Summary: The Tale of Custard the Dragon - 1 - English Class 10

This is a humorous poem in which Custards the dragon saves the lives when a pirate threatens Belinda and her pet animals.
Belinda lived in a little white house with her pet animals which included a little black cat, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog, and a little pet dragon. This animal family had also a little red wagon. While the cat, the mouse, and the dog were amusing animals, the dragon was extremely weakling and cowardly. The dragon would always sob for a pleasant safe enclosure. Custard, as Belinda would call his dragon seemed to be, notwithstanding, a savage-looking creature. He had huge sharp teeth, spikes on its back scales underneath. His mouth resembled a chimney, his nose like that of a stack, and his toes like daggers.
The animals would always boost their bravery. Belinda was as valiant as a barrel loaded with bears. The little cat and the mouse would chase the lions down the stairs. Mustard, the dog was as brave as a tiger in wrath.

Fig: The Tale of custard the dragon

Belinda tickled the dragon savagely saying that it was a Percival. At this, every other animal laughed to their souls’ fill. All of a sudden an awful solid was heard, and a pirate was seen holding two guns in two hands and a knife in his mouth. It was a certain test to the strength of the so-called valiant creatures. The dog yelped and fled away. The cat meowed and ran to security. The mouse ran deliberately to its opening. The poor dragon was left alone to confront the anger of the pirate.
The dragon gathered the courage, roared like an engine, clashed his tale and clattered. The pirate felt horrified, took an alcohol drink and fired the dragon twice. The dragon was outraged and he gobbled the pirate every bit. The other animals watched the scene from a distance. They now came running and embraced the dragon. They did not give up the stake of bravery and provided many pretences of their running from the spot. The dragon was now expected to give air to himself. But to the surprise of all, he again cried for the nice fine cage. The animals kept living together ever since this episode.
The dragon assembled the valour, thundered like a motor, clashed his tail and clacked. The privateer felt astonished, took a liquor drink and fired the dragon twice. The dragon was outraged and he ate the pirate every piece. Other animals watched the scene from a separation. They currently came running and embraced the dragon. They didn’t surrender the stake of bravery and gave numerous falsifications of their running from the spot. The dragon was presently anticipated to offer air to himself. In any case, to the shock of all, he again sobbed for the fine safe cage. The animals continued living respectively ever since this scene.

1st stanza:
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulia, little pet dragon.
In this stanza, we are introduced to Belinda who lives with her pets in a white house. These pets are a black kitten, a gray mouse, a yellow dog and a dragon. They all use a red wagon when they want to go out somewhere.

2nd stanza:
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray mouse, she called her Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
In this stanza, we are told that the kitten being black is known as Ink, the mouse being tiny as Blink, the dog being yellow as Mustard, and the dragon being cowardly as Custard.

3rd stanza:
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, trulia, daggers on his toes.
In this stanza, we are told that Custard was a full-grown dragon and could easily defend himself against any danger, for he had sharp teeth, spikes on his back scales beneath his belly and dagger-like toes. He could also breathe fire.

4th stanza:
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.
In this stanza, we are told that Belinda, Ink, Blink and Mustard were all brave, even though they were much smaller in size than Custard, but that Custard was so cowardly that he preferred to be caged if that would keep him safe.

5th stanza:
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, trulia, cowardly dragon.
In this stanza, we are told that Belinda and the others all made fun of Custard for being so afraid all the time. Belinda tickled him and Ink, Blink and Mustard ironically compared him with the brave knight called Percival, who had been in the service of King Arthur to show him how unlike Percival he really was.