10. The Tales of Custard the Dragon

Poem-10

The Tale of Custard the Dragon

By Ogden Nash

The Tale of Custard the Dragon Poem Introduction

Ogden Nash wrote a poem about Belinda, a little girl who has many pets, including a black kitten named ink, a grey mouse named blink, a yellow dog named mustard, and a coward dragon named custard. Except for the dragon, who is a coward, the poet has described every character as brave. But everything changes when a pirate attacks Belinda's house. No one else dared to confront him, and it was the dragon who killed the pirate. All of the characters are happy because the dragon has saved them, but they quickly change their minds and describe themselves as more powerful if the situation had not been so confusing for all of them.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon Poem Summary

Custard the Dragon's storey is a ballad. It's a lighthearted poem about a timid dragon named Custard. Custard is Belinda's pet, and she lives in a small white house with her pets. She had a black kitten named ink, a grey mouse named blink, a yellow dog named mustard, and a timid dragon named custard. Except for the dragon, according to the poet, they are all very brave. Others have been described as brave and compared to animals such as bears, tigers, and lions, but the dragon is extremely fearful. He is always looking for a safe haven for himself. He is mocked by all of the other characters. However, they are taken aback one night when a pirate enters the house. They all become terrified and begin to hide in various locations. To everyone's surprise, the dragon not only tackles him, but also eats him. Custard saves them all, and they thank him. But, in the end, they realise that they used to mock the dragon because he was timid. So they all start saying that they are more brave and could have handled the situation much better. In this poem, the poet attempts to convey the idea that, in the midst of adversity, a timid person can emerge as the true hero.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon Poem Explanation

Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

• Wagon: a vehicle used for transporting goods or another specified purpose.

According to the poet, there was once a little girl named Belinda. She resided in a small white house. She shared her home with some creatures who were her pets. They were a black kitten, a grey mouse, a yellow dog, a little red waggon, and a dragon, according to the poet.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (house-mouse, wagon-dragon)
• Repetition: use of the word ‘little’
• oxymoron: use of two words with opposite meanings ‘ “pet dragon”
• Anaphora: repeated use of word at the start of two consecutive lines. (And a little ….And a realio)
• Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio,)
• poetic license: realio, trulio for real, true. The spellings have been changed to create a musical effect

Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.

• Mustard: a yellow coloured flower
• Coward: weakling

The poet explains the names of all the animals that Belinda tames. He claims that the black kitten's name is ink. Blink is the name of the grey mouse. The little yellow dog was named mustard because he was yellow, and the dragon was named custard because he was a coward, which means he was a weakling.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (ink-blink, mustard-custard)
• simile: dog compared to mustard “And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard”
• Alliteration: “coward, and she called him Custard” – “c” sound
• Anaphora: repeated use of word at the start of two consecutive lines (And the little grey…And the little yellow)
• Repetition: use of word little

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, trulio daggers on his toes.

• Spikes: thin pointed surface
• Scales: Thin bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles.
• Underneath: situated directly below
• Fire place: An outdoor structure of brick, stone or metal for an open fire
• Dagger: A sharp knife

According to the poet, the dragon had large sharp teeth and spikes on top. This means that the top of its skin was pointed. It had scales, which were bony plates, on the lower part to protect the skin. His mouth has been compared to a fireplace because dragons are thought to be capable of releasing fire from their mouths. His nose is even compared to a chimney, which is used to expel smoke. His feet are sharp as a knife, i.e. a dagger.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (teeth-underneath, nose-toes)
• Simile: Dragon’s mouth is compared with fireplace (mouth like a fireplace)
• Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio,)
• Metaphor: “chimney for a nose”. The nose is like a chimney.

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.

• Barrel: drum
• Chased: hunt, follow
• Rage: anger

So, now the poet explains the inner strength or bravery of the poem's various characters. He claims that Belinda was as brave as a pack of bears, and that Ink and Blink were brave enough to hunt lions. So he has demonstrated the bravery of the kitten and the little mouse capable of hunting a lion. The dog was as brave as an angry tiger. Custard, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of all of them. Custard, the dragon, was not brave; he was terrified of everything and demanded a safe cage at all times.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (bears-stairs, rage-cage)
• Alliteration: Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears “b” sound is repeated
• Simile: Belinda’s bravery is compared to that of a barrel full of bears (as a barrel full of bears), Mustard’s bravery is compared to that of an angry tiger (Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage)
• Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘a’ (Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears)

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, trulio, cowardly dragon.

• Tickled: stroke, here it means to tease
• Unmerciful: cruel
• Percival: A knight in King Arthur’s court

Belinda used to be very cruel to the dragon. Ink, blink, and mustard mocked him by comparing him to Percival, a knight who was thought to be brave but fled due to a lack of courage. While sitting in their little red waggon, they used to tease the dragon.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (unmerciful-Percival, wagon-dragon)
• Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio,)
• Repetition: use of the word ‘tickled him’
• Allusion: reference to any person or place (Percival)
• Personification: Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival

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.

• Giggled: to laugh
• Weeck: Here it is the sound made by the mouse

According to the poet, Belinda used to laugh so loudly that her voice echoed throughout the house. Blink, the mouse, used to laugh and make a weeck sound. Ink and mustard, on the other hand, would tease him by asking the dragon his age whenever he demanded a nice safe cage.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (house-mouse, rage-cage)
• Onomatopoeia:  usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (giggled, weeck)
• Repetition: Custard cried for a nice safe cage

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda

• Nasty: bad or unpleasant
• Growled: bark
• Pirate: A person who robs ship in the sea
• Winda: it is used for window

So, while they were all making fun of the dragon, they heard someone enter the house. When they looked out the window, they noticed a pirate climbing the wall. The dog meowed at him, and the kitten meowed back. Belinda exclaimed, 'ooh,' because they were all terrified of the pirate (who robs ships).

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (sound-around, Belinda-winda)
• Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound)
• Onomatopoeia:  usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (Mustard growled, Meowch, cried ink)
• Poetic license: window is written as ‘winda’ to create rhyme.

Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good

• Pistol: a handgun
• Cutlass: a short sword with a curved blade.

The poet describes the pirate's appearance. He claims that the pirate was holding handguns in both hands as well as a small sword. He was clenching his teeth around his sword. He wore a black beard and walked on one leg made of wood. This means that even though the pirate was disabled, he still terrified the other characters. Furthermore, he intended to harm them.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (right- bright, wood- good)
• Alliteration: beard was black “b”, he held his “h”
• Imagery: An image is created about the appearance of the pirate.

Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed

• Paled: turn yellow due to fear
• Yelp: a short sharp cry
• Trickled: here, run
• Strategically: planned
• Mouseholed:  here it is the hole where the mouse lives.

They were all terrified when they saw the pirate. Belinda was so terrified that she turned yellow and began crying for help. Mustard, the dog, began to scream for help as well. As if he had planned it, the kitten ink ran down towards the bottom of the house. To save himself, the mouse ink ran into his little mouse hole.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (help-yelp, household – mousehold)
  transferred epithet: terrified yelp
• Repetition: help help
• Poetic license: use of the word mousehold to rhyme with household

But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,

Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.

• Snorting: make a sudden explosive sound through one’s nose
• Clashed: fought
• Dungeon: underground prison
• Clatter Clank: sound of hard object falling on each other
• Jangling squirm: sound of hard object falling on each other
• Robin: A bird

When all of the other characters, who had previously been defined as brave, became terrified, the dragon did the most unexpected thing. He jumped onto the pirate and made a loud noise with his nose, as if the engine was making a noise. Not only that, but he slammed his tail into the ground with such force that it made a heavy sound like metal rubbing against metal in the underground prisons. He attacked the pirate in the same way that a robin bird attacks worms.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (engine-dungeon, squirm-worm)
• Simile: sound of dragon is compared with sound of engine (snorting like an engine), Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon, dragon’s attack on pirate is compared to robin bird (like a robin at a worm)
• Onomatopoeia:  usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (clatter, clank, jangling)
• Imagery: The attack by the dragon is expressed in a way to make an image in our minds.

The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.

• Gaped: stared with mouth wide open
• Gulped: swallow
• Grog: a drink
• Flagon: a container made of silver in which drink is stored
• Gobbled: swallowed hurriedly

The pirate was so taken aback by the dragon's reaction that he opened his mouth wide. He drank some alcohol from a container in his pocket to regain his strength. After gathering his courage, he fired two bullets at the dragon, but they both missed. Custard the dragon devoured this ferocious-looking pirate.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (dragon-flagon, hit-bit)
• alliteration: gulped some grog “g”
• Imagery: They have shown the reaction and actions made by the pirate on seeing the dragon.

Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.

• Embraced: to hug
• Mourned: feel sorrow for the death of someone
• Victim: sufferer
• Glee: delight
• Gyrate: danced

Belinda hugged the dragon after the pirate was killed, and mustard licked him. No one was saddened by the pirate's death; instead, everyone was overjoyed. Both ink and blink were giddy as they ran around the dragon. So, according to the poet, all of the characters were happy, and they were thanking the dragon for saving them.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (him-victim, gyrate-pirate)
• alliteration: glee did gyrate “g”
• Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (no one mourned for), use of vowel sound ‘I’ (ink and blink in glee did), use of vowel sound ‘a’ (that ate the pirate)

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,
And Custard said, I quite agree
That everybody is braver than me.

• Flustered: upset or confused

They changed their minds after thanking and showing their love to the dragon. They were reminded of how they used to mock this coward dragon, but now they were all praising him. So the dog immediately stated that he couldn't do anything because of some confusion, otherwise he would have been twice as brave as custard. Ink and blink both stated that they would have been three times as brave as custard. To this, the dragon replied that he wholeheartedly agreed that all of them were more powerful and brave than him.

Literary Devices:

• Rhyme scheme: aabb (mustard-flustered, blink-ink, agree-me)

Belinda still lives in her little white house,
With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio little pet dragon.
Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,
Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage

Finally, the poet used the same lines to demonstrate that after this fantastic episode in which the dragon was the hero and all the other characters still undermined him by saying that they were more powerful than him and could have handled the situation much better, the poet says that life began again in the same manner. Belinda still lives in that little white house with ink, blink, mustard, and custard, all of whom are brave, whereas the dragon remains a coward who prefers to stay safe in his cage.

Literary Devices

• Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio)
• Repetition: stanza has been repeated

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