Class 10 English Chapter 1 Question Answers - First Flight

Q1: Where did Belinda live?
Ans: Belinda lived in a quaint, little white house surrounded by a beautiful garden where she spent most of her time playing with her beloved pets. Her pets included a black kitten named Ink, a grey mouse named Blink, a yellow dog named Mustard, and a dragon named Custard, who, despite being called a coward, was a loyal companion to Belinda and her other pets.

Q2: What were the names of Belinda’s pets?
Ans: Belinda owned four pets - a little black kitten named Ink, a little yellow dog named Mustard, a little grey mouse named Blink, and a dragon whose name was Custard. While her other pets were brave and fierce, Custard was mocked for being a cowardly dragon.

Q3: Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names. 
Ans: The characters in this poem are Belinda, a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog, a little pet dragon, and a pirate. 

Q4: How did the pirate look? 
Ans: The pirate was a menacing figure, with a fierce expression on his face. He wore a ragged hat and a long, tattered coat. His black beard was unkempt, and he had a distinctive scar on his left cheek. The sight of his two pistols and his wooden leg added to the aura of danger that surrounded him.

Q5: Why did Custard, the dragon, cry for a nice, safe cage? 
Ans: Custard was very brave but still kept asking for a nice, safe cage. It made people think he was cowardly. He might be crying for a nice, safe cage so that he might not harm anyone when in anger, or he might be proving that a little safety cage averts a disaster. The others thought that he cried for a cage because he was a coward.

Q6: What did Belinda and her pets hear? 
Ans: Belinda and her pets heard a nasty sound made by the pirate breaking in through the window. Belinda and her pets, except Custard, were terrified and cried for help. Ink, Blink, and Mustard fled away cowardly. Custard fought with him bravely and killed him. 

Q7: What terrified the pirate? Who killed him and how?
Ans: Custard, the dragon, jumped up, snorting and clashing his tail. He was making a lot of clatter and clanking, and he was squirming. He attacked the pirate. It terrified the pirate. He fired at Custard and missed. Custard killed him by swallowing him up. It shows that he was brave.

Q8: Write the poetic aspect of the poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon”.
Ans:The poem “The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a light-hearted story, written in the ballad style. It is written in a four-lined stanza format with the rhyming scheme of aabb. It takes it near to the heroic couplet. The poem offers many similes. The stanzas vary in size. The lines are prosaic and long. The first two stanzas act as a refrain to indicate continuity. The words are simple.

Q9: Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears’ Identify two poetic devices used in the above line.
Ans:
 (a) As brave as a barrel—Simile. (A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two things using words like such as "like", "as", "so", or "then")
(b) Brave, a barrel full of bears—Alliteration. (Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of identical initial consonant sounds in successive or closely associated syllables within a group of words, often used as a literary device.)

Q10: Why did Belinda cry for help? Who came to her help?
Ans: Belinda was scared to see the pirate who had pistols in his hands and a bright cutlass in his teeth. There was something bad in his appearance and intention. The menacing looks of the pirate terrified Belinda so much that she cried for help. It was her pet dragon, Custard, that rushed to help her.
Q11: How did Belinda’s pets, other than Custard face the pirate?
Ans: All the animals other than the dragon used to boast about their bravery and make fun of the dragon. But when the pirate entered the house, everyone got scared and ran away, except for Custard, the dragon.

Q12: How did each of Belinda’s pets react at the sight of the pirate?
Ans: When Belinda and her four pets saw the pirate coming into their house, they displayed a very different emotion than they had shown earlier. The three pets, the cat, the dog, and the mouse, who would boast about their bravery, ran away and hid themselves. They were the ones who pretended to be fearless. On the other hand, Custard, the dragon, attacked the pirate bravely. He swallowed the pirate and saved everyone from danger. He was the bravest of the four pets.

Q13: Give a brief description of the pirate in the poem The Tale of Custard the Dragon’.
Ans:  The pirate in the poem 'The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ had a formidable (scary) presence and made 'nasty' sounds. He looked scary, with a cutlass bright' in his teeth. This means that he held a bright piece of glass between his teeth. Also, he had a wooden peg for a leg, like the pirates in stories often do. He had a black beard. The pirate carried a pistol in each hand. He carried a liquor bottle('pocket flagon'). Overall, the pirate was a threatening person to have around.

Q14: Belinda was a sweet little girl who lived in her sweet little white house. Who else lived with her in that house?
Or
Who all lived in a white house with Belinda?
Ans: Belinda was the owner of a sweet little white house, where she lived with her beloved pets Ink, Blink, and Mustard. The most unusual of her pets was Custard, a cowardly dragon who was often teased by Belinda's friends. However, when a pirate invaded the house and threatened Belinda's safety, Custard bravely fought and defeated him, proving that he was not as cowardly as everyone thought.

Q15: Why did everyone make fun of the dragon?
Ans: In the story "The Tale of Custard the Dragon," everyone makes fun of the dragon because he is seen as cowardly and afraid. While the other animals in the house, such as the cat and the dog, boast about their bravery and strength, Custard is constantly afraid and asks for a safe cage. This makes him the target of ridicule and laughter from the other animals. However, in the end, Custard proves his bravery by standing up to the pirate and saving the day.

Q16: How did they express their admiration for the dragon after the death of the pirate?
Ans: After the death of the pirate, the companions of Custard the dragon expressed their admiration for him by showing their happiness. Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him, and Ink and Blink jumped around him, surrounding him with joy. There was no mourning for the pirate, and the dragon became the hero of the day.

Q17: What did they say about their bravery after the pirate’s death?
Ans: Mustard said that he would have been twice as brave if he had not gotten nervous. Ink and Blink said that they had been three times as brave as he had been. But Custard said that he agreed with them. He said that they were braver than he.

Q18: Who among them was brave? How did he show his bravery?
Ans. In the story, "The Tale of Custard the Dragon", the only character who displayed true bravery was Custard, the dragon. While the other characters, including the knight and the ladies, cowered in fear at the sight of the pirate, Custard confronted him head-on and devoured him. This act of courage proved that Custard was not the cowardly creature that he was believed to be.

Q19: How is ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ a ballad?
Ans: A ballad is a poem that tells a story. The theme of a ballad is adventure, bravery, romance, etc. Then it is highly musical due to its rhyme scheme. This poem has these qualities. But it is a parody of a ballad. The poet humorously shows these qualities.

Q20: How does the poet describe Belinda and her animals’ bravery? How was Custard different from them?
Ans: The poet says that Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears. Ink and Blink followed the lions down the stairs. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage. But Custard was a coward. He kept crying for a nice, safe cage.

Q21: How did the animals make fun of the dragon?
Ans: The animals make fun of the dragon by teasing him and calling him names. Belinda, the little girl, tickled the dragon, while Ink, Blink, and Mustard laughed at him and gave him the name Percival. The animals sat in a red wagon and made fun of the cowardly dragon.

Q22: Belinda and the other animals have been described as brave. But on seeing the pirate they behaved in a cowardly way. How did they react?
Ans: Belinda and the other animals, who were previously described as brave, reacted in a cowardly way on seeing the pirate. Belinda turned pale and cried for help, Mustard ran away barking fearfully, Ink went to the bottom of the house, and the little mouse ran into his hole in no time. The sudden appearance of the pirate scared them and they couldn't maintain their bravado.

Q23: What were the names of Belinda’s pets? Do their names reflect their personalities?
Ans: Belinda has four pets. They are a little black kitten, Ink, a little yellow dog, Mustard, a grey mouse named Blink, and a dragon called Custard. Yes, their names reflect their colours and traits. The black kitten Ink is black as ink. Mustard, the dog, is yellow like mustard flowers. The cowardly Custard has no strength of character like the dish, Custard.

Q24: How is the bravery of Belinda and her pets described in the poem? Do they prove their courage and bravery?
Ans: Belinda and her pets are projected as courageous in the poem. Belinda is braver than a barrel of bears. Ink and Blink could chase even lions down the stairs. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage. Only Custard, the dragon, was considered to be timid and cowardly. Ironically, all proved cowards except Custard, who fought against and swallowed the pirate.

Q25: Describe the outward appearance of Custard, the dragon. Why did he always cry for a nice safe cage?
Ans: Custard was a picture of power and strength. His teeth were big and sharp. There were spikes on top of him. His mouth spat fire. He had a big nose that resembled a chimney. There were daggers on his toes. However, Custard didn’t possess the strength of character. He lacked courage. He was not the courage of his real strength and always begged for a nice safe cage for his protection.

Q26: Why did Belinda tickle Custard mercilessly? Why was he teased as `Percival’?
Ans: Belinda had a very poor opinion of Custard. She considered him a coward and always taunted and tickled him for being so. All the other pets, Ink, Blink, and Mustard mocked Custard’s timidity and lack of courage. Tauntingly, they called him Percival, who was a brave knight of King Arthur.

Q27: How did Custard face the pirate differently than Belinda and her pets?
Ans: While Belinda herself was terrified of seeing the pirate, her other pets also behaved quite cowardly. While they fled away in fear, Custard faced the pirate like a hero. He attacked the pirate with his tall tail. He pounced upon the pirate as a robin pounces upon an insect. He swallowed the pirate within no time.

Q28: Why did Belinda and her pets prove ungrateful to Custard who killed the pirate? Why did they again start calling him timid and cowardly?
Ans: Belinda and her pets showed a temporary appreciation of Custard’s heroic feat. Belinda embraced him and other pets danced around him. But that was the end of it. They again started indulging in self-patting and self-praise. They showed their ungratefulness by undermining and not acknowledging Custard's heroic fight with the pirate.

Q29: How did Belinda and her pets behave when the pirate was killed?
Ans: Belinda became so happy that she embraced Custard intimately. Her pets also celebrated the death of the pirate by dancing around Custard joyfully. However, they gave no credit to Custard for his heroic feat. On the other hand, they indulged in self-praise and self-patting.

Q30: What lesson or message does the poet seem to give to the readers?

Ans: The poet gives a definite message. Merely outer appearances and physical strength don’t make a person brave. One should have the strength of mind and self-confidence to be great. The dragon, Custard, had a lot of physical strength, and he swallowed the pirate. Despite that, he was bullied and mocked for his timidity and cowardly behaviour.

Q31: How did Custard prove that he was not a coward?
Ans: All the other pets of Belinda ran away to save their lives when they saw the pirate. Belinda herself did so. Only Custard faced the dreadful pirate heroically. Like a hero, he attacked the pirate with his tall tail. He pounced upon the pirate as a robin pounces upon an insect. These heroic deeds of Custard proved that he was not a coward.