Page 1 - LN4- MODULE

SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

CLASS X
ENGLISH LESSON NOTES
MODULE : THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON

About the Poet

Frederic Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was an American poet was an American poet famous for
his light verse. He was known as the producer of humorous poetry. He received Sarah
Josepha Hale Award in 1964.

Introduction to the lesson
Ogden Nash has written a poem about a little girl Belinda who owns many pets, namely, a
black kitten named Ink, grey mouse named Blink, yellow dog named Mustard and a coward
dragon named Custard. The poet has described every character to be brave except the
dragon who is a coward. But the whole situation changes when a pirate attacked Belinda’s
house. No one else had the guts to face him but it was the dragon that killed the pirate. All
the characters are happy because they are saved by the dragon but quickly change their
thoughts and describe themselves to be more powerful had the situation not been so
confusing for all of them.

Summary of the poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a ballad. It is a humorous poem about a cowardly dragon
named Custard. Custard is a pet of Belinda, a little girl who lives in a little white house with
her pets. She had a black kitten named Ink, a grey mouse named Blink, a yellow dog
Mustard and a cowardly dragon Custard. The poet says that all of them are very brave
except the dragon. Others were described as brave and are compared with animals like
bear, tiger or lion but the dragon is very timid. He always demands a safe place for himself.
All the other characters make fun of him. But one night they are surprised by the entry of a
pirate in the house. All of them get frightened and start hiding here and there. But to
everyone’s surprise, the dragon not only tackles him but also eats him up. As all of them are
saved by Custard, they thank him. But at the end, they realize that they used to make fun of
the dragon because of his being timid. So, all of them suddenly start saying that they are
braver and could have handled the situation in a much better way. Here the poet has tried
to say that sometimes a timid person is the actual hero in the toughest situations of life.

Poem and Explanation
Stanza 1
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.