1. Poem Introduction
“The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a funny, light-hearted ballad (a poem that tells a story) written by Ogden Nash. It tells the story of a little girl named Belinda and her four pets: a kitten, a mouse, a dog, and a dragon. While everyone in the house boasts about their extreme bravery and makes fun of the dragon for being a coward, the real test comes when a dangerous pirate attacks them. The poem beautifully conveys the message that true courage is shown through actions in difficult times, not through loud boasting.
2. The Poem (Key Stanzas)
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, trulio, little pet dragon.
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray 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.
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.
… (Everyone boasted of their bravery and mocked Custard) …
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
– Ogden Nash
3. Word Meanings (Vocabulary)
- Coward: डरपोक (A person who lacks courage)
- Spikes: नुकीले कांटे (Sharp, pointed structures)
- Scales: शरीर की परत (Thin, horny plates protecting the skin)
- Daggers: खंजर (Short knives with a pointed blade)
- Pirate: समुद्री डाकू (A person who attacks and robs ships)
- Cutlass: छोटी और चौड़ी तलवार (A short sword with a slightly curved blade)
- Yelp: दर्द या डर से चिल्लाना (A short, sharp cry of pain or alarm)
- Dungeon: तहखाना / जेल (A dark underground prison)
- Grog: शराब (An alcoholic drink)
- Gobbled: जल्दी-जल्दी निगल जाना (To eat hastily or quickly)
4. Key Characters Detail
- Belinda: A little girl who lives in a white house. She boasts of being as brave as a “barrel full of bears” but cries for help when the pirate arrives.
- Ink (Black Kitten) & Blink (Grey Mouse): They claim to be so brave that they can chase lions down the stairs. However, they hide immediately during the attack.
- Mustard (Yellow Dog): He boasts of being as brave as an angry tiger, but runs away with a terrified yelp when he sees the pirate.
- Custard (The Dragon): He looks terrifying with spikes, scales, and dagger-like toes. Yet, he is mocked by everyone because he always cries for a “nice safe cage”. Ultimately, he proves to be the only real hero by eating the pirate.
- The Pirate: The villain who enters through the window with pistols and a sword, intending to harm them.
5. Full Summary
Belinda and Her Pets
Belinda lived in a little white house with her pets: a black kitten named Ink, a gray mouse named Blink, a yellow dog named Mustard, and a pet dragon named Custard. All the pets, except the dragon, were very proud of their bravery. Belinda claimed to be as fearless as a group of bears. Ink and Blink boasted they could chase lions, and Mustard claimed to be as brave as an angry tiger. Custard, on the other hand, was considered a coward because he always cried for a nice, safe cage.
Mocking the Dragon
Even though Custard looked dangerous—with spikes on his back, scales underneath, a mouth like a fireplace, a nose like a chimney, and dagger-like toes—he was constantly made fun of. Belinda used to tickle him mercilessly. The other pets playfully named him ‘Percival’ (a brave knight who ran away) to tease him for his cowardly behavior.
The Pirate Attack
One day, their boasting was put to the test. They heard a nasty sound and saw a dangerous pirate climbing in through the window. He was holding pistols in both hands, carried a sword in his teeth, had a black beard, and one wooden leg. Seeing the pirate, all the “brave” characters lost their courage. Belinda turned pale and cried for help. Mustard ran away barking in fear, Ink hid in the basement, and Blink sneaked into his mousehole.
Custard to the Rescue
When everyone else ran away, the so-called coward, Custard the dragon, jumped up. He snorted loudly like a railway engine and hit his tail on the ground with a terrifying sound. He attacked the pirate like a robin bird attacks a worm. The terrified pirate drank some alcohol from his pocket to gather courage and fired two bullets at Custard, but they missed. Custard immediately swallowed (gobbled) the pirate completely.
The Aftermath and Returning to Normal
After Custard saved their lives, Belinda hugged him, Mustard licked him, and Ink and Blink danced around him in joy. However, their gratitude didn’t last long. Soon, they started making excuses for their cowardice, saying they would have been much braver if they hadn’t been “flustered” (confused). Custard, being humble, agreed with them and simply went back to crying for his nice safe cage.