that appearances are deceptive. The poet reveals that those who boast of their bravery usually cut a sorry figure while encountering a critical situation. The kitten, the mouse, and the dog boast about their bravery and the dragon always cries for a nice, safe cage and is thought to be a coward. However, when the pirate appears, Belinda who is considered as brave ‘as a barrel full of bears’ is extremely frightened and cries for help. The kitten, the mouse and the dog too flee in fear and hide themselves. Their boasts of bravery prove to be hollow. It is only the dragon who kills and eats him up.
Even after their cowardice, Ink, Blink, and Mustard keep boasting of their bravery, whereas Custard only remarks that they all are braver than him and still longs for a nice, safe cage. All this indicates that we must not judge people by their words but by their deeds. Appearances are not always true and are quite often deceptive. Thus, on a deeper lever, the comic narration has a serious message and teaches a lesson that a book must not be judged by its cover.
Question 15: How can ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ be considered as a ballad?
Answer: A ballad is a narrative poem relating the adventures and brave deeds of the protagonist in a simple language. It is usually written in short four-line stanzas. The poem falls in the category of the parody of a ballad as it narrates the brave fight of the dragon against a pirate in a humorous manner. It has four-lined stanzas and simple language. But there is a twist as the protagonist is not a brave human being but an animal – a dragon.
So, these were The Tale of Custard The Dragon Important Questions & Answers.